LCRM454 - Honours Thesis D

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

LCRM450 Criminology Research and Methodology

Teaching organisation

Students are expected to spend 150 hours over a twelve-week semester or equivalent study period for this unit.

Unit rationale, description and aim

Honours graduates in Criminology and Criminal Justice need to be able to identify, respond to and solve complex and emerging problems and challenges through engaging in original and methodologically appropriate research. In this unit, students will advance their understanding by developing a thesis that responds to a researchable question and contributes new knowledge in the fields of criminology and/or criminal justice and advances the common good.

The Unit is delivered on an individual student basis in coordination with a supervisor who supports, advises, monitors the progress of, and confirms the thesis is ready for examination. Students will meet regularly with supervisors to develop and support a timely completion. The timeline to completion includes significant research, writing, and editing, and should include at least one full draft submitted to the supervisor for feedback prior to formal submission for examination.

The five units - LCRM451 Honours Thesis A, LCRM452 Honours Thesis B, LCRM453 Honours Thesis C, LCRM454 Honours Thesis D and LCRM455 Honours Thesis E - comprise the thesis component of the Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice (Honours) degree. The preceding unit LCRM450 Criminology Research and Methodology provides the central principles of criminology research, including designing a research question, assessing a topic’s significance, selecting appropriate methodology, conducting a literature review, engaging with a variety of sources, making a claim and supporting it, anticipating objections, planning, writing and revising a significant piece of criminological research. These five units are undertaken on an individual student basis in coordination with a supervisor, who supports, advises, monitors the progress of, and confirms the thesis is ready for examination. Students will meet regularly with supervisors to develop and support a timely completion. The timeline to completion includes significant research, writing, and editing, and should include at least one full draft submitted to the supervisor for feedback prior to formal submission for examination.

This unit aims to support the development of advanced theoretical and technical knowledge and skills through a process of self-directed and scholarly investigation that supports further learning and/or professional practice in the field and is evidenced in the writing of the completed thesis chosen area of criminology and criminal justice.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

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

LO1 - Effectively explain and communicate a knowledge and application of research skills, methodology and technology (GA4, GA10)

LO2 - Describe the conduct of independent, self-directed research (GA8)

LO3 - Apply advanced conceptual and critical analysis skills and consolidation of cumulative, sequential discipline knowledge (GA5)

LO4 - Evaluate the critical identification of problems requiring research and to develop appropriate methodology to collect, analyse and interpret data (GA4) 

LO5 - Develop to a high standard a thesis with a significant component of research (GA9).

Graduate attributes

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

GA10 - utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively.

Content

Topics will be specified on an individual basis between the students and supervisor/s, but should include:

1. Choosing a title for your thesis;
2. Developing a timeline for completion with defined dates for drafts, feedback, and edits;
3. Locating and evaluating relevant criminological and criminal justice material for thesis research;
4. Writing a criminology thesis, including the ability to formulate a thesis; to frame a discussion or argument; and to critically self-evaluate, edit, and revise the writing.

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Students will undertake regular consultations, as determined by their supervisor, as well as directed practical active learning activities, such as reading, writing, discussion and critical evaluation to promote analysis of their research question, expressed as a thesis evidencing advanced presentation skills in the form of a piece of scholarly writing.

Mode:       On an individual student basis in coordination with each supervisor.

Duration:    12-week semester. Students should anticipate undertaking 150 hours of study for this unit, including research, reading, writing, editing and supervision.

This level four unit allows students to develop advanced research and writing skills.

Students will complete a 12,000-word thesis during their enrolment in the five units LCRM451 Honours Thesis A, LCRM452 Honours Thesis B, LCRM453 Honours Thesis C, LCRM454 Honours Thesis D and LCRM455 Honours Thesis E.

The unit takes a blended learning approach to provide accessibility and flexibility to our students and a student focused approach that increases depth of learning and engagement through actively utilising the materials provided via LMS and in coordination with the supervisor/s.

Assessment strategy and rationale

The summative assessment for the Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice (Honours) is a 12,000 word original, written thesis based on work carried out over the period of study that evidences advanced knowledge and skills necessary for further learning or professional practice in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Over this period of study, each student will be provided with regular formative assessment of progress by their supervisor who will seek and respond to drafts of the writing as well as invite the student to question and debate prominent arguments, theories and empirical evidence that pertain to the research question/problem.

Throughout the semester, the student will present work-in-progress papers or written progress reports, as specified by their supervisor. By such regular and formative feedback loops, the supervisor will monitor student performance of the learning outcomes for this course, support the development of scholarly agency and the achievement of the summative assessment task.

The research thesis must adhere to the conventions of the candidate’s field of study and the requirements stipulated in the University Guidelines for Honours Programs.

This assessment regime aligns with the standard tertiary practice for AQF-Level 8, Honours level work. The thesis examination will involve an assessment of the student’s ability to formulate, analyse, evaluate and apply knowledge addressing an original research problem. The thesis examination will also assess the student’s application of cognitive and research skills through clear and precise scholarly writing. The thesis examination will be in line with the University Guidelines for Honours Programs.

The Research Thesis comprises 50 credit points of units, inclusive of LCRM451, LCRM452, LCRM453, LCRM454 and LCRM455. The result for each unit in this sequence will be the same and will be awarded when all units have been completed and the thesis has been examined.

The assessment is designed to enable students to demonstrate a high level of analytical, research, presentation and writing skills.

On completion of the Honours Thesis, it will be examined by two examiners appointed by the Dean of Law or nominee. This may include one internal and one external examiner and will exclude the supervisor. Each examiner will be requested to provide a grade and numerical mark for the Honours Thesis. An overall score of at least 50 per cent is required for a Pass grade.

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Recommended references

Bott, Bruce and Ruth Talbot-Stokes, Nemes and Coss’ Effective Legal Research (LexisNexis Butterworths, 7th edition, 2018)

Cane, P. and Kritzer, H., The Oxford Handbook of Empirical Legal Research (Oxford University Press, 2012)

Fajans, E. and Falk, M., Scholarly Writing for Law Students (West Publishing, 5th edition, 2017)

Volokh, E., Academic Legal Writing: Law Review Articles, Student Notes, and Seminar Papers (5th edition, 2016)

Beazley, M. and Edwards, L., The Process & The Product: A Bibliography of Scholarship about Legal Scholarship (1998) 40 Mercer L Rev 471

Mike McConville and Wing Hong Chui (eds), Research Methods for Law (Edinburgh University

   Press, 2nd edition, 2017)

Further references

Becker, H., Tricks of the Trade: How to Think about your Research while You're Doing it (University of Chicago Press, 1998)

Gibaldi, J., MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (Modern Language Association of America, 7th ed, 2009)

Murray, R., How to Write a Thesis (Open University Press, 4th 2017)

Richardson, L., Writing Strategies: Reaching Diverse Audiences (SAGE, 1990)

Rodrigues, D., The Research Paper and The World Wide Web (Prentice Hall, 1997)