Outline

Overview

Honours students undertake a supervised research project in a health discipline area within the Faculty. Each student will contribute to designing and/or implementing an approved research project and submit a thesis describing the project and its implications. In completing the research thesis, the student will work closely with academic staff, normally 2 co-supervisors, who will supervise their research activities. Students will meet regularly with their supervisors; attend seminars and workshops that contribute to the research process and their thesis. Students will attend classes on research methods and statistics, ethics, library skills, writing a literature review, and presentation skills. Additionally students should expect to engage with their supervisor(s) on a regular basis for iIndividual academic/research supervision.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Health Sciences
Credit points	24
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Kerry Peek, kerry.peek@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Kerry Peek, kerry.peek@sydney.edu.au
	Justin McNab, justin.mcnab@sydney.edu.au
	Maria Fiatarone Singh, maria.fiataronesingh@sydney.edu.au
	Tatjana Seizova-Cajic, tatjana.seizova-cajic@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Che Fornusek, che.fornusek@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 2 April 2024

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Supervised exam ?	Research methods exam Pen-and-paper (hurdle task - must pass)	30%	Formal exam period	2 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Foundations quiz Foundations quiz on concepts in quantitative research	3%	Week 03 Due date: 08 Mar 2024 at 23:59 Closing date: 08 Mar 2024	10 questions, 30 min
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	My study design Written outline of your study design	3%	Week 06 Due date: 28 Mar 2024 at 23:59 Closing date: 28 Mar 2024	300-500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Mid-semester quiz Quiz on quant and qual study designs and descriptive statistics	10%	Week 07 Due date: 10 Apr 2024 at 13:00 Closing date: 10 Apr 2024	50 min
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Show and tell: Methods Describe and justify method of a published study	3%	Week 08 Due date: 17 Apr 2024 at 10:00 Closing date: 17 May 2024	12 min (+ discussion)
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Show and tell: Results Present and interpret published results	3%	Week 11 Due date: 08 May 2024 at 01:00 Closing date: 08 May 2024	12 min (+ discussion)
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Literature review Completion of a literature review to address a research question.	48%	Week 13 Due date: 23 May 2024 at 23:59 Closing date: 23 May 2024	3000 words (+/- 300 words)
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

Mini assessments: The five mini assessments are based on the required readings, material covered in the research methods seminar. (1) Bigger ideas behind my study, Week 3; (2) My study design, Week 6; (3) My peer’s study design, Week 6; (4) Statistics mini-quiz, Week 7; (5) Comparing qualitative and quantitative research, Week 8.
Draft literature review (formative): The purpose of literature review is to clearly outline the state of current knowledge in the area of interest to you, and to identify a knowledge gap that explains the relevance of your project. The literature review should be presented in a format suitable for publication, and can be traditional narrative review, scoping review or systematic review.
Oral presentation of the research proposal: This first oral presentation is an opportunity for you to develop your oral presentation skills through a short presentation to the Faculty and your peers, in preparation for the final oral exam. Content: your research proposal. Marking: two examiners and your peers.
Rejoinder: Examiners and your peers will comment on your research proposal presentation and ask questions. You need to write down three questions and email them to the unit coordinator. You will receive two questions in return (based on the questions you have sent, or new questions) and need to address them in writing. This will give you the opportunity to reflect on your project – use it well.
Literature review: This is a formal, examinable submission of your literature review, following a revision based on your supervisor’s feedback.
Research methods exam: This exam will test the understanding of concepts covered in class (excluding LEP classes) and compulsory readings. You will receive a detailed list of assessable concepts.
Research proposal (formative): Describe your research plan in detail, clearly linking the proposed methods to your research aims. Use this final opportunity for reflection and feedback even if you have started collecting data.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Exceptional standard of work, showing depth and sophistication
Distinction	75 - 84	A very high standard of work
Credit	65 - 74	A good standard of work
Pass	50 - 64	An acceptable standard of work
Fail	0 - 49	Not meeting the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	L1. Introduction to Honours; meet and greet; Introduction to the unit (TSC) (this teaching is in conjunction with HSBH4101)	Presentation (2 hr)
	IS_W1: Variable and types of variables (TSC, online module and formative quiz); revision of quantitative study designs (LFL, videos from FMHU2000)	Online class (4 hr)
	T1. Types of research; research process; role of theory (TSC)	Tutorial (2 hr)
	Introduction to completing a literature review (KP)	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 02	IS_W2: Revision of quantitative designs and analysis, continued (LFL, videos from FMHU2000)	Independent study (2 hr)
	T2. Literature search (with a librarian)	Tutorial (2 hr)
	L2. Ethics in research	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	L3. Qualitative research: introduction and basic concepts (JMN)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	T3. Qualitative methods (JMN)	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 04	L4. Quantitative research: Experiments and quasi experiments (MFS)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	IS_W4: Challenges and constraints on Honours projects (LFL)	Online class (0.5 hr)
Week 05	L5. Use of interviews in qualitative research (JMN)	Lecture (2 hr)
	T5: Interviews (JMN)	Tutorial (2 hr)
	IS_W5. Your study design: discuss with a peer	Online class (2 hr)
Week 06	L6. Descriptive statistics for continuous and categorical data; Introduction to inferential statistics (TSC)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	T6. Writing and presenting (TSC)	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 07	L7. Use of focus groups in qualitative research (JMN)	Lecture (2 hr)
	T7. Mid-semester QUIZ (30%); Critical appraisal of research (TSC)	Tutorial (2 hr)
	Assessing progress on the literature review	Tutorial (1 hr)
	IS_W7: Critical appraisal of different types of research (RT, videos from FMHU3000)	Independent study (2 hr)
Week 08	L8. Show and tell 1 (describe and discuss methods of a published study) (TSC; JMN)	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 09	QUANT STREAM L1: Analysis of continuous data: Correlation and regression; application in SPSS (TSC)	Lecture (2 hr)
	QUANT STREAM T1: Data exploration in SPSS (plotting and descriptive statistics); Correlation and regression in SPSS (TSC)	Tutorial (2 hr)
	QUANT STREAM IS1: Regression in SPSS (online module) (TSC)	Online class (1 hr)
	QUAL STREAM L1: How we evaluate qualitative research (JMN)	Lecture (2 hr)
	QUAL STREAM T1: Topic tba (JMN)	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 10	QUANT STREAM L2: Analysis of continuous data: Comparison between the means - t-test, ANOVA (TSC)	Lecture (2 hr)
	QUANT STREAM IS2: t-test and ANOVA in SPSS (online module) (TSC)	Online class (1 hr)
	QUAL STREAM IS1: Qualitative data analysis (JMN)	Online class (1 hr)
	QUAL STREAM L2: Analysis of qualitative data, part 1 (JMN)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	QUANT STREAM, L3: Analysis of categorical data: OR, RR, Survival analysis and/or Logistic regression (TSC)	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
	QUAL STREAM L3: Analysis of qualitative data, cont.; revision (JMN)	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
	T11 (both streams): Show and tell 2: Results of a published study (TSC; JMN)	Tutorial (2 hr)
	QUAL STREAM ONLY: Read a published report, apply concepts discussed in class to identify and evaluate data analysis; bring to class to present and to lead discussion	Individual study (2 hr)
	LEP class: Presentations drafts/practice (class time or other day/time - to be arranged with students)	Rehearsal (2.5 hr)
	Q and A- literature review	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 13	L9 (both streams together): Present proposed methods for your project; formative assessment (TSC; JMN)	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 13	L9 (both streams together): Present proposed methods for your project; formative assessment (TSC; JMN)	Tutorial (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes and to participate in discussions and activities. Attendance of less than 80% of the scheduled seminar classes must be supported by written documentation.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 24 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 480-600 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

The following recommended textbooks are available from the library (all except #3 are available online). Feel free to use other texts if you prefer them or already have them, but compare them to some of the recommended sources to ensure they are of similar depth.

Bourgeault, I., Dingwall, R. and deVries, R. (2010). The SAGE handbook of qualitative research in health research. London: Sage. Available online: https://sydney.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61USYD_INST/2rsddf/cdi_askewsholts_vlebooks_9781473971172
Bruce N, Pope D & Stanistreet D (2018) Quantitative Methods for Health Research: a Practical Interactive Guide to Epidemiology and Statistics. Second edition. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Available online: https://sydney.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61USYD_INST/12rahnq/alma991005667659705106
Field AP (2013) Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics: and sex and drugs and rock 'n' roll. (4th ed.) London, SAGE Publications. Not available online – for hard copy, see: https://sydney.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61USYD_INST/12rahnq/alma991005642139705106 An excellent introduction to statistics, with very detailed instructions on SPSS. It’s a big volume, because Andy Field makes many jokes.
Portney LG (2020) Foundations of Clinical Research: Applications to Evidence-Based Practice. Fourth edition. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company. Available online https://sydney.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61USYD_INST/1c0ug48/alma99103174078740510
Saks M. & Allsop J. (2013) Researching health: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. London: Sage. Available online: https://sydney.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61USYD_INST/12rahnq/alma991014514489705106

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. study and work independently and in teams
LO2. manage schedules and resources
LO3. propose research that will increase knowledge in the area of interest
LO4. know the ethical principles of research and adhere to them
LO5. understand quantitative and qualitative approaches to research
LO6. conduct a literature review and write it up
LO7. investigate a topic under supervision, including data collection and analysis
LO8. demonstrate the ability to orally present ideas and research findings and respond to questions.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This unit is taught in conjunction with HSBH4101. Please make sure you attend these classes and have access to the HSBH4101 Canvas Site. We encourage you to take full advantage of the support provided. Please feel free to ask questions and seek assistance whenever needed. It's common to find the workload in Honours challenging. The good news is that this year, you'll have fewer classes and assessments compared to previous cohorts. However, staying organized and keeping pace with your studies is crucial. We also advise moderating any external work commitments to ensure a positive experience and successful completion of your project.

Additional information

This is an outgoing, 24-cp unit with joint classes with unit HSBH4101 (instead of having a separate timetable). Please make sure you have access to this Canvas Site.

BHSC4005 Canvas site will also be activated but it will only be used for submission of assignments and announcements.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

BHSC4005: Honours Thesis A

Semester 1, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect