Research projects

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Description

Research projects actively involve students in scientific enquiry. Depending upon the project and, in part, the year level, students are required to select and develop a research topic, design and conduct the research, then analyse, interpret and present their findings. As such, research projects play an important role in student learning. There is widespread agreement among university staff that graduates in the biological sciences should have a strongly developed sense of science as a process, rather than a collection of facts [see also: Learning outcomes in the biological sciences].

Many research projects are highly authentic. They are 'real' in terms of the methods employed, the research questions and the forms of presentation and reporting. As such, research projects are usually highly valued by students. Students respond well to activities that develop skills they believe are 'relevant', and that afford a level of independence, choice and creativity [Example: Postgrads 1].

While research projects are most typically associated with later year studies, including honours year projects, we were also told of many instances involving first and second year students. Many of the projects described to us involved fieldwork of some kind, or were associated with industry visits or placements. Groupwork was a common feature, as was peer assessment [see also: Groupwork; Peer and self-assessment].

For students planning a research career in the biological sciences, developing skills in rigorous experimental design, careful data collection and analysis is critical. The postgraduate students we interviewed stressed the importance of being able to design and adapt methodologies appropriate to their field of study and solve problems in their projects as they arose. Similarly, staff emphasised the value of teaching and assessment strategies that develop students' skills in identifying appropriate research questions and evaluating evidence. The central aim for many of these approaches is to create relevant learning experiences which reflect the research culture and approaches in the discipline [Examples: Fairweather 1; Hargreaves 2; Macaulay; Mamo; Mulder 1; Wassens 1]. 

Projects in third year may provide students with practical and research experience relevant to their honours project. The honours year project then gives students contact with and the opportunity to integrate with the research community.

Learning tasks and assessment that involve some element of research cover a wide range of activities, including essay writing and critical analysis of a scientific paper. For the purposes of this site, we have included under 'Research projects' only those tasks which involve some form of experiment, observation or data collection, and analysis. Many such research projects also involve literature-based research as an integral or preliminary stage of the research. We have not, however, included written assignments or presentations that involve literature-based research only. The assessment of these types of tasks are described under Written assignments and Presentations, as appropriate.

[see also: Teaching-research nexus]

Approaches

Research projects vary greatly, ranging from extended and high stakes projects such as in the honours year, to those that are short-term and largely formative in nature. All, however, can be considered to have four component stages.

1. Research design and development, which may involve:
  • preliminary literature review [Example: Postgrads 1];
  • experimental design, including hypothesis formulation [Examples: Mulder 1; Postgrads 1];
  • preparation of a project proposal [Examples: Kleindorfer; Mamo; Wassens 2]; and/or
  • negotiation with members of project team [Example: Mulder 1] or others (e.g. industry partners).
2. Data collection, which may involve:
3. Data analysis and interpretation, which may involve:
  • statistical analysis;
  • image analysis;
  • the use of specialist equipment (e.g. computing programs);
  • further literature review; and/or
  • peer review and discussion [Example: Wassens 2].
4. Reporting, which may involve:
  • further literature review;
  • written report preparation in journal article style [Example: Mulder 1] or in a style relevant to the profession (in the case of professional programs);
  • thesis preparation (as is the case for many honours year projects); and/or
  • oral and/or poster presentation [Example: Mulder 1; Postgrads 1] [see also: Presentations].

The type of activity involved in each stage, and the nature of assessment, will vary greatly between different projects. This variation is due in part to differences between fields of study. However, the particular learning objectives for the project have an equally important influence. For example, a project which is intended to introduce students to the complexities of project design may emphasise identification of key research questions and the preparation of a project proposal [Examples: Hargreaves 2; Kleindorfer; Mamo; Wassens 2]. In contrast, the assessment of other projects will focus on developing students' skills in data analysis and reporting [Examples: Mulder 1; Wassens 1].

Another key feature, mentioned frequently in discussions with staff, is the opportunities research projects present for students to actively engage with the research literature. For example, researching the background necessary to prepare a project proposal during the design stage [Example: Mamo] or during the preparation of a manuscript in the format required for a journal during the analysis and reporting stages.

A third source of variation in research projects and their assessment is the degree of structure and the type of support provided to students. In first year, for example, students may be introduced to research through a highly structured process involving a a series of interrelated yet separate tasks [Examples: Cooke 1; Cooke 3]. Feedback may focus on draft reports, rather than the final document [Example: Wassens 1] and students may rely heavily on teamwork, peer review, or both for support and feedback [Examples: Hargreaves 2; Kleindorfer; Mamo; Mulder 1]. Classes or resources may be provided to assist with particular aspects of the projects, such as the analysis stage or teamwork processes [Examples: Kleindorfer; Mulder 1]. 

In some courses, research projects are designed to help students establishing links with relevant industries and organisations such as CSIRO [Example: Kleindorfer]. Work or industry placements are also included in some courses, for this reason. Students may be required to carry out a research project as part of this experience, and may be able to contribute to larger and established research programs in the field [Examples: Benkendorff 1; Cooke 2]. 

Students do work experience... working on real projects e.g. develop a reserve management plan. They meet with community members and professionals. It gives them practical experience and sometimes leads to employment. [academic]