In the Health and Medicine Honours course you will apply advanced research methods and work under the supervision of an experienced researcher to propose and justify a research project within the broad areas of health science and/or medical research. You will then conduct novel research using appropriate methodologies and time/project management skills. You will analyse and interpret the collected data within the context of the current literature and justify your conclusions, applying learned skills in scientific writing and the effective presentation of information in tabular, graphical and multimedia and in person presentations. You will develop the ability to effectively respond to critical appraisal of your research outputs and the ability to develop and give effective feedback to peers. Teaching in this course will involve online and in-person workshops and masterclasses to develop key skills. You will be expected to maintain communication and attend regular progress meetings with the nominated supervisor.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Systematically evaluate relevant theory and concepts, relate these to appropriate methodologies and evidence and draw appropriate conclusions.
2. Analyse and interpret original research data with statistical or other evaluative processes where appropriate.
3. Plan and engage in an independent and sustained critical investigation of a chosen research topic to generate new knowledge.
4. Demonstrate sufficient mastery to understand and apply relevant experimental, theoretical or modelling techniques and methods to collect original research data.
5. Communicate and justify complex concepts and results clearly and effectively to a variety of audiences.

Research-Led Teaching

HLTH4001 is an Honours Year with a health and medicine specialisation.

A full time load is over 2 semesters.

Students undertake a research project under the supervison of an academic from the ANU School of Medicine, or an affiliated School or organisation.

The primary focus of this year of study is research. The principal component of the Honours course involves a research project conducted under supervision of a research scientist. In addition, students are expected to write a Research Proposal on their research topic, progress reports, present on their research work and attend various workshops and seminars. The major item of assessment is the thesis. The Honours course runs from early February to early November (or from mid July to mid May if you enrol in semester two). In addition to meeting the entry requirements defined by the College, students must have the agreement of a member of the academic staff to supervise their project, and the agreement of the convener. Academic staff from the College of Health and Medicine, CSIRO and Canberra Hospital may be supervisors or co-supervisors. Students should discuss their intention to undertake an Honours project with appropriate staff and the Honours Convener at least several months before the proposed starting date.

Field Trips

Some research projects may have a fieldwork component. To be discussed with your supervisor.

Required Resources

To be discussed with your supervisor and Honours convenor as needed.

Recommended Resources

The complete honours handbook, 2022 timelines and College handbook are available on the Honours Wattle site.

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 lectures 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 written feedback in the following forms in this course:

Written feedback is provided by on the Grant Proposal, Oral Presentation, Milestone Reports and Final Thesis

Informal feedback will be received via:

Three set meetings are held with supervisors over the year.

Supervisors will maintain regular contact with their students throughout the year outside of the milestone meetings.

Discussion during workshops and seminars.

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

• The Honours year has a start date of 1 February 2021 for the Sem 1 intake.
• Biology Honours is a one year program. The timelines in this outline provide a general indication for a student commencing in Semester 1 and submitting in Semester 2
• The convenor details in this summary apply to students beginning in Semester 1 2021.
• Students commencing Honours in Semester 2 (mid-year) should refer to the Semester 2 class summary.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	The Honours year commences on Tuesday 1st February with a welcome session which includes information and induction.	This induction general information for students enrolling in Honours. It is expected that full-time Honours students will enrol in this course twice over consecutive semesters (24 units each semester) to a total of 48 units in the full-year. Dates for submitting the thesis are defined based on the semester in which the student will complete their enrolment in the course. For further details, please refer to the course information and related documents in Wattle, and to the Honours Handbook.
2	Training courses are scheduled throughout the year. Details provided on the wattle site.	Timelines will be different for part time enrolment. Dates in assessment summary below relate to a full time study load.
3	The focus of Honours is to complete a research project. This project is undertaken throughout the year. There will be milestones to complete during the year.	Milestones - please see 2022 Honours timeline and Handbook for full details.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Learning Outcomes
Workshops and seminars	0 %	*	1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Student and Supervisor Expectations Agreement (Milestone #1)	0 %	28/02/2022	3, 4
Research proposal	20 %	07/03/2022	1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Mid-term meeting with supervisor (Milestone #2)	0 %	18/04/2022	3, 4
Oral presentation	10 %	28/09/2022	1,2,3,4,5
Final meeting (Milestone #3)	0 %	30/09/2022	3, 4
Thesis	70 %	27/10/2022	1,2,3,4,5

* 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 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 Academic Integrity . 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

There are three components of your course that are formally assessed - the research proposal, oral presentation and final thesis. Note that the non-assessed components are still course requirements that must be satisfactorily completed (course requirement satisfied - CRS).  

Examination(s)

There is no examination

Assessment Task 1

Workshops and seminars

Workshops and seminars are compulsory for all students. They are an important part of your research training and are designed to provide you with core research skills, exposure to a range of research topics, practice presenting your research and feedback on your project.. A range of key topics including literature reviews, ethics, research design and methods will be covered. In the seminars you will be asked to give occasional 10-minute presentations on your proposed research to your fellow students. This is an opportunity for your colleagues to learn about the research you plan to do, and for you to get feedback from them on aspects such as the feasibility of your research plan. Note that the non-assessed components are still course requirements that must be satisfactorily completed (course requirement satisfied - CRS).  

Assessment Task 2

Student and Supervisor Expectations Agreement (Milestone #1)

This agreement is non-binding but serves an important role in ensuring the student (candidate) and supervisor(s) have met to discuss a variety of issues (e.g. the candidate’s career aspirations, type and level of supervision to be provided, the requirements of the research project and training needs) to help establish agreed expectations and ensure both student and supervisor(s) have a clear understanding of responsibilities. Note that the non-assessed components are still course requirements that must be satisfactorily completed (course requirement satisfied - CRS).  

Assessment Task 3

Research proposal

This is an assessed component for Honours students (20%). It is a written research plan modelled on a typical proposal structure in health and medicine. The Proposal outline is available on the Wattle website. More details on how to prepare the Research Proposal are given in this document. 

Assessment Task 4

Mid-term meeting with supervisor (Milestone #2)

This milestone occurs about one month after you submit your Research Proposal. The mark for the Grant Proposal will be determined before the meeting. The meeting is an opportunity to get further feedback on your project, discuss your research plan together, and identify potential concerns, early enough in the year that you still have time to make any changes to your research plan. Few projects go exactly as planned, so this meeting is an important opportunity to let your examiners know if things are on track, get feedback or suggestions from them, and to raise any concerns you might have. You will arrange this meeting with your supervisor and the Honours Convenor can also be present if it is helpful. The report associated with this meeting is short (typically ~2 pages). The report should be a concise summary of progress to date and a plan for future goals. The milestone report provides a basis for discussion at the Mid-term Progress Meeting. Note that the non-assessed components are still course requirements that must be satisfactorily completed (course requirement satisfied - CRS).  

Assessment Task 5

Oral presentation

A 20-minute presentation followed by 10 minutes discussion on your research proposal and preliminary research findings. This is an opportunity for fellow students and academic staff to find out how your research project is going, what you are finding out as you do your analysis, and another opportunity for you to get feedback that you can incorporate into your thesis.

Assessment Task 6

Final meeting (Milestone #3)

One month before submitting your thesis, you and your supervisor(s) should agree and sign off on completion of all major data collection, data analysis and background reading that are required for submission. This is to ensure that you have all the literature, data and analyses together in order to focus on writing your thesis for the remainder of the year. You will arrange this meeting with your supervisor and the Honours Convenor can also be present if it is helpful. The report associated with this meeting is short (typically ~2 pages). The report should be a concise summary of progress to date and a plan for future goals. The milestone report provides a basis for discussion and planning of writing and proofing your thesis before submission. Please include the agreed date on which your supervisor will receive a full draft of your thesis and the date on which the supervisor will provide you with feedback. Note that the non-assessed components are still course requirements that must be satisfactorily completed (course requirement satisfied - CRS).  

Assessment Task 7

Thesis

Your thesis is to be submitted via the course Wattle page. Your thesis will be assessed by a panel of three examiners. Typically, two examiners will be familiar with the research field and the third will be a non-expert. The non-expert examiner will be able to assess the basic logic and clarity of your thesis, rather than the technical details. All examiners will be looking for quality of your work, rather than the amount of work you have done. They will be assessing your understanding of the background, methodological understanding and broader implications of your work, rather than the significance of the results themselves. 

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically, committing to honest and responsible scholarly practice and upholding these values with respect and fairness.

The ANU commits to assisting all members of our community to 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 be familiar with the academic integrity principle and Academic Misconduct Rule, 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 Academic Misconduct Rule is in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Very minor breaches of the academic integrity principle may result in a reduction of marks of up to 10% of the total marks available for the assessment. The ANU offers a number of online and in person services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. Visit the Academic Skills website for more information about academic integrity, your responsibilities and for assistance with your assignments, writing skills and study.

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) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

No hard copy thesis submission required. A PDF copy of the thesis is electronically submitted to the Science Honours wattle site.

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.

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.

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