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Overview

Course Overview

The 60-point dissertation is conducted part-time over two semesters (2 study days per semester) and may take the form of a literature review (type to be decided by discussion with a supervisor) or the analysis of secondary data (either qualitative or quantitative) or a small research project. Students will develop and research a topic based on their area of clinical practice or specialist interest. Students must work with a supervisor to complete the dissertation. Students will be assisted in locating a supervisor.

Study days will include information on the content and organisation of each dissertation chapter, as well as provide presentations by guest speakers with expertise in types of literature reviews, and qualitative and quantitative data analyses. Class group discussions sharing dissertation progress at each stage of the research process are included. These study days are designed to provide students with the guidance and skills to complete the dissertation, in addition to the guidance provided by their supervisor. Attendance and participation in each study day is vital for learning and is a significant component of the intensive learning process.

Key Topics

  • Expectations students, facilitators, coaches
  • Planning, Skills and Responsibilities
  • Scope of a dissertation
  • Learning Outcomes
  • Refining topic
  • Managing information
  • Review vs annotated bibliography
  • Research methods – Qualitative, Quantitative, Secondary Analyses, Literature Reviews
  • Writing an integrated review
  • Writing an Introduction
  • The Methods chapter
  • Findings - What does it mean to critique and analyse?
  • Drawing out the most important messages
  • The Discussion - What to discuss
  • Developing implications for practice
  • Drawing to conclusions


Course Contacts

Course Coordinator: Dr. Rosemary Frey (r.frey@auckland.ac.nz)

Co-Teacher: Mrs. Jo Agnew (j.agnew@auckland.ac.nz)

Programme Administrator: Pam Kaur Nursingsubdoctoral@auckland.ac.nz

Workload Expectations

  • This course is a standard 60-point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15-point course that they are enrolled in.
  • For this course, you can expect 24 hours of lectures, 90 hours of reading and thinking about the content, and the remaining 100+ hours of work on the dissertation.

Research and Supervision

  • Students will be supported in the process of reaching out to potential supervisors
  • Supervision sessions timings are negotiated between the student and the supervisors schedules
  • Students are expected to bring their work to the supervision sessions and lead the supervision process
  • Students are expected to organise their supervision sessions with several weeks (sometimes months) notice in order to ensure their supervisor/s are available.
  • Supervision can take place online and/or in-person - this is negotiated between the student and the supervisor/s
  • The completed dissertation is externally assessed.

Course Prerequisites, Corequisites and Restrictions

Restriction

Additional Advice on Prerequisites

To complete this course students must enrol in NURSING 795 A and B, or NURSING 795

Locations and Semesters Offered

LocationSemester
Grafton

Teaching and Learning

Campus Experience

  • The course is delivered in study days running from 9 am to 4 pm (exact timings confirmed once the semester starts).
  • The study days involve both lectures and group discussions.

Teaching and Learning Methods

  • Attendance is expected at scheduled activities, including study days to components of the course complete.
  • Lectures will be available as recordings - however, as the recordings are automated, we can not guarantee the quality or quantity of the recordings.
  • Other learning activities, including discussions, will be available as recordings.
  • Attendance on campus is not required for the dissertation submission.
  • The activities for the course are scheduled as monthly study days (2 per semester).

Learning Resources

Taught courses use a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas to provide students with learning materials including reading lists and lecture recordings (where available). Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Additional Information on Learning Resources

  • The Talis reading list includes key resources to assist with the completion of the dissertation including books providing an overview of the research process such as:

Essentials of Nursing Research, Appraising Evidence for Nursing Practice –

  • Taught courses use a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas to provide students with learning materials including reading lists and lecture recordings (where available). Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.


Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license. You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third-party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Other Information

The completed dissertation is externally assessed.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Similarly, research students must meet the University’s expectations of good research practice. This requires:

  • Honesty - in all aspects of research work
  • Accountability - in the conduct of research
  • Professional courtesy and fairness – in working with others
  • Good stewardship – on behalf of others
  • Transparency – of research process and presentation of results
  • Clarity - communication to be understandable, explainable and accessible

For more information on the University’s expectations of academic integrity, please see the Academic Conduct section of the University policy hub.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about taught courses is made available to enrolled students in Canvas.

Students may be asked to submit assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.


Additional Information on Academic integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Similarly, research students must meet the University’s expectations of good research practice. This requires:

  • Honesty - in all aspects of research work
  • Accountability - in the conduct of research
  • Professional courtesy and fairness – in working with others
  • Good stewardship – on behalf of others
  • Transparency – of research process and presentation of results
  • Clarity - communication to be understandable, explainable and accessible


For more information on the University’s expectations of academic integrity, please see the Academic Conduct section of the University policy hub.

You are not permitted to use AI for the completion of the dissertation based on the fact that the functions of AI overlap with the skills being assessed. Please read the university policy on the use of AI.

Advice for students on using Generative Artificial Intelligence in coursework

https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/academic-integrity-copyright/advice-for-student-on-using-generative-ai.html

Assessment and Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes

CLO #OutcomeProgramme Capability Link
1
2
3
4
5
6

Assessments

Assessment TypeAssessment PercentageAssessment Classification

Additional Information on Assessment

  • It is expected that most dissertations will be between 15,000 to 20,000 words, including tables, figures, references, and appendices.
  • The completed dissertation is externally assessed.


Assessment to CLO Mapping

Assessment Type123456

Student Feedback, Support and Charter

Student Feedback

Feedback on taught courses is gathered from students at the end of each semester through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions. Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students. In addition, class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Additional Information on Student Feedback

Dissertation study groups will be encouraged to facilitate student support.

Class representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Additional Information on Class Representatives

Responsibilities:

  • Elicit feedback from your classmates / Attend department and faculty meetings / Help resolve issues that may arise in class.
  • For more info visit www.ausa.org.nz/support/class-reps/ email classreps@ausa.org.nz or speak to your lecturer


Tuākana

Tuākana is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials, one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at Tuakana Learning Communities.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor. Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website.

Additional Information on Inclusive Learning


If you live with or suspect you have an impairment – SDS can help!

  • Range of services to make studying at the university an accessible and positive experience
  • Tailored support


Wellbeing

We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - please see the Support Services page for information on support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed work is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due. If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page. This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Additonal Information on Special Circumstances


In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter.

Student Academic Complaints and Disputes

Students with concerns about teaching including how a course is delivered, the resources provided, or supervision arrangements, have the right to express their concerns and seek resolution. The university encourages informal resolution where possible, as this is quicker and less stressful. For information on the informal and formal complaints processes, please refer to the Student Academic Complaints Statute in the Student Policies and Guidelines section of the Policy Hub.