Year
2023Credit points
10Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.Prerequisites
Nil
Teaching organisation
This unit involves 150 hours of focused learning. The total includes formally structured learning activities such as lectures, tutorials, online learning, video-conferencing or supervision. The remaining hours typically involve reading, research, and the preparation of tasks for assessment.Unit rationale, description and aim
This unit provides preparation for students who wish to undertake a substantial “capstone” research project in either theology or philosophy as part of their coursework Master’s studies. On the basis of their prior coursework specialisation, students nominate which discipline stream they wish to pursue. As appropriate, contemporary models and methodologies are surveyed, and theoretical and practical issues are considered in relation to particular theological or philosophical disciplines. The unit also assists students to frame a research question, conduct a literature survey, and explore the appropriate design and methodology for their study.
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 - demonstrate a developed understanding of strategies for writing a research essay, key skills in information retrieval including the use of databases and research software, and the scholarly evaluation and use of sources GA8, GA10
LO2 - demonstrate a critical understanding of the concepts, issues, models and methodologies relevant to the particular branch of theological or philosophical research within which the student is working (GA4, GA5);
LO3 - construct a research proposal that applies the kinds of knowledge and skills developed in the unit (GA4, GA5, GA8, GA9, GA10).
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 include:
- the nature of postgraduate research;
- strategies for doing a review/survey of scholarly literature;
- practical reading and writing strategies;
- critical thinking, and developing a scholarly argument;
- effective use of information technology (library databases, Endnote, etc);
- guidelines for developing a research proposal.
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit involves 150 hours of focused learning. The total includes formally structured learning activities such as live workshops in the online classroom or discussion forums. The remaining hours typically involve reading, research, and the preparation of tasks for assessment.
The unit provides preparation for students who wish to undertake a substantial “capstone” research project in either theology or philosophy as part of their coursework Master’s studies. On the basis of their prior coursework specialisation, students nominate which discipline stream (Biblical Studies, Christian Thought and Tradition, Liturgy, Mission and Ministry, Philosophy, Spirituality) they wish to pursue. As appropriate, contemporary models and methodologies are surveyed, and theoretical and practical issues are considered in relation to particular theological or philosophical disciplines. The unit also assists students to frame a research question, conduct a literature survey, and explore the appropriate design and methodology for their study.
Peer-assisted and collaborative learning are central to the design of this unit. The priority during the online workshops will be working together to refine and discuss research methodologies and strategies. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in a 3-Minute Thesis style presentation. This is modelled on the internationally successful 3MT competition developed by the University of Queensland in 2008 (permission granted): https://threeminutethesis.uq.edu.au
A key component of this unit is its interdisciplinary nature. By participating in the presentations, students will have an opportunity to receive real-time feedback from peers working in related, but distinct, disciplines.
The unit will also make use of a flipped-classroom design with recordings of reflections on the research process from discipline experts within the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy and the University more widely. These will be used asynchronously and need not be accessed in any particular order.
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment strategy for the unit is designed around the premise that students typically learn best when content and assessment are relevant and have clear applications. Consequently, each of the assessment tasks is modelled on core research activities undertaken by Higher Degree Researchers around the world. The assessment tasks are formative and summative and are scaffolded to provide opportunities for students to demonstrate attainment of the learning outcomes.
The skills developed in this unit are designed to equip students to transition into further research in a supervised “capstone” project of their choosing. To that end, the assessment tasks require students to locate, organise, and synthesise information in order to produce an original and viable research proposal. The template for the final research proposal is modelled on real-world grant applications which have been used to apply for competitive research funding.
The skills developed in this unit are also translatable and transferable and can be used to apply for competitive grant funding in other contexts.
In order to pass this unit, students are required to complete all assessment tasks and attain an overall pass grade for the unit by demonstrating the achievement of a minimum standard across all Learning Outcomes.
The assessment tasks for this unit are designed for students to demonstrate their achievement of each learning outcome.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes | Graduate Attributes |
|---|---|---|---|
ASSIGNMENT 1 Review of Academic Book or Journal Article: Students are to write a review of a major recent, or field-defining, book or peer-reviewed journal article in their discipline area. Reviews are to be written in the style of an academic book review. Successful reviews will (1) clearly summaries writer’s position, (2) evaluate the book or article’s significance with reference to the field more widely, and (3) engage critically with the thesis of the work under review. | 25% | LO1, LO2 | GA4, GA5, GA8, GA10 |
ASSIGNMENT 2 Three Minute Thesis- style Presentation: Students will give a 3-minute oral presentation on their thesis and then respond to five minutes of open questions from their peers. Students will be assessed on (1) the clarity of their presentation, (2) the effectiveness of their communication, (3) their ability to convey the significance and relevance of their research. Students are also required to ask relevant questions of at least two of their classmates. Questions should relate to either content or methodology. | 25% | LO2, LO3 | GA4, GA5, GA8, GA9, GA10 |
ASSIGNMENT 3 Research Proposal: Using the Individual Research Proposal template on LEO, students will write a 2,000-word project proposal in which they identify a current issue in their discipline area and begin to outline a response to it. | 50% | LO1, LO2, LO3 | GA4, GA5, GA8, GA9, GA10 |
Representative texts and references
Baggini, J. and P. Fosl. The Philosopher's Toolkit: A Compendium of Philosophical Concepts and Methods. Wiley-Blackwell, May 2010.
Barton, J. ed. The Cambridge Companion to Biblical Interpretation. Cambridge: C.U.P., 1998.
Bevans, S. Models of Contextual Theology. Revised and expanded edition. New York: Orbis, 2002.
Browning, D.S. A Fundamental Practical Theology. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1991.
Fiorenza, F.S., and J.P. Galvin. Systematic Theology: Roman Catholic Perspectives. 2 Vols. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1991.
Lester, J. Writing Research Papers. 13th ed. New York: Longman, 2010.
Ormerod, N. Introducing Contemporary Theologies: The What and the Who of Theology Today. Enl. and rev. ed. Alexandria, N.S.W.: E.J. Dwyer, 1997.
Pears, A. Feminist Christian Encounters: The Methods and Strategies of Feminist Informed Christian Theologies. Burlington, VT.: Ashgate, 2004.
Rorty, R. (ed). The Linguistic Turn: Essays in Philosophical Method. Chicago: University Of Chicago Press, 1992.
Schmidt, L. Understanding Hermeneutics. Stocksfield: Acumen, 2006.