AIX493 - Honours Research Design
Unit details
| Year | 2026 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Online, Community Based Delivery (CBD)* |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 1: Sam Balaton-Chrimes |
| Cohort rule: | This unit is only available to students enrolled in A400, A401 |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | AIX492, ASP491 |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | Week 1: 1 x 1-hour on-campus lecture (pre-recorded), 1 x 1.5-hour on-campus seminar, 1 x 1-hour on-campus seminar Week 2: 1 x 3-hour on-campus seminar Week 3: 1 x 1.5-hour on-campus seminar Week 4: 1 x 1.5-hour on-campus seminar and1 x 2-hour on-campus practical experience (workshop) Weeks 5 and 6: 1 x 3-hour on-campus seminar Week 7: 1 x 2-hour on-campus seminar Week 8: 1 x 2.5-hour on-campus seminar and 1 x 2-hour on-campus practical experience (workshop) Week 9: 1 x 8-hour on-campus practical experience (symposium) |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | Week 1: 1 x 1-hour online lecture (pre-recorded), 1 x 1.5-hour online seminar, 1 x 1-hour online seminar Week 2: 1 x 3-hour online seminar Week 3: 1 x 1.5-hour online seminar Week 4: 1 x 1.5-hour online seminar and 1 x 2-hour online practical experience (workshop) Weeks 5 and 6: 1 x 3-hour online seminar Week 7: 1 x 2-hour online seminar Week 8: 1 x 2.5-hour online seminar and 1 x 2-hour on-campus practical experience (workshop) Week 9: 1 x 8-hour online practical experience (symposium) |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150-hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. |
Note:*Community Based Delivery (CBD): only for students of the National Indigenous Knowledges, Education, Research and Innovation NIKERI Institute (located at the Waurn Ponds campus) | |
Content
This unit provides Honours students in the humanities and social sciences with training in how to design and implement a research project. Students are introduced to debates about epistemologies and the ethics of knowledge production and research, and are then equipped with the skills necessary to formulate a research proposal within an identified field, including formulating a methodology appropriate to their discipline and project. Assessments are designed to help students refine their thesis project.
Learning outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Develop a viable honours research proposal | GLO4: Critical thinking GLO6: Self-management |
| ULO2 | Engage critically and constructively in debates about approaches to research and scholarship | GLO2: Communication GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO3 | Communicate research proposal verbally and respond effectively to questions and critique | GLO2: Communication GLO6: Self-management |
| ULO4 | Identify literature relevant to thesis project, and articulate an approach to reviewing that literature | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Literature Review and Ethics Exercise | 2000 words | 40% | Week 6 |
| Assessment 2: Workshops | 500 words | 10% | Weeks 3 and 8 |
| Assessment 3: Presentation | 500 words | 10% | Week 7 |
| Assessment 4: Research Proposal | 2000 words | 40% | Week 12 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for AIX493 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
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Unit Fee Information
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Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
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