2011 MBBS Honours
Overview & Expectations
‘Getting Started’
Di Eley
MBBS Research Coordinator
OVERVIEW OF MBBS HONOURS 2011
Handbook – PDF on website – update alerts
Website – ‘Research Options in the MBBS’
Protocol for Offers
Enrolment
What is required: Assessment
Grade calculation
Leaving Honours / Reverting to Pass Degree
Key Dates
Getting Started
Choosing your Supervisor / Project
Ethics
Statistical Assistance
The Research Process –start thinking like a researcher
PROTOCOL FOR OFFERS
From the Handbook: ENTRY REQUIREMENTS (page 6)
The minimum eligibility criterion for entry into the Honours
program is a GPA of 6.5.
Additionally students must have achieved satisfactory clinical
performance in Year 2.
**Students who are already engaged in a research project,
under supervision of a SOM researcher, but who do not fulfil
the eligibility criteria but may contact the MBBS Research
Coordinator to discuss options.
ENROLMENT
It’s Your Responsibility to Enrol Properly
‘My Advisor’
http://www.uq.edu.au/myadvisor/
WHAT IS REQUIRED (Handbook pg 9 &10)
Four Assessment Tasks
Oral presentation of your Project Plan
Literature Review - MEDI 3009
Project Plan and Methodology
Thesis
All within an 18 month time frame alongside your
full time MBBS Year 3 and 4 clinical rotations.
ASSESSMENT
Part Assessment Item
1 Oral presentation of
the literature review
2
Scientific Literature
Review and
Research Question
3
Methodology and
data collection
4
Thesis
Word Length
n/a
5,000 words
10,000 words (incl
the Literature
Review)
Due
End of
Semester 1
Year 3
Mid-semester
2 Year 3
End of
Semester 2
Year 3
End of
Semester 1
Year 4
Allocation of Marks
The marks are allocated
to each Honours Stream
Rotation in Semester 1
The marks are allocated
to MEDI3009 – Scientific
Literature Review (Hons)
only.
The marks are allocated
to each Honours Stream
Rotation in Semester 2.
The marks are allocated
to each Honours Stream
Rotation in Year 4.
Honours Grade Calculation
Grade calculations for Honours Rotation Courses include both
the clinical component and the results of the Honours task for
the particular semester.
•Oral Presentation
•Project Plan and Methodology
•Final Thesis
The exception is that marks for the Literature Review go
solely to MEDI3009.
The final Honours course grade calculation i.e. CLASS OF
HONOURS is determined at the final Year 4 Examination
Board meeting for the year.
Leaving the Honours Program and Reverting
to the Pass Degree
A student may:
withdraw from Honours in Semester 1 by 31 March &not be fee-liable
revert to Pass Degree in Semester 2 by 30 August & not be fee-liable
responsible for amending enrolment to Pass Degree on mySi-net.
If you revert to the Pass Degree
all assessable components of the Honours courses must be completed.
failure to complete will result in a zero awarded to these components
will influence final grades
PLEASE REMEMBER
If you wish to withdraw or revert to the Pass degree you must
Consult with the MBBS Honours Course Coordinator
Complete the courses you are currently enrolled
apply to revert to the Pass Degree
KEY DATES (Handbook pg 13)
Workshops
 Workshop 3A: Overview and Expectations
Getting Started
 Workshop 3B: Presenting the Project Plan
(preparation for the oral
presentation)
 Workshop 3C:Structure and Content of a
Literature Review 1
 Workshop 3D: Structure and Content of a
Literature Review 2
 Workshop 3E: Structure and Content of
Methodology & Project Plan
Assessment Due Dates
 Assessment Task 1 – Oral Presentation
 Assessment Task 2 – Literature Review
 Assessment Task 3 – Methodology &
Project Plan
 Assessment Task 4 – Completed Thesis
o For students in Year 4 in 2012
Wednesday 23 February 2011
Wednesday 13 April 2011
Wednesday 25 May 2011
Wednesday 8 June 2011
Wednesday 10 August 2011
27 – 29 April & 16 – 20 May 2011
provisional (presentation – will be
scheduled according to topic, or by
negotiation with the Research
Coordinator)
29 June 2011
Wednesday 7 September 2011
20 July 2012
Statistical Assistance
Think now about your data analysis as part of
your Research Plan
When you have your data - you may request assistance
with your statistics
Handbook (pg 30-31)
On-line form
Stats Programs available:
SPSS: ‘Statistical Package for Social Sciences’
SAS: ‘Statistical Analysis Software’
Research Ethics
Ethical considerations of your project should NOT be an afterthought
Your Next Best Friend
UQ Website – RESEARCH
Research & Innovation Division (RID)
http://www.uq.edu.au/research/rid/
Ethical Clearances
http://www.uq.edu.au/research/rid/ethical-clearances
Human Ethics
Downloads , Forms & Guidelines
http://www.uq.edu.au/research/rid/human-guidelines
CLEARANCE NOº
(office use only)
Application Form for Ethical Clearance for Research Involving Human Participants
For review by: Medical Research Ethics Committee (MREC)
Behavioural & Social Sciences Ethical Review Committee (BSSERC)
For Staff and Student Research
Refer to last page for website and other information, including mailing address
Please tick boxes:
Project Title:
Schools/Departments:
Supervisor/s: (if applicable)
Principal Investigator:
Staff Noº/Student Noº:
(cross out if not relevant)
Co-Investigator/s:
Project Co-ordinator (or
authorised contact)
MREC
BSSERC
Full Review
Expedited Review
Everything we do has possible ethical considerations.
Everyone must consider the possible ethical implications
of your research.
This is fundamental to your research design
The really important bits to get
out of your Honours Research
1. An understanding of the “Research Process”
 logical flow of thought and critical insight behind
every good project
 answer a question/explore a topic to gain knowledge
2. Get your hand in on every aspect of the process – start
acting like a researcher
 ‘investigator’ vs ‘assistant’
3. Keep it small and simple - a small research project done
well is superior to a large research project done poorly
4. Publication – always your aim.
Getting Started
Choosing your Supervisor
Be Strategic
Choose someone in your area of interest + co-supervisor
Look for ‘mutual respect’
•someone you can work with and is interested in you
•someone who you respect and have confidence in
Mutual responsibilities and expectations
•understanding between you and your supervisor
Start with a ‘Planning Meeting’
•map out timeline of your assignments and meetings
Balance between ‘respectful requests’ & ‘destructive demands'
Choosing your Project
Be Strategic
Choose an area of interest that will build on your career
•you have a question or an observation
•why do you want to answer the question?
How are you going to answer your research question?
•practical? available? possible for you?
•consider timeframe, cost, support, relevance
Don’t worry about limitations of the project’s scope.
•good research asks as well as answers questions
Do it, enjoy it and think about how well you answered your
research question
Remember ‘quality’ versus ‘quantity’
Planning is Everything
"Well begun is half done" -- Aristotle
Plan your Honours with your Supervisor(s) now!
DESIGN – MOST Important – take time to PLAN
•Choose appropriate methodology
ETHICAL ISSUES and considerations –
•how will you address these in your research?
Don’t underestimate your project before your start
Understanding the Research
‘Process’
Research Question/Hypothesis
Design
Methodology
Analysis
Interpretation
Dissemination
Structure of Research
Understanding the Research ‘Process’
Research
Question
DESIGN
Methodology
Ethics
Quantitative - RCT
Qualitative - survey
Mixed methods ***
Data
collection
Interpretation
Writing
Submission
DISSEMINATION
Journal articles
Conferences
Analysis
FAME
FORTUNE