This course gives students the opportunity to work closely with a member of academic staff in the discipline of Sociology on a research project in a field of interest. Students will develop real-world research skills and get a sense of how high-level academic research is conducted. The project, to be negotiated with a supervisor, will most often be related to work already underway by the faculty member, and the student will be offered the opportunity to join the research team. They will participate in a discrete element of the broader project.

Work submitted for assessment in SOCY3001 may not be resubmitted in whole or part for assessment in any other course, including in any Thesis (THES-coded) courses:

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. identify a research question or problem within an existing field of social scientific inquiry and devise a plan for investigating it;
2. formulate a program of reading in consultation with a professional social scientist to provide context for the investigation;
3. develop a timeline for the research project and manage work to that timeline;
4. communicate research results —orally, visually and in writing — in a style consistent with academic standards; and
5. work as part of a research team.

Research-Led Teaching

This course gives students the opportunity to work closely with a member of academic staff in the discipline of Sociology (or a related discipline) on a research project in a mutual field of interest. Students will develop real-world research skills and experience, and acquire a sense of how academic research is conducted. The project, to be negotiated with and determined by a supervisor, will most often be related to a program of work that is already underway, and the student will be offered a chance to contribute to the research in different ways.

Field Trips

N/A

Additional Course Costs

N/A

Examination Material or equipment

N/A

Required Resources

N/A

Recommended Resources

Whether you are on campus or studying remotely, there are a variety of online platforms you will use to participate in your study program. These could include videos for knowledge transfer and other instruction, two-way video conferencing for interactive learning, email and other messaging tools for communication, interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities, print and/or photo/scan for handwritten work and drawings, and home-based assessment.

ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• Verbal feedback of a formative nature by the supervisor and peer group.
• Metric and written feedback of a summative nature based on their project presentations and the research activity report.

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Other Information

Additional Referencing Requirements

Check with your supervisor which referencing system they use. The general standard is the Harvard referencing system. A detailed description of this style can be found at https://academicskills.anu.edu.au/node/80

Course learning structure

There are no lectures in this course. Instead, the course is comprised of regularised research meetings with supervisors, 4 tutorial classes that focus on various substantive topics, as well as two allocated weeks (7 & 8) for student project oral presentations. Students will get contact time with their supervisors (students must assume responsibility for initiating this schedule) and with their peers and the course convenor at tutorials. Tutorials are student-led and they will go for up to two hours. Each tutorial will be guided by the topic and reading, but will focus specifically on workshopping student projects. Students are expected to come to tutorials with questions about readings, assessment, and issues they are experiencing with their research projects.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Being a research intern and identifying research problems & questions	Tutorial class 1
2	Sourcing, reviewing & using literature	Tutorial class 2
3	Research design & methodology	Tutorial class 3
4	Private Study	*No tutorial class
5	Private Study	*No tutorial class
6	Private Study	*No tutorial class
7	Student Project Presentations	Tutorial class 4
8	Student Project Presentations	Tutorial class 5
9	Private Study	*No tutorial class
10	Private Study	*No tutorial class
11	From writing down to writing up	Tutorial class 6
12	Private Study	*No tutorial class
14	Examination period	Research activity report due by 12pm on 4th November 2024

Tutorial Registration

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage .

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Student project presentation (20%)	20 %	*	*	1,5
Research activity report (70%) [4000 words]	70 %	04/11/2024	15/11/2024	1,5
Course participation (10%)	10 %	*	*	5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Guideline and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

To pass the course, students must attend each of the tutorial classes or produce appropriate evidence explaining why attendance was not possible, as well as successfully complete each assessment task.

Examination(s)

N/A

Assessment Task 1

Student project presentation (20%)

In Weeks 7 & 8 (unless otherwise arranged), you will present an overview of your research progress so far – your topic, research question and approach, the literature you are engaging with, the conceptual ideas and debates that are relevant, any challenges you have faced or envisage facing, and what you plan to contribute in your research assignment report. It is anticipated that you will talk for 10 minutes and then respond to 5 minutes of questions from peers.

Assessment Task 2

Research activity report (70%) [4000 words]

The research activity report is the culmination of your internship work with your supervisor. It will likely take the form of a research paper, research analysis or equivalent research task, the details and specs of which are to be determined by your supervisor.

The research activity report is an opportunity to explore some of the bigger themes and ideas raised in your research, and to situate your work within the discipline or field of inquiry. But also to reflect on the process of learning that you have engaged in. Because your supervisor is the subject expert, they will be setting the parameters of the research activity report and will provide an assessment of the quality of your submission.

How you structure your report will depend on your specific program of research and the format that you agree with your supervisor, how you generated and contributed knowledge, what you learned during this process and what your key insights and conclusions were. However, your supervisor will be looking for a number of elements:

• Evidence of extensive independent research which might include sourcing and critically reviewing literature, research project design, applied data collection, collation and analysis and creative/critical thinking.
• A description of your specific research problem.
• A discussion of how your problem fits into other research that has been conducted in that area and/or related conceptual frameworks.
• A discussion of your methodology, and an explanation/justification of why that methodology was best suited and applied to your problem.
• A discussion of your results/conclusions, their significance/impact on the problem and the larger field of study, and what new questions and issues your work opens up.

Assessment Task 3

Course participation (10%)

Throughout the semester, your supervisor and the course convenor will assess the quality of your participation in the course. They will be collectively assessing:

• your engagement in the course and your individual class contributions;
• how well you work with your peers and the course teaching team i.e. the course convenor and individual supervisors;
• the quality and innovativeness of your research approach and practice;
• your ability to work to a strict deadline, and within the scope of the project;
• your research retrieval and problem solving skills;
• your capacity to work independently and your resilience in dealing with project challenges.

Your supervisor will be giving you personal feedback on the quality of your work throughout the semester, and they will guide the scope and development of your project.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

The research activity report must be submitted using Turnitin, through the SOCY3001 Wattle site. You will be required to sign an electronic declaration as part of the submission process. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material.

Returning Assignments

The criteria for the research activity report will be set by the individual supervisors and they will also examine and grade this assessment. Results will be made available via Turnitin on Wattle a couple of weeks after the submission deadline. Student project presentation grades will be posted on Wattle in Week 9 and some individual feedback provided, if requested.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

N/A

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Access and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students