Learning Outcomes

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

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

1. pose a significant research question relating to their discipline;
   
2. investigate this question creatively, critically, ethically, and independently, including through sophisticated use of appropriate theory and methodology as appropriate to the discipline, and place these investigations in the context of the relevant intellectual tradition; and
   
3. communicate their research and its findings through an appropriate medium.

Indicative Assessment

The thesis is the sole piece of assessment for this course; to successfully complete this course, it must demonstrate all learning outcomes for the course (LO1-3).

The length of the thesis is a maximum of 20,000 words exclusive of footnotes, tables, figures, maps, bibliography, and appendices. There is a penalty of 10% for exceeding this word limit.

Additional requirements are set out in the annual CASS Masters (Advanced) and Honours Guide. In the case of any inconsistency between programsandcourses.anu.edu.au and the CASS Masters (Advanced) and Honours Guide, programsandcourses.anu.edu.au takes precedence.

Recycling of material

Recycling “is the submission for assessment of work which, wholly or in large part, has been previously presented by the same student for another assessment, either at the Australian National University or elsewhere” (Code of Practice for Student Academic Integrity https://policies.anu.edu.au/ppl/document/ANUP_000392, paragraph 2). If each of the following two conditions are met, students may include in this course material that has been submitted for assessment in other 8000-level courses but NOT 1000-level to 7000-level courses) that are available in the program for which they are enrolled:

the 8000-level course from which material is being recycled states that material submitted in that course may be incorporated into the assessment for THES810X Thesis; AND

the acknowledgments or introduction of the thesis clearly identifies the title of the assessment/s and name of the course/s from which material is being recycled, and an indication of the extent of the recycling.

Examination

1. Schools/Centres are responsible for the examination procedure.

2. The thesis will initially be examined by at least two examiners; neither examiner should be the Supervisor or a staff member who has given extensive advice. At least one examiner must have a high level of expertise in the research methodology used. Schools may decide whether or not any of the examiners should be external. Examiners will use the CASS Marking Guide to assign each thesis to a grade and mark. In addition, examiners will be requested to write a detailed report as feedback and guidance for the student.

3. The identity of an examiner will not be disclosed to the student unless the examiner gives written permission for this to happen.

4. Direct contact between the student and/or supervisor with any examiner of the student’s thesis about the thesis and its examination at any time between the appointment of the examiner and the finalisation of the mark is prohibited. The relevant Honours or Masters Convenor may, at the request of an examiner, provide further information about the thesis or, in the case of joint work, the student's contribution to the thesis. In cases where the Convenor is also the Supervisor, the Head of School or nominee will manage the examination process.

5. After the two examiners have examined the thesis, they are required to discuss marks (obligatory). However if they are not able to agree on a single mark, they will submit their separate marks.

6. Once the two examiners’ reports have been received, all Honours and Masters Programs must hold an examiners meeting prior to submission of Thesis results to the Student Office to determine the final Honours or Masters result.

7. The composition of members of examiners meetings should be at the discretion of each discipline/program in consultation with the relevant Head of School.

8. If examiners agree on a mark, then this mark would be accepted unless after consideration at the examiners’ meeting it is agreed that a different mark would be justified. A written case for the different mark, based on the same grounds as outlined in the Special Consideration Guideline and the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy, is made to the delegate (Head of School).

          • A student may, of course, apply for Special Consideration (centrally), and the written case should also account for any student    Special Consideration application.

         • NB: A student Special Consideration application will not be admissible if the student was already granted an extension on the same grounds (no ‘double dipping’).

9. If examiners don’t agree on a mark, then:

        i. if the marks are more than 10 marks apart, the thesis is sent to a third examiner. In determining the final thesis mark all three examiners’ marks and reports must be taken into consideration (as in the Research Awards Rules for PhDs).

        ii. if the marks are less than 10 marks apart, they are weighed up in discussion  between the Honours Convenor and Delegated Authority (usually Head of School), who will then make a written submission to the School’s examiners meeting. The process must be based exclusively on academic judgement and an explanation given, rather than a simple administrative average.

For 8 and 9 it is noted that:

     • In determining the final result, the examiners’ meeting cannot change coursework results and they cannot change the weightings of coursework and theses.

The ANU uses 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. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Workload

A total of 520 hours student learning time, including a minimum of 12 hours contact with the supervisor. It is the joint responsibility of the student and supervisor to arrange times for face-to-face contact. The supervisor is normally only available for email or face-to-face consultation during teaching weeks of each semester.

Requisite and Incompatibility

You will need to contact the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences to request a permission code to enrol in this course.

Assumed Knowledge

Completion of a cognate undergraduate major or equivalent.

Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links