University of Technology Sydney

85811 Research Paper

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Subject handbook information prior to 2023 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: Design
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

The research paper is a substantive body of written work designed to complement the independent and professional project components of the Honours degree but also to stand alone as a work of original academic research presented as such. The research paper should demonstrate an advanced understanding of research in relation to a topic of social, historical, cultural, or ecological significance in the field of design. Students will write a 5000-word dissertation oriented around a research question and a rigorous methodological response following academic conventions. Through this research, students will examine the relevant social, conceptual, technical, aesthetic, and formal issues arising from their design projects.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Develop an appropriate design research methodology
2. Effectively analyse research data and integrate findings into theoretical outcomes
3. Demonstrate a working knowledge of the field of design research
4. Communicate research with professional clarity and accuracy
5. Integrate critical feedback
6. Demonstrate professional and academic integrity

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

  • Develop and apply an informed, sustainable, and ethical position in design practice. (A.1)
  • Work independently, collaboratively and professionally as an individual designer or part of a team, and constructively contribute to peer learning. (C.1)
  • Communicate ideas clearly and confidently across various tasks in professional, creative and research contexts. (C.2)
  • Ability to produce outcomes that contribute to and advance disciplinary knowledge. (P.3)
  • Demonstrate awareness of design history and theory and critically reflect on existing design paradigms for problem setting and solving. (R.2)
  • Develop, analyse and synthesise complex ideas that are academically informed and well-reasoned. (R.4)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

The term CAPRI is used for the five Design, Architecture and Building faculty graduate attribute categories where:

C = communication and groupwork

A = attitudes and values

P = practical and professional

R = research and critique

I = innovation and creativity.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs) are linked to these categories using codes (e.g. C-1, A-3, P-4, etc.).

Teaching and learning strategies

Academic writing analysis, writing practice and feedback

Content (topics)

Weekly topics to be outline by your tutorial leader.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Research Paper Draft

Intent:

Assessment 1 will form the basis of your research paper. This is an updated draft of your paper, with revisions from previous Research Methods assessment and studio feedback.

This will detail your current research progress following academic writing conventions and referencing.

The structure of each paper will differ based on disciplinary backgrounds, as directed by your studio leaders.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 3, 4 and 6

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

A.1, C.2, P.3, R.2 and R.4

Type: Essay
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 30%
Criteria:
  1. Research Methodology: Development and articulation of an appropriate research methodology including relevant research questions, ethical approaches, and research methods (25%)
  2. Field of Design: Capacity to draw on relevant design literature to support an argument and position yourself within a field of design (25%)
  3. Findings: Articulation of findings from your research and experimentation phases and demonstration of how these have been integrated into your theoretical, conceptual and material design outcomes (10%)
  4. Communication and structure: Ability to write clearly and concisely within a well-structured document. Includes developing an engaging document structure with headings, subtitles, section breaks and linking statements; well-structured sentences and paragraphs; and correct spelling and grammar (25%)
  5. Academic conventions: Application of academic conventions through the use of appropriate voice/style, definition of academic terminology and rigorous application of citations and APA referencing (15%)

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Research Methodology: Development and articulation of an appropriate research methodology including relevant research questions, ethical approaches, and research methods. 25 1 A.1
Field of design: Capacity to draw on relevant design literature to support an argument and position yourself within a field of design. 25 3 R.2
Findings: Articulation of findings from your research and experimentation phases and demonstration of how these have been integrated into your theoretical, conceptual and material design outcomes. 10 2 P.3
Communication and structure: Ability to write clearly and concisely within a well-structured document. Includes developing an engaging document structure with headings, subtitles, section breaks and linking statements; well-structured sentences and paragraphs; and correct spelling and grammar. 25 4 C.2
Academic conventions: Application of academic conventions through the use of appropriate voice/style, definition of academic terminology and rigorous application of citations and APA referencing. 15 6 R.4
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Research Paper

Intent:

Assessment 2 is the submission of your final Honours research paper.

This will be a finalised written document (5000 words), detailing your research and outcomes following academic writing conventions and referencing.

The structure of each paper will differ based on disciplinary backgrounds, as directed by your studio leaders.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

A.1, C.1, C.2, P.3 and R.4

Type: Essay
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 70%
Criteria:
  1. Research Methodology: Development and articulation of an appropriate research methodology including relevant research questions, ethical approaches, and research methods (10%)
  2. Field of Design: Capacity to draw on relevant design literature to support an argument and position yourself within a field of design (10%)
  3. Findings: Articulation of findings from your research and experimentation phases and demonstration of how these have been integrated into your theoretical, conceptual and material design outcomes (25%)

  4. Communication and structure: Ability to write clearly and concisely within a well-structured document. Includes developing an engaging document structure with headings, subtitles, section breaks and linking statements; well-structured sentences and paragraphs; and correct spelling and grammar (25%)

  5. Academic conventions: Application of academic conventions through the use of an appropriate voice/style, definition of academic terminology and rigorous application of citations and APA referencing (15%)

  6. Integrating feedback: Effort to evolve written drafts to integrate feedback and improve the final dissertation (15%)

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Research Methodology : Development and articulation of an appropriate research methodology including relevant research questions, ethical approaches, and research methods. 10 1 A.1
Field of design: Capacity to draw on relevant design literature to support an argument and position yourself within a field of design. 10 3 P.3
Findings: Articulation of findings from your research and experimentation phases and demonstration of how these have been integrated into your theoretical, conceptual and material design outcomes. 25 2 P.3
Communication and structure: Ability to write clearly and concisely within a well-structured document. Includes developing an engaging document structure with headings, subtitles, section breaks and linking statements; well-structured sentences and paragraphs; and correct spelling and grammar. 25 4 C.2
Academic conventions: Application of academic conventions through the use of an appropriate voice/style, definition of academic terminology and rigorous application of citations and APA referencing. 15 6 R.4
Integrating feedback: Effort to evolve written drafts to integrate feedback and improve the final dissertation. 15 5 C.1
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.