Version | 1.1 |
Unit Name | DOCTORAL DISSERTATION |
Unit Code | DENG900 |
Unit Duration | 48 week |
Award |
Doctor of Engineering Duration 3 years |
Year Level | Three |
Unit Creator / Reviewer | Dr Sally Male |
Core/Sub-Discipline: | Core |
Pre/Co-requisites | None |
Credit Points |
48 Total Program Credit Points 120 |
Mode of Delivery | Online or on-campus. |
Unit Workload |
20 hours per fortnight: Supervisor/advisor consultations – 1 to 2 hours Writing and research activities – 58 hours per fortnight |
Unit Description and General Aims
Doctoral research must make a significant and original contribution to knowledge. In other words the doctoral candidate must create new knowledge that matters. The desired end result of DEng is publication (journal, technical note as accepted by professional body, etc.) and change in practice.
This unit is a continuation of the research undertaken in the first year and the respective paper outputs in the second year of the degree program. The candidate prepares a doctoral thesis, extending the topic of the first year, or subsequent topic produced for research papers 1 and 2 in which a cohesive study making a significant and original contribution to knowledge is presented.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this Unit, students are expected to be able to:
- Formulate a problem of relevance to the engineering practitioners in the candidate’s field, suitable for addressing by research
Bloom’s Level 6
- Assemble a suitable range of tools to present the problem and argue its significance to professional and lay audiences.
Bloom’s Level 6
- Compose and present a review of literature that supports the significance of the problem and justifies the research approach
Bloom’s Level 6
- Hypothesise the significance, quality of evidence, and gaps in a study
Bloom’s Level 6
- Formulate an approach to address weaknesses or gaps in the study, including method, schedule, risk management plan, required resources, and an IP management plan
Bloom’s Level 6
- Justify and obtain any relevant ethical or other approvals and agreements for the research
Bloom’s Level 5
- Preparing technical report to researchers and practitioners the complete study: results, method and analysis, comparison with previous work, originality and significance, limitations, implications for theory, practice, and society, recommendations for further research, and the achieved and likely impact.
Bloom’s Level 6
- Successfully justify and defend the research in response to reviews
Bloom’s Level 6
Bloom’s Taxonomy
The cognitive domain levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy:
Bloom's level | Bloom's category | Description |
1 | Remember | Retrieve relevant knowledge from long-term memory by recognising, identifying, recalling and retrieving. |
2 | Understand | Construct meaning from instructional messages by interpreting, classifying, summarising, inferring, comparing, contrasting, mapping and explaining. |
3 | Apply | Carrying out or using a procedure in a given situation by executing, implementing, operating, developing, illustrating, practicing and demonstrating. |
4 | Analyse | Deconstruct material and determine how the parts relate to one another and to an overall structure or purpose by differentiating, organising and attributing. |
5 | Evaluate | Make judgments based on criteria and standards by checking, coordinating, evaluating, recommending, validating, testing, critiquing and judging. |
6 | Create | Put elements together to form a coherent pattern or functional whole by generating, hypothesising, designing, planning, producing and constructing. |
Student assessment
Assessment Type (e.g. Assignment - 2000 word essay (specify topic) Examination (specify length and format)) |
When assessed (e.g. Week 5) | Weighting (% of total unit marks) | Learning Outcomes Assessed |
Assessment 1 (Presentation to Stakeholders) Present a seminar presenting the research problem; research aim, questions or hypotheses; method and analysis; originality and significance; limitations; implications for theory, practice, and society; recommendations for further research. This assessment gives the candidate an opportunity to get critical feedback on areas such as methods, significance of the work, theoretical considerations etc. Putting the argument that the work is of doctoral significance. It gives the candidate some intellectual rigor earlier in the process. Duration: 25-minute presentation + Q&A, Feedback |
Week 12 | 15% (Marking rubric to be used) | 1-7 |
Assessment 2 (Thesis) Prepare a thesis presenting the research problem; research aim, questions or hypotheses; method and analysis; results and findings; comparison with previous work; originality and significance; limitations; implications for theory, practice, and society; recommendations for further research; and the achieved and likely impact including dissemination and outputs such as software to support change in practice. The thesis is to be evaluated by two independent examiners. Word limit: 55,000 - 100,000 (200 - 400 pages) |
week 40 | 70% (Marking rubric to be used) | 1-7 |
Assessment 3 (Viva) Respond to examiners’ questions to defend the thesis in an electronic or face-to-face viva. Duration: 60 minutes + defence Q&A |
8 weeks after submission of thesis | 15% (Marking rubric to be used) | 8 |
Prescribed and Recommended Readings
Reference Materials
Suitable information may be found through the following resources:
- BOOTH, W. C., COLOMB, G. G. & WILLIAMS, J. M. 2008. The Craft of Research, Chicago and London, The University of Chicago Press.
- LINDSAY, D. 1995. A Guide to Scientific Writing, Melbourne, Longman.
Software Reference Material
EndnoteTM software for constructing reference lists, bibliography (www.endnote.com)
Unit Content
Topic 1 and 2
Review of candidate’s research during the program to date; proposal of further study required to make a significant and original contribution; application for any necessary approvals additional to those already obtained, and confirmation of resources.
Why (application): The doctoral thesis must make a significant and original contribution to research and the candidate must identify any additional research required for theirs to achieve this.
- Significance
- Research quality
- Project scope
- Weakness and gaps in research
- Gaps in research
- Schedule of regular meetings with supervisors, industry advisor, and research group
- Research group culture
Topic 3 and 4
Thesis planning and research
Why (application): The thesis writing should be concurrent with the final research.
- Thesis examination process and viva expectations
- Thesis structure
- Thesis style
- Independent research supported by frequent interaction with supervisors, advisor, and research group
Topic 5 - 24
Final research and first drafts of most chapters.
Why (application): Thesis preparation is iterative and takes longer than expected.
- Independent research supported by frequent interaction with supervisors, advisor, and research group
- Iterative drafting and revision
- Peer review
Topic 25 - 48
Thesis completion and polish, and presentation
Why (application): The whole thesis should be revised iteratively until polished.
- Independent analysis and writing supported by frequent interaction and review with supervisors, advisor, and research group
- Presentation to stakeholders
- Peer review of another student’s presentation
- Submission
Software/Hardware Used
Software
- Software: N/A
- Version: N/A
- Instructions: N/A
- Additional resources or files: N/A
Hardware
- N/A