Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Social Science School
This course is only available to BSocSc students and is recommended to be completed in the final year of study. It enables students to apply and extend core research skills developed in earlier courses through an applied group research project conducted with an industry partner. Students become skilled in project planning, team work and industry liaison.
Welcome to SOSC3201. I trust that you will enjoy this course, and its companion - SOSC3202 in Semester 2. These courses will be some of the most exciting, relevant and challenging that you are likely to undertake in your entire degree. This is because the courses are a 'capstone' experience that gives you the opportunity to use and develop applied research skills and knowledge that you have gained in earlier social science research methods courses to a more advanced level. This occurs through the design and execution of a 'real world' applied research project working with an industry partner from the government, community or corporate sector. This course is focused on developing a research project - this will develop your skills in critically evaluating research; planning a researchﾠproject;ﾠwriting a research proposal; working as part of a research team; and preparing a research ethics application. Once completed SOSC3201, in semester 2's SOSC3202 you will conduct research, collecting and analysing data, and report your findings to various audiences and in varied formats (short and long reports, videos).
Course requirements
Assumed background
The course provides a genuine 'capstone' experience by enabling you to apply the skills and knowledge that you have developed in the first two years of your degree to a real-life research project. In order to make the most of this experience, it is expected that you have completed as many of the requisite and recommended research methods courses as possible, or that you are undertaking them concurrently in this first semester.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
SOCY2019 or POLS2703
Recommended prerequisites
We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:
SOCY2339
Restrictions
Only available to Bachelor of Social Science students
Course contact
School enquiries
Student Enquiries School of Social Science
Level 3, Michie Building (09), St Lucia campus, The University of Queensland.
Monday-Friday, 9:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-4:00pm.
Course staff
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
The course is formally structured around weekly 3 hour interactive workshops where students will primarily work in small research groups (4-6 people).
In addition to workshops, student research teams will need to regularly meet to undertake the course learning and assessment requirements.
For some of the course, the workshops will be combined with CRIM3201 students who are taking similar, albeit different projects and assessment. ﾠ
Aims and outcomes
This course is designed to assist you to:
- gain a proficient understanding of applied research design and the research process;
- gain experience in working in research teams in social science contexts;
- gain experience in working with practitioners in professional research, policy, service delivery, and community contexts;
- extend your learning, and to develop professionally through active reflection;
- enhance your writing and presentation skills;
- prepare you for implementing an applied social research project in SOSC3202.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Undertake necessary preparation for applied research projects, including liaising with research and industry partners, evaluating published research, and applying research design skills.
LO2.
Engage actively and effectively in teamwork.
LO3.
Report on research work in progress to various audiences.
LO4.
Relate your learning to the practice of social science, and to your identity and position as an emerging social scientist.
LO5.
Recognise and articulate interpersonal skills that are transferable to other contexts.
LO6.
Identify and articulate the ethical implications of social research methods, data, analysis and reporting.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Annotated Bibliography
|
25% |
24/03/2025 2:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Group Ethics Application - Part 1
|
35% + Peer Assessment* |
9/05/2025 2:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Group Research Project Proposal
|
40% + Peer Assessment |
30/05/2025 2:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Group Ethics Application - Part 2
|
9/06/2025 2:00 pm
While there is a deadline, earlier submission is better. Failure to submit your application before that date may delay fieldwork in Semester 2's SOSC3202. |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Annotated Bibliography
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
24/03/2025 2:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Student specific.
- Learning outcomes
- L01
Task description
Identify and summarise 5 pieces of literature to inform your research proposal. You must:
- provide a brief statement summarising your research problem;
- explain the focus of your reviewed literature;
- critically summarise the key findings/argument of each piece;
- explain how each piece is relevant to your proposed research;
- critically reflect on your use (or nonuse) of GenAI in preparing and completing this assessment.
There is no set word limit on each item but the overall length of your Annotated Bibliography assignment is 1400 words, excluding the bibliographic details of key references. You can work as a team in formulating your research problem or devise your own. If you all use the exact same research problem, you will still need to explain the specific focus of your review. Writing separate ones may benefit you as a team as you'll have multiple versions of your research problem, allowing you to make comparisons on how you each perceive the project and come to a shared understanding.
Research teams must work together to plan the focus and scope of each team member's Annotated Bibliography so that they are complementary, not overlapping. Taken together, the references submitted by each student will help form the basis of the team's review of literature for your Research Proposal (Assessment 3). As a group, you are encouraged to engage your academic advisor to assist in identifying literature and ensure you have covered the main texts and bodies of literature. Do not send Academic Advisors your individual annotated bibliographies for review.
In compiling your key references , you should use an acknowledged, in-text, author-date academic referencing system (e.g., APA or Chicago). It does not matter which one you use (although footnote or endnotes are not acceptable), as long as you are consistent in your referencing style. Use of a referencing tool (e.g. Zotero) is highly encouraged.
An assessment template for your use in setting out this assignment is provided on Blackboard.
Artificial Intelligence (such as ChatGPT) and Assignment writing:ﾠArtificial Intelligence (AI) provides tools that may support students in completing your assessment tasks. Students may appropriately use AI in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI in each instance. A failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Large Language Generative AI Tools. You may choose to use LLM-GenAI tools (such as ChatGPT, Microsoft CoPilot and Claude) to assist you. Failure to acknowledge using such resource may constitute unethical writing practice/plaigarism.
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your assignment electronically by the due time, on the due date.
Your assignment must be submitted via the Blackboard Assessment submission linked provided (Folder Assessment/Assessment 1). No e-mailed submissions of assessments will be accepted.
Turnitin links will be configured to permit early submission of assessment items. Students will have the opportunity to submit draft assignments to Turnitin prior to submission of the final assignment in order to review similarity index content and to improve academic writing practice in accordance with UQ Academic Integrity policies.
By uploading your assignment via Turnitin, you are certifying that the work you submit is your own work except where correctly attributed to another source. Do not submit your assignment if it contains any work that is not your own.
You are required to retain proof of submission of your assessment. Your Digital Receipt is available for download from your Assignment Dashboard. If you cannot see your submission and download your digital receipt, your assessment has not been successfully submitted; please submit again.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties with Blackboard, please contact the ITS Support Team.
If you are unable to submit your assignment by the due date, you will need to apply for an extension as set out in this Course Profile.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
You must submit a request for an extension as soon as it becomes clear you need an extension. Your request should be submitted no later than the assessment item's due date and time.
The request must be accompanied by supporting documentation corroborating the reason for the request. A list of acceptable reasons for an extension and the evidence you must provide can be found here. Your request may be refused if you do not meet the acceptable reasons for an extension. The student submitting the request is fully responsible for all supporting documentation that is provided with the request and should ensure all documents are authentic.
In the School of Social Science, extensions on the basis of an approved Student Access Plan (SAP) or an Extension Verification Letter (EVL) can be approved for a maximum period of 7 calendar days. Subsequent extensions for a piece of assessment will require additional supporting documentation (e.g., a medical certificate or other supporting evidence listed on my.UQ).
Extension requests exceeding the maximum extension period stated for a piece of assessment will only be considered under exceptional circumstances (circumstances outside of your control) with additional supporting documentation.
Late applications must include evidence of the reasons for the late request, detailing why you were unable to apply for an extension by the due date and time. The School of Social Science will not accept personal statements.
Students may be asked to supply the work they have completed to date on the assessment piece. This is to establish what efforts have already been made to complete the assessment, and whether the proposed work plan is feasible. Extension requests are processed and managed by the School of Social Science Administration Team.
Extensions in your final semester of study could delay your graduation by up to one semester.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Work will not be accepted if it is more than one week (7 calendar days) late without prior approval.
Group Ethics Application - Part 1
- Team or group-based
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 35% + Peer Assessment*
- Due date
9/05/2025 2:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Peer assessment factor, Work integrated learning.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L04, L05, L06
Task description
It is a legal requirement that all Australian university based research involving human subjects, or secondary data derived from human subjects, require ethical clearance. Your ethics application for your proposed research project forms the basis of this piece of assessment. (Should you be undertaking a project that does not require ethical clearance, an explanation of assessment requirements will be provided.) Each group must complete an application for ethical clearance using the online Ethics application form via MyResearch. This occurs in two stages.
Stage 1 involves completing the form online and upload all the necessary accompanying documents, which includes:
- A project description (on the LNR template)
- Participant Information Sheet/s
- Consent form/s
- A gatekeeper's letter (where relevant, this will not be assessed)
- A copy of any draft survey instrument/interview questions (this will not be assessed, but feedback will be given).
- Key recruitment paraphenalia, e.g. posters, social media ads (where relevant; this will not be assessed, but feedback will be given)
Once you have completed your online application DO NOT SUBMIT IT TO THE ETHICS COMMITTEE VIA THE ONLINE PORTAL. Instead, you are to download the full draft copy of the application and submit through Blackboard. Only one person from each group submits the assessment on behalf of the group.
Marking criteria and matrix are available on Blackboard. Examples of previous ethics applications, along with participant information sheets, consent forms, university letterhead, project descriptions/protocols are on Blackboard under the assessment/ethical clearance application folder.
Artificial Intelligence (such as ChatGPT) and Assignment writing:ﾠArtificial Intelligence (AI) provides tools that may support students in completing your assessment tasks. Students may appropriately use AI in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI in each instance.ﾠA failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct. You may choose to use GenAI in preparing this assessment, but other than for spelling and grammar checking, it would not likely to be useful fo you. If you use AI you must submit the AI use form template (found on course Blackboard site) with your assessment.
*Each student also must submit a Peer Assesment to accompany this assignment via Blackboard's BuddyCheck within a week of the first submission date. The Peer Assessment is to capture each team members' contribution to the research project design process throughout the semester up to submitting this assessment.
Submission guidelines
One member of each team must submit their assignment electronically by the due time, on the due date.
Your assignment must be submitted via Blackboard. The assignment must be the dowloaded version of the draft application generated from MyResearch.
By uploading your assignment via Blackboard, you are certifying that the work you submit is your own work except where correctly attributed to another source. Do not submit your assignment if it contains any work that is not your own.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties with Blackboard, please contact the ITS Support Team.
All students should submit their own Peer Assessment forms via BuddyCheck within one week of the Part 1 due date.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
It is noted that this is a group assessment with a peer assessment factor; hence individual extensions impact on other group members and their ability to progress in the course.
Given the scaffolding nature of assessment in this course (feedback on this assessment can shape Assessment 3) and the need for submission of the ethical approval by Exam week 1 based on feedback from the course coordinator, it is not feasible to delay beyond this timeframe.
You must submit a request for an extension as soon as it becomes clear you need an extension. Your request should be submitted no later than the assessment item's due date and time.
The request must be accompanied by supporting documentation corroborating the reason for the request. A list of acceptable reasons for an extension and the evidence you must provide can be found here. Your request may be refused if you do not meet the acceptable reasons for an extension. The student submitting the request is fully responsible for all supporting documentation that is provided with the request and should ensure all documents are authentic.
In the School of Social Science, extensions on the basis of an approved Student Access Plan (SAP) or an Extension Verification Letter (EVL) can be approved for a maximum period of 7 calendar days. Subsequent extensions for a piece of assessment will require additional supporting documentation (e.g., a medical certificate or other supporting evidence listed on my.UQ).
Extension requests exceeding the maximum extension period stated for a piece of assessment will only be considered under exceptional circumstances (circumstances outside of your control) with additional supporting documentation.
Late applications must include evidence of the reasons for the late request, detailing why you were unable to apply for an extension by the due date and time. The School of Social Science will not accept personal statements.
Students may be asked to supply the work they have completed to date on the assessment piece. This is to establish what efforts have already been made to complete the assessment, and whether the proposed work plan is feasible. Extension requests are processed and managed by the School of Social Science Administration Team.
Extensions in your final semester of study could delay your graduation by up to one semester.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Work will not be accepted if it is more than one week (7 calendar days) late without prior approval.
If you team are unable to submit your assignment by the due date, you will need to apply for an extension as set out in policy. You will need to discuss with the Course Coordinator the implications of how to manage the extension in the context of a group assessment.
Group Research Project Proposal
- Team or group-based
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 40% + Peer Assessment
- Due date
30/05/2025 2:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Peer assessment factor, Work integrated learning.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
Your group is required to submit a research project proposal outlining your research problem and your plan for undertaking the research. This proposal will be the culmination of your group's work across the semester, building on work you did in your annotated bibliography and reseach plan in your ethics application. You can build on the work you have already done, and this is not considered self-plagiarism in this context. Your project proposal should include the following:
- Separate title page (with author names)
- Introduction: Describe the problem under investigation and why it is significant. Identify your research aims/questions.
- Literature review: Summarise what other people have published about the research area and/or issue, and identify and comment upon relevant debates. Identify the relevant theories and how they might (or might not) apply to the issue at hand. Critically interpret previous research findings. Your review should end with a summary statement that positions your study in the context of the literature so that the reader can see how your work contributes.
- An outline of your key concepts, conceptual framework or any theories you intend to draw upon in your research. This should logically connect to your research questions and develop from the literature. It should also connect to your proposed research methods.
- Statement of Method: Provide information about research design, data collection methods, population, sampling strategy, intended sample size and/or composition, and the methods you propose for data collection, data analysis and interpretation of results. You should also consider the ethical implications of your work and how you plan to address them. You must justify your proposed method with reference to the aims of your research, your specific research questions, the context and subjects of your research, and relevant literature on research methods.
- Ethical and/or researcher statement: discuss any notable ethical consideration your study raises and how you will address them.
- Timeline: Include milestones and stages of the research (e.g., when to trial data collection tools, when to collect data, how long, etc.).
- Budget: Identify the categories of expenditure that exist (e.g., personnel, travel, equipment, supplies, office supplies, printing/copying, telephones, postage, etc.) and estimated costs.
- References: Use an acknowledged academic referencing system. Be consistent.
Examples of actual research proposals in different fields of social science will be provided on the Course Blackboard for guidance. Marking criteria and matrix is provided on the course Blackboard site.
Artificial Intelligence (such as ChatGPT) and Assignment writing:ﾠArtificial Intelligence (AI) provides emerging tools that may support students in completing your assessment tasks. Students may appropriately use AI in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI in each instance.ﾠA failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct. Students are able to use AI in preparing this assessment. Each group must submit the AI use form template (found on course Blackboard site) with your assessment.
Word length: 3500 words (Reference list and appendices not included in word count).
Submission guidelines
One person on behalf of the team must submit your assignment electronically by the due time, on the due date.
Your assignment must be submitted via Blackboard submission link.
All students must also submit their own peer assessment via BuddyCheck within one week of the due date.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
You must submit a request for an extension as soon as it becomes clear you need an extension. Your request should be submitted no later than the assessment item's due date and time.
The request must be accompanied by supporting documentation corroborating the reason for the request. A list of acceptable reasons for an extension and the evidence you must provide can be found here. Your request may be refused if you do not meet the acceptable reasons for an extension. The student submitting the request is fully responsible for all supporting documentation that is provided with the request and should ensure all documents are authentic.
In the School of Social Science, extensions on the basis of an approved Student Access Plan (SAP) or an Extension Verification Letter (EVL) can be approved for a maximum period of 7 calendar days. Subsequent extensions for a piece of assessment will require additional supporting documentation (e.g., a medical certificate or other supporting evidence listed on my.UQ).
Extension requests exceeding the maximum extension period stated for a piece of assessment will only be considered under exceptional circumstances (circumstances outside of your control) with additional supporting documentation.
Late applications must include evidence of the reasons for the late request, detailing why you were unable to apply for an extension by the due date and time. The School of Social Science will not accept personal statements.
Students may be asked to supply the work they have completed to date on the assessment piece. This is to establish what efforts have already been made to complete the assessment, and whether the proposed work plan is feasible. Extension requests are processed and managed by the School of Social Science Administration Team.
Extensions in your final semester of study could delay your graduation by up to one semester.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Work will not be accepted if it is more than one week (7 calendar days) late without prior approval.
Group Ethics Application - Part 2
- Hurdle
- Team or group-based
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Due date
9/06/2025 2:00 pm
While there is a deadline, earlier submission is better. Failure to submit your application before that date may delay fieldwork in Semester 2's SOSC3202.
- Other conditions
- Work integrated learning.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L04, L05, L06
Task description
This is the second stage of the Ethics Application requirement that will be required for all projects requiring ethical clearance.
Task:
Based on the feedback you received from the assessed draft ethics assessment and feedback in workshop and your Academic Advisor, you are required to revise the draft and resubmit the updated application on MyResearch with all relevant attachments.
Email the course coordinator to advise when the changes have been made to the online application and you think it is ready to go. Once the course teaching team is satisfied with your changes, they will submit the application on your behalf through the online MyResearch portal.
Once your ethics application has been assessed by the relevant ethics committee, changes or clarification on specific points in the application is often required. You may be asked to amend the research plan and provide details of the changes you have made. Over the winter break, it is strongly encouraged that at least one team member can check emails and assist the course coordinator to respond to the ethical approval process.
Artificial Intelligence (such as ChatGPT) and Assignment writing:ﾠArtificial Intelligence (AI) provides emerging tools that may support students in completing your assessment tasks. Students may appropriately use AI in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI in each instance.ﾠA failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
There is no mark attached to this assessment, but it is a hurdle requirement to complete SOSC3201.
Hurdle requirements
Submission of this assessment (the ethics approval application) is required to complete SOSC3201. It will be required for students undertaking SOSC3202 in the subsequent semester. The hurdle is to be applied to the group, not to an individual.Submission guidelines
One member of each team must email the Course Coordinator to advise that your team's MyResearch application is ready for submission.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
It is necessary for ethics clearance to be submitted in a timely fashion. Otherwise ethics approval will be significantly delayed and will impact on progress of students enrolled in SOSC3202 in semester 2. It is not necessary for each student to contribute to this assessment, so should one consider an extension they can choose to not contribute.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 1 - 29 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Fails to satisfy most or all of the basic requirements of the course |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Fails to satisfy some of the basic requirements of the course |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Falls short of satisfying all basic requirements for a Pass. |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Satisfies all of the basic learning requirements for the course, such as knowledge of fundamental concepts and performance of basic skills; demonstrates sufficient quality of performance to be considered satisfactory or adequate or competent or capable in the course. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates ability to use and apply fundamental concepts and skills of the course, going beyond mere replication of content knowledge or skill to show understanding of key ideas, awareness of their relevance, some use of analytical skills, and some originality or insight. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates awareness and understanding of deeper and subtler aspects of the course, such as an ability to identify and debate critical issues or problems, ability to solve non-routine problems, ability to adapt and apply new ideas to new situations, and ability to invent and evaluate new ideas. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates imagination, originality or flair, based on proficiency in all the learning objectives for the course; work is interesting or surprising or exciting or challenging or erudite. |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Supplementary assessment is an additional opportunity to demonstrate that the learning requirements for an eligible course have been satisfied and that the graduate attributes for the course have been attained. Supplementary assessment may only be granted where Supplementary Assessment – procedures allow. A passing grade of 4 (or P) is the highest grade that can be awarded in a course where supplementary assessment has been granted. For further information on supplementary assessment please see my.UQ.
Additional assessment information
Peer Assessment Factor (PAF)
Each student is required to submit a peer-evaluation for group pieces of assessment. The peer-evaluation enables a Peer Assessment Factor (PAF) to be considered in the award of individual students' marks. A PAF is a score that assesses the nature and extent of the contribution made by each team member to the team's products.ﾠEach student must describe and weight all team members' input by dividing 100 points among all students in their team, including themselves.ﾠ
This is submitted via Blackboard/Assessment using the BuddyCheck facility for each relevant assessment. The peer assessment must be submitted within a week of the relevant assignment.ﾠYour feedback will be confidential to the teaching team only. It is used only for the purposeﾠof acknowledging individuals' performance in the team.ﾠThe student’s own score is included in the calculation. Student teams will be provided with a group mark followed by an individual mark that takes the PAF into considerations. You will find that your individual group marks are higher, lower or the same as the group mark depending on the PAF.
The PAF are calculated as the aggregated marks allocated to each student as a percentage of the total marks available and the difference +/- between each student's aggregated mark and the expected mark if everyone was assessed equally. The course coordinator will have discretion to determine individual marks,ﾠbased on other insights and judgements about fairness. They will not slavishly apply the PAF.
If a team member does not provide a PAF evaluation, the course coordinator will calculate a substitute mark for all team members based on the mean of all other PAF evaluations.
Academic Integrity: All students must complete the Academic Integrity Modules https://www.uq.edu.au/integrity/
School Guide for Written Assessments: School of Social Science Guide for Written Assessments
Release of Marks: The marks and feedback for assessments will be released to students in a timely manner, prior to the due date of the next assessment piece for the course. This is with the exception of the final piece of assessment. The marks and feedback for the final assessment item will only be made available to the student on the Finalisation of Grades date at the end of semester.
Assessment Re-mark: For information on requesting an assessment re-mark, please view the following page on my.UQ: https://my.uq.edu.au/querying-result
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
ETHICAL CLEARANCE APPLICATIONS
In the second half of the end of the semester, all groups with projects involving human participants (or data previously collected from human participants) will beﾠrequired to submit an application for ethical clearance. This occurs through UQ's online MyResearh system) (https://my-research.research.uq.edu.au/) although the process of applying for and receiving ethical clearance varies slightly according to the nature of your project, as detailed below. Full details about UQ's Human Ethics policies and procedures and meeting times are found on the UQ webpage. Please refer to the assessment section for more information on what the process entails.
1.ﾠMost research projects will be considered low and negligible risk (LNR) to participants. Low risk is deemed to apply when the only foreseeable risk for participants is one of mild discomfort, while negligible risks are those associated simply with the inconvenience of being involved in researchﾠLNR applications will be assessed by a HASS Faculty LNR ethics committee, which reviews applications at any time. Applications are usually processed within three weeks. Full details about the LNR ethical review process including form Templates and Checklists can be found at the UQ's LNR Human Ethics webpage.ﾠ
2. In a limited number of cases, student groups may be required to submit their ethics applications for higher-level review, usually because they are considered to carry higher risks. This may include research involving:
- Vulnerable groups, such as people with an intellectual or mental impairment
- Children and young people under the age of 18 (in addition, a Blue Card is required)
- Persons who are highly dependent upon medical care
- Persons in dependent or unequal relationships (such as patients and health care experts, teachers and pupils, employees and their employers or supervisors, prisoners and prison supervisors)
- People who may be involved in illegal activities
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, as well as other distinct ethnic and cultural groups
- Socially isolated or marginalised groups.
In such cases, teams will need to submit their ethics application for 'full review' which entails assessment through one of two University-wide Human Research Ethics Committees. The application process is the same as that of LNR applications in that applications are lodged through MyResearch, although the committee often requires more detail about the project and the risk mitigation strategies in place; applications must be submitted by a set date in order for them to be considered at the next committee meeting; and the application process takes longer. Failing to meet the deadline for submission will delay the conduct of the research projects. Teams willﾠbe guided through the process by the course coordinator and academic advisor. The most important advice is to start early so that data collection in Semester 2 is not delayed.
Projects that are likely to require full ethical clearance review will be identified as such in the project descriptions. If you do not wish to submit yourself to the full ethics process, please select an alternative project. Students enrolled in SOSC3202 cannot proceed with data collection without ethical clearance.
In workshops, you will be provided with guidance and feedback in the preparation of your application for ethical clearance. Applications for ethical clearance include a Participant Information Sheet; Informed Consent Form; gatekeeper's letter (where relevant); project description/protocol and outline of data collection instrument (draft survey/interview questions).ﾠ
Please note: in some cases, teams may also be required to submit an ethics application to the relevant committee for their industry partner as well. This will be made clear in the original project brief and affected teams will be given support in this process by the course coordinator and your academic advisor. If you wish to avoid this process, please only select projects which do not have this additional requirement.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (24 Feb - 02 Mar) |
Workshop |
Week 1: Course aims + picking your project An overview of the course content and purpose. The importance of research for your professional careers as both producers and consumers of that research. The available research projects will be presented by the industry partners. You will nominate three projects in order of preference and write an Expression of Interest. Learning outcomes: L01 |
Week 2 (03 Mar - 09 Mar) |
Workshop |
Week 2: Learning to work as a research team In this workshop you will find out which project you have been allocated and come together as a research team for the first time, and start to develop a plan for familiarising yourself with the research topic, its aims, and the broader research environment. You will hear from previous students in the course about their experiences and tips for a successful year. You will learn about working as a team through team-based work, including how to communicate as a group, establishing a division of labour, familiarising yourselves with each other's working styles, and appreciating the way team dynamics can affect the progression of a project. This will support the development of a Team Charter. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04, L05 |
Week 4 (17 Mar - 23 Mar) |
Workshop |
Week 4: Getting Started - research problem and literature The workshop will introduce approaches to formulating a research problem statement, planning a literature review, and creating a schedule of activity. You will also learn about referencing software (and trial Zotero) and project management. We will use Generative AI to start identifying the contours of your literature. Your first assignment - the annotated bibliography - will be explained. As a team, you will plan a strategy to identify and review relevant literature and your individual scope and focus. Check with your academic advisor on your literature choices before writing up your annotated bibliography. You should also spend time this week meeting with your Academic Advisor and Industry Partner. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Week 5 (24 Mar - 30 Mar) |
Workshop |
Week 5: Developing your research project Having developed some preliminary research plans for your project, the aim now is to start working on a coherent and well-thought out research proposal. This occurs in stages over the next three weeks of class. This week focuses on developing some preliminary research questions and your key concepts. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Week 6 (31 Mar - 06 Apr) |
Workshop |
Week 6: Operationalising your research plan This week you will learn to operationalise your concepts, questions and data collection. You will start to focus on how you plan to actually do your study - what data do you need to answer your research questions and assess/measure your concepts? What methods will you use to generate this data? How can you build rigor into your research design? We will also introduce you to creative and innovative research methods, that can expand upon standard interviews and survey. We will also discuss culturally competant research. This is also a week where you should share your progress with your Academic Advisor to seek their advice of your plans. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Week 7 (07 Apr - 13 Apr) |
Workshop |
Week 7: Work in progress presentations This workshop will be dedicated to each group presenting their work in progress to date. It will be an opportunity to get whole-of-class exposure and feedback on your project. You should invite your Academic Advisors to attend (in person or online). All students must be in attendance (preferably physical) at the presentations (unless unwell). You are not only expected to present your research, but also to engage in collegial discussion with other teams, about their research. This requires you to remain in class for the entire time out of professional courtesy to your colleagues. You should also contact your industry partner this week to update them on your progress and gain their input into the next steps. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Week 8 (14 Apr - 20 Apr) |
Workshop |
Week 8: Applying for ethical clearance This week you will be introduced to the UQ ethical clearance process and start your online application (for Assessment 2). Detailed guidance on completing the online application process is provided. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04, L06 |
Week 9 (28 Apr - 04 May) |
Workshop |
Week 9: Managing Group Dynamics By now you will have experience of working with your group and getting a sense of each person's strengths, weaknesses and preferred ways of working. Differences of work practices and expectations can create challenges for group work. Building on a group reflection exercise and peer assessment through BuddyCheck, this workshop will introduce you to ways to manage group dynamics when things do not go as smoothly as hoped. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04, L05 |
Week 10 (05 May - 11 May) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
LABOR DAY HOLIDAY - NO WORKSHOP Learning outcomes: L02 |
Week 11 (12 May - 18 May) |
Workshop |
Week 11: Project proposals + data collection In addition to finalising your draft ethics applications, this workshop will explain the key parts and style of a Research Proposal. It will be the culmination of the work across the course, drawing together the different threads: problem statement, research questions, literature,key concepts, methods and data. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Week 12 (19 May - 25 May) |
Workshop |
Week 12: Preparing project proposal The workshop today is dedicated to dedicated to progressing your research proposal taking into account any relevant feedback from your draft ethics application. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Week 13 (26 May - 01 Jun) |
Workshop |
Week 13: Consolidating your research proposal This workshop is dedicated to finalising your research proposal. By now, you should be able to articulate how you are going to DO your research and how your proposed methods speak directly to your research questions and aims. Teams should also plan how they may respond to the Ethics Committee during the inter-semester break. In this week you should also update your Industry Partner on your progress and see feedback from your Academic Advisor on your draft proposal. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
You'll also need to be aware of the following policies and procedures while completing this course: