This course allows students to develop a relevant research project in the areas of Public Humanities, cultural studies, and/or Digital Humanities. Students will be guided by a supervisor in the development of a research topic, discuss appropriate methodologies and practices, and work on their project throughout the semester. This course allows students to develop a project that may have direct industry or professional relevance; and to further develop their project management, writing and/or digital literacy skills. Students will be encouraged to explore projects that are interdisciplinary and employ new media and digital skills and components.

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. Design a medium-scale original research project.
2. Identify and critically analyse relevant literature, including theoretical and methodological approaches to the chosen topic.
3. Apply in a sophisticated way relevant research methods and theories to the analysis of the research questions/hypothesis.
4. Develop and demonstrate relevant digital, creative writing, or new media skills.

Research-Led Teaching

HUMN8031 is research project, which students carry out independently. We will organise a regular meeting slot - this is usually once every two weeks depending on which approach you feel works best for you. Come and see me in Week 1 to organise a regular slot.

Note that there are 5 assessment categories, each of which has a separate deadline and an independent link on the page below for the submission of your work. You will write a project proposal, carry out a literature review, and document your research project in 3 reflective journals. 

The bulk of your time will be spent carrying out the research project, which is measured in having an equivalence in word count. 

Required Resources

Internet access Students are expected to access class materials through the course website and Wattle learning platform.

Staff Feedback

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

• Written feedback on individual assignments and research papers
• General feedback in lectures and tutorials on assignments and written assignments
• Feedback in tutorials on projects and methods done for tutorials
• General feedback on class forums
• Peer feedback in tutorials and class forums 

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). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Other Information

Referencing requirements

In their written assignments (Assessments 2 and 3) students are asked to follow the Chicago Manual of Style ‘author-date’ citation guidelines: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introductory meeting
2	Research proposal due
4	Reflective journal 1 due
7	Literature review due
8	Reflective journal 2 due
12	Reflective journal 3 due

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Research proposal	15 %	15/03/2019	22/03/2019	1, 2
Reflective journal 1	3 %	22/03/2019	29/03/2019	1, 2, 3, 4
Literature review	15 %	26/04/2019	03/05/2019	2
Reflective journal 2	3 %	03/05/2019	10/05/2019	1, 2, 3, 4
Reflective journal 3	4 %	31/05/2019	06/06/2019	1, 2, 3, 4
Research project	60 %	31/05/2019	06/06/2019	1, 2, 3, 4

* 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 Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

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 ANU Online website. Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

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

This course relies on independent research. Deadlines for assessments and the time and place for supervisory meetings will be arranged and tailored to the needs of each student individually. 

Assessment Task 1

Research proposal

Students will write a 1,000-word research proposal. This is outline their plan for the completion and set the aims of the research project that they will carry out largely independently. The research proposal needs to identify the dataset on which the student will focus, or explain how they will acquire their data; it needs to describe a preliminary methodology; and provide an estimated timeline (for example in the form of a Gantt chart) mapping the stages in which the project will be completed.

Assessment Task 2

Reflective journal 1

Students will submit a total of three (3) reflective journal entries, that map their process throughout the course. The aim of these journal entries is to provide the student and opportunity to illustrate the extent of their engagement with the project, but also so record any failures or errors that may have occurred along the way. Students can use this as an opportunity to record the reasons behind their design decisions, as well as their thoughts about the research process.

Assessment Task 3

Literature review

Students will illustrate their knowledge of the current state of research in their chosen area of research by presenting a literature review.

Assessment Task 4

Reflective journal 2

Students will submit a total of three (3) reflective journal entries, that map their process throughout the course. The aim of these journal entries is to provide the student and opportunity to illustrate the extent of their engagement with the project, but also so record any failures or errors that may have occurred along the way. Students can use this as an opportunity to record the reasons behind their design decisions, as well as their thoughts about the research process.

Assessment Task 5

Reflective journal 3

Students will submit a total of three (3) reflective journal entries, that map their process throughout the course. The aim of these journal entries is to provide the student and opportunity to illustrate the extent of their engagement with the project, but also so record any failures or errors that may have occurred along the way. Students can use this as an opportunity to record the reasons behind their design decisions, as well as their thoughts about the research process.

Assessment Task 6

Research project

Students will carry out a research project, which is the equivalent of 7,000 words.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) as submission must be through Turnitin. Assignments must include the cover sheet available on Wattle.

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

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

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

Work will be returned electronically through Wattle.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. The Course Convener may grant extensions 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

Students who fail an assignment may discuss with the course convener options for doing alternative assessment.

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 Diversity 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