Overview
This is a postgraduate unit which aims to provide you with training in research. You will be taught the foundation skills and knowledge to independently undertake an investigation of a research question in an area of nutrition, medical or allied health sciences. This involves the application of scientific research methodologies to a research problem, the development of a research proposal, the completion of an ethics application, a research project, and the presentation of research. You will have the opportunity to further expand on your research knowledge if undertaking the Medical Science Research Project 2.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre-Requisites: Enrolment in CL88 Master of Nutrition and Dietetics Or The completion of 96 credit points in one of the following courses: CG93 Bachelor of Medical Science (Clinical Nutrition major) CM60 Bachelor of Nutrition CM61 Bachelor of Nutrition/Master of Nutrition and Dietetics
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2026
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from SUTE Comments
The structure of the unit and the support offered by the unit coordinator were appreciated.
Continue with the scaffolded structure of the unit and support for students.
Feedback from SUTE Satisfaction Score and Unit Coordinator self-reflection
Providing additional resources and clearer links between research skill development and future professional practice would enhance student understanding of its relevance to learning outcomes, employability, and academic confidence.
Provide real-world examples showing how research informs clinical and public health practice and policy.
- Develop and deliver a concise research proposal.
- Apply scientific research methodologies to complete a research project.
- Critically appraise the human research ethics framework to develop an ethics application for the research project.
- Disseminate a research project and its findings via written and oral presentations.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||
| 2 - Presentation - 20% | ||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||
| 4 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
| 4 - Research | ||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||
| 8 - First Nations Knowledges | ||||
| 9 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
l.vincze@cqu.edu.au
s.khalesi@cqu.edu.au
Week 1
Begin Date: 09 Mar 2026Module/Topic
Orientation and Introduction
Chapter
Learning materials, short lectures, and additional reading will be provided on the unit Moodle page
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online tutorial on orientation to the unit and assessments.
Identify your research project (refer to the Assessment Information section for more information).
Week 2
Begin Date: 16 Mar 2026Module/Topic
Research Aim and Literature Review
Chapter
Learning materials, short lectures, and additional reading will be provided on the unit Moodle page
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online tutorial on the content from week 2.
Week 3
Begin Date: 23 Mar 2026Module/Topic
Research Methodology 1 (Design and Data Collection)
Chapter
Learning materials, short lectures, and additional reading will be provided on the unit Moodle page
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online tutorial on the content from week 3.
Part 1 of Research Proposal (Assessment 1, Part 1) due: Week 3 Friday 5:00 pm AEST.
Week 4
Begin Date: 30 Mar 2026Module/Topic
Research Methodology 2 (Data Management and Analysis)
Chapter
Learning materials, short lectures, and additional reading will be provided on the unit Moodle page
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online tutorial on the content from week 4.
Part 2 of your Research Proposal (Assessment 1, Part 2) due: Week 4 Friday 5:00 pm AEST.
Week 5
Begin Date: 06 Apr 2026Module/Topic
Research Ethics
Chapter
Learning materials, short lectures, and additional reading will be provided on the unit Moodle page
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online tutorial on the content from week 5.
Week 6
Begin Date: 13 Apr 2026Module/Topic
Research Pitch and Report
Chapter
Learning materials, short lectures, and additional reading will be provided on the unit Moodle page
Events and Submissions/Topic
Oral Presentation (Assessment 2, Part 1) due: Week 6 Friday 5:00 pm AEST.
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 20 Apr 2026Module/Topic
No lecture this week.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 7
Begin Date: 27 Apr 2026Module/Topic
Research Dissemination
Chapter
Learning materials, short lectures, and additional reading will be provided on the unit Moodle page
Events and Submissions/Topic
Self and Peer Assessment (Assessment 2, Part 2) Due Week 7 Friday 5:00 pm AEST.
Week 8
Begin Date: 04 May 2026Module/Topic
Continue your project
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 9
Begin Date: 11 May 2026Module/Topic
Continue your project
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
On-demand Troubleshooting Online tutorial.
Week 10
Begin Date: 18 May 2026Module/Topic
Continue your project
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
On-demand Troubleshooting Online tutorial.
Week 11
Begin Date: 25 May 2026Module/Topic
Continue your project
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
On-demand Troubleshooting Online tutorial.
Week 12
Begin Date: 01 Jun 2026Module/Topic
Review week
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Exam Week
Begin Date: 08 Jun 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Vacation/Exam Week
Begin Date: 15 Jun 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Your Unit Coordinator this term is Dr Saman Khalesi. Saman can be contacted via the Unit Moodle forum or email (s.khalesi@cqu.edu.au).
The Unit and Learning Content:
This unit provides you with the foundation skills and knowledge to design, propose, implement, and report a research project. It has four scaffolded assessments including a proposal (worth 20%), an oral presentation (worth 20%), an ethics application (worth 20%), and a written report in the form of a manuscript (worth 40%). The learning materials for each week are designed to assist you with understanding the process involved in research and the completion of each assessment task. The following learning content will be provided on the unit Moodle page:
- Learning Booklets
- Online tutorials
- Assessment Guides
- Communication forums
Learning Booklets:
For each teaching week, you will have a "Learning Booklet" accessible through the weekly tiles. They contain the learning materials for the week, including descriptions, short lectures, examples, learning activities, discussion topics, and links to additional reading materials to complement your learning.
Online Tutorials:
Throughout the term, online tutorial sessions will be held online only. The day and time of these weekly tutorials will be advised on the unit Moodle site. During these tutorials, we will discuss weekly learning contents and apply those to a "teaching project" developed specifically for tutorials. This will allow you to practice your research skills and learnings in a sample project, ask relevant questions, and troubleshoot any problems you face during your own research projects. All online tutorial sessions will be recorded to enable all students to view the content if they are unable to attend the live tutorial.
Assessment Guides:
The Unit Assessment Guide has been developed to provide a comprehensive overview of the assessment tasks for the unit. This guide is available in the Assessment tile in the unit Moodle site. For each assessment task, a recorded tutorial is also available on the Moodle page to help with understanding assessment requirements.
Communication forums:
Discussion of research-related topics is integral to understanding and communicating the process of research and research findings. Open discussion is important. However, it is expected that you will ALWAYS weigh up the evidence (from reputable sources only), and respect the right of every student to have an opinion, even if it differs from your own. Please respect your peers and always maintain a polite, respectful dialogue, and communicate professionally at all times.
Throughout the term, all NON-PERSONAL communications between students and the Unit Coordinators (for example, questions relating to assessment tasks, due dates, learning activities etc.) must be conducted via the relevant forums in the unit Moodle site. Any PERSONAL communications (personal illness, life events) should be held with the Unit Coordinators via email or telephone. All emails must include your name, contact details, the unit code and a brief message that clearly outlines your question/communication.
All requests for extensions on assessment task due dates must be made via the Assessment Extension Request (AER) system in Moodle.
1 Written Assessment
The body of knowledge and literature are constantly expanding as improvements in science, technology and further discoveries take place. As a health professional and scientist, you will need to be at the forefront of this advance. This unit will provide you with the knowledge and skills to read, evaluate and undertake research projects. In this assessment, you are required to identify a research project, read and critically evaluate the available literature and develop a research proposal that uses scientific research methodologies to answer specific research questions.
A suitable research project may include:
A) a project based on a provided dataset.
- The dataset project involves analysing and interpreting the data already collected to answer research questions. The list of available datasets will be provided on the unit Moodle page.
OR
B) a short hands-on research project
- A hands-on project may involve experiments, laboratory work, fieldwork, measurements, or observation to collect data and analyse the results. The list of available hands-on projects will be provided on the unit Moodle page.
- Please note that there is a limited number of projects available. You may not find them all relevant to your research interest or discipline, but they are designed to have a number of different elements and variables suitable for a variety of disciplines to practice and learn the process of research, which is the purpose of this unit.
- Also, the feasibility of doing a hands-on project must be decided in consultation with the Unit Coordinator and the researcher associated with the project prior to the end of week one (1).
There are two (2) parts to your research proposal:
- Part 1 will include your project title, aim(s) and research question(s) (100 - 150 words). It accounts for 5% of the weight for this assessment task and needs to be submitted by Friday of Week 3.
- Part 2 will include background and significance (based on the literature review), methodology, expected outcomes, and references (400 - 600 words). It accounts for 15% of the weight for this assessment task and needs to be submitted by Friday of Week 4.
Proposal templates, assessment guides and additional materials to support the development of your research proposal will be provided on the unit Moodle page.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 2: You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
Part 1: Friday 27 March (Week 3) 5 pm AEST & Part 2: Friday 3 April (Week 4) 5 pm AEST AM
Return 2 weeks following submission
Part 1 accounts for 5% and Part 2 for 15% of the weight for this assessment task (overall 20% of your unit total mark).
The Proposal Templates provide an overview of the requirements. The proposal will be assessed using a marking rubric available on the Moodle page.
The marking criteria for Part 1 will include:
- Clarity and accuracy of project title, question(s) and aim(s)
- Accuracy and quality of writing and compliance with submission requirements
The marking criteria for Part 2 will include:
- Clarity and completeness of background (summary of literature review) and significance
- Accuracy and quality of methodology/experimental approaches and analysis proposed for the project and expected outcomes
- Accuracy and quality of writing, referencing, citation and compliance with submission requirements
- Feedback: The marking rubric includes criteria to help identify your weaknesses and strengths in your Proposal Writing. General feedback and suggestions to improve
- performance will also be provided. If you require additional feedback for this task, you should contact the Unit Coordinator.
Students are permitted to use Generative AI for this assessment in the following ways:
- developing literature search strategies
- compiling suitable literature sources and locating data
- guidance for structuring the assignment
Feedback: The marking rubric includes criteria to help identify your weaknesses and strengths in your Proposal Writing. General feedback and suggestions to improve performance will also be provided. If you require additional feedback for this task, you should contact the Unit Coordinator.
- Develop and deliver a concise research proposal.
- Apply scientific research methodologies to complete a research project.
2 Presentation
Presenting research ideas and proposals, and research findings at scientific conferences, funding organisations and professional development meetings is a critical step in developing and conducting high-quality research. It is through the feedback you receive from the audience and colleagues that you can identify ways to improve your research. Also, as an audience in these presentations, you will learn from others increase your knowledge and skill, and maybe learn new research methods or interesting facts. In this assessment, you will have the opportunity to learn the skills of presenting your research proposal and reviewing and providing constructive feedback to your peers.
There are two (2) parts involved in the completion of this assessment :
- Part 1: You are required to submit an oral presentation (10 to 15 minutes) on the proposed project via a webcam or video recording by Friday of Week 6. For this, you should make PowerPoint slides (no more than 15 slides) explaining your proposed research, its significance and the methods you propose to answer research questions. This part accounts for 15% of the weight of this assessment task.
- Part 2: You are required to review and assess your peers' oral presentations by Friday of Week 7. You will rate your own presentation and 3-4 of your peer's presentations. Information on how to complete this self and peer assessment will be provided on the unit Moodle page. This part accounts for 5% of the assessment task's weight.
Additional information will be provided on the unit Moodle page. Many applications can be used for recording. Camtasia, Zoom, PowerPoint, Teams, etc. offer free trials and recording options. You will be required to upload your recording using ECHO 360 to be marked. Instructions on how to submit your presentation will be provided in the unit's Assessment Guide.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 2: You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
Part 1 (oral presentation): Friday 17 April (Week 6) 5pm AEST & Part 2 (self and peer assessment): Friday 1 May (Week 7) 5pm AEST
Return 2 weeks following submission
Part 1 (Oral Presentation) accounts for 15% and Part 2 (self and peer assessment) accounts for 5% of the weight of this assessment (overall 20% of your unit total mark).
Your Presentation will be assessed using a marking rubric available in the Assessment Guide provided on the Moodle page.
The marking criteria include:
- Clarity and accuracy of presentation of research information (including topic, background, aims, etc.), findings, discussion, conclusion and future directions for the research
- Clarity and quality of presentation, structure, audience engagement and timing
- Structure, grammar and submission requirements
The self and peer assessment section will have a similar structure to the above-mentioned criteria. Your rates will be reviewed and moderated if required. Further information on this section will be provided during the term.
Feedback: The marking rubric includes criteria to help identify your weaknesses and strengths in your Oral Presentation. General feedback and suggestions to improve performance will also be provided. If you require additional feedback for this task, you should contact the Unit Coordinator.
Students are permitted to use Generative AI for this assessment in the following ways:
- developing literature search strategies
- compiling suitable literature sources and locating data
- guidance for structuring the assignment
The self and peer assessment section will have a similar structure to the above-mentioned criteria. Your rates will be reviewed and moderated if required. Further information on this section will be provided during the term.
Feedback: The marking rubric includes criteria to help identify your weaknesses and strengths in your Oral Presentation. General feedback and suggestions to improve performance will also be provided. If you require additional feedback for this task, you should contact the Unit Coordinator.
- Develop and deliver a concise research proposal.
- Apply scientific research methodologies to complete a research project.
- Disseminate a research project and its findings via written and oral presentations.
3 Written Assessment
Research should be conducted according to appropriate ethical, legal and professional manners. Ethics committees are responsible for ensuring compliance with national codes and regulations. Therefore, researchers will be required to seek approval from relevant ethics committees for any research activities that involve human participants, animals, or any infectious or hazardous agents.
In this assessment, you will be required to complete and submit a mock ethics application for the project you have chosen. The application template you will need to complete and additional learning material will be provided on the unit Moodle page.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 2: You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
Week 9 Friday (15 May 2026)
Return 2 weeks following submission
Your ethics application will be assessed using a detailed marking rubric available on the Moodle page. You will be assessed on the:
- Clarity and accuracy of the information provided
- Logic and accuracy in identifying research risk and mechanisms to minimise risk
- Clarity and appropriateness of the recruitment and data collection process
- Clarity and accuracy of research information protection methods
Feedback: The marking rubric includes criteria to help identify your weaknesses and strengths in your Manuscript writing. General feedback and suggestions to improve performance will also be provided. If you require additional feedback for this task, you should contact the Unit Coordinator.
Students are permitted to use Generative AI for this assessment in the following ways:
- developing literature search strategies
- compiling suitable literature sources and locating data
- guidance for structuring the assignment
Feedback: The marking rubric includes criteria to help identify your weaknesses and strengths in your Oral Presentation. General feedback and suggestions to improve performance will also be provided. If you require additional feedback for this task, you should contact the Unit Coordinator.
- Apply scientific research methodologies to complete a research project.
- Critically appraise the human research ethics framework to develop an ethics application for the research project.
4 Written Assessment
Dissemination of knowledge and research discoveries to the scientific communities is essential for global improvements to our technologies and currently accepted practices or standards of care. Researchers must be proficient in conveying their research findings through written submissions to journals or other forms of scientific communication. A scientific manuscript is a formal report of the research and findings. This assessment will provide you with the opportunity to prepare a written manuscript based on the project you have proposed and conducted, and its findings. You are required to submit your manuscript by Monday of Week 12.
Your manuscript should be between 2000 – 2500 words and should include the following section:
- Abstract: summary of the research and its findings in a structured way
- Introduction: definition of the topic and discussion on what is known (literature review), the gaps and the significance of the study, and the aim and research questions
- Method: description of the materials, methods and analyses used to answer research questions
- Results: presentation of the findings of the research in a clear and concise way in text, tables and figures
- Discussion: interpretations of the findings and how they compare with literature, what they add and what are the limitations
- Conclusion: summary of the findings, and meaningful and supported suggestions for the application of the findings
- References to the literature used and cited in the manuscript
Template, assessment guide and additional materials to support the development of the manuscript will be provided on the unit Moodle page.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 2: You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
Week 12 Monday (1 June 2026) 5:00 pm AEST
Vacation/Exam Week Monday (15 June 2026)
Return 2 weeks following submission
Your manuscript will be assessed using a detailed marking rubric available on the Moodle page. The marking criteria include:
- Clarity and accuracy of the title, abstract, introduction and background
- Accuracy of the methods/statistical analysis and ethics consideration (if applicable) outlined
- Clarity of results and findings and accuracy of reporting
- Logic and accuracy of discussion and limitations
- Clarity of conclusion and the implication of findings
- Referencing, structure, grammar and submission requirements
Feedback: The marking rubric includes criteria to help identify your weaknesses and strengths in your Manuscript writing. General feedback and suggestions to improve performance will also be provided. If you require additional feedback for this task, you should contact the Unit Coordinator.
Students are permitted to use Generative AI for this assessment in the following ways:
- developing literature search strategies
- compiling suitable literature sources and locating data
- guidance for structuring the assignment
Feedback: The marking rubric includes criteria to help identify your weaknesses and strengths in your Manuscript writing. General feedback and suggestions to improve performance will also be provided. If you require additional feedback for this task, you should contact the Unit Coordinator.
- Apply scientific research methodologies to complete a research project.
- Critically appraise the human research ethics framework to develop an ethics application for the research project.
- Disseminate a research project and its findings via written and oral presentations.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
