Honours Resources

The honours community

A number of people will assist you in your studies and we recommend that you take the time to identify your honours “community”; get to know the lines of communication and who you can turn to for guidance when you need it.

Other honours students - You are a member of the cohort studying for honours. You may already know some of the students; others you will come to know during the year. Your colleagues are among your most important resources, sharing the highs and lows of the year. In addition, they will often become part of your future social and professional networks.

Honours supervisors - Your supervisors are the most important points of contact to discuss your research. You are working with them, seeking their advice and guidance, while also looking to become independent in your work. See the supervisor-student relationship section for more information on your supervisor.

Honours Convenor- The Honours Convenor is responsible for administering matters relating to all honours students. These include maintaining records of each student’s coursework and grades (with the assistance of the Honours Administrator), advising students on College rules and policy, and arranging examination procedures for theses. The Honours Convenor is also available to provide pastoral care, support and advice to all CAP Honours students.

CAP Student Centre – The CAP Student Centre is the first point of contact for matters relating to process and procedure for enrolment and deferment, program leave, extensions, and other administrative matters.

Problems

The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers you free and confidential help with your academic work through individual consultations, workshops, courses, podcasts and handouts. Their aim is to assist you to develop the academic, critical thinking and communication strategies that are foundational to all scholarly activity. For ANU students, Academic Skills offer:

Individual consultations
Workshops/courses
Online and print materials and publications
The Language Exchange Program
The Essay and Report Writing File

If you encounter academic difficulties, you should first attempt to discuss and resolve them with your supervisor. If this does not produce satisfactory results, you should then consult the Honours Convenor and then, if the matter remains unresolved, you should make an appointment to see the Associate Dean (Student Experience).

If you are experiencing personal problems, you should utilise the University’s student support services:

The supervisor-student relationship

All students in the Honours program have at least one supervisor.

This relationship involves obligations on both parties. Your supervisor will assist you with advice, guidance and criticism and help you to achieve your personal academic goals. Your supervisor is there to help you choose and design the research project, guide the research in a practical and productive way, and advise you on writing the best thesis of which you are capable. At the same time, your supervisor can only guide your efforts if you produce drafts for them to read and are receptive to, and act upon his/her advice. You must take the responsibility for maintaining communication with your supervisor, meeting deadlines, and the final results of your work.

Responsibilities of the supervisor

Assist the student in selecting and defining the scope of a suitable thesis topic or problem; assist the student in devising a schedule for the year’s thesis work.
Guide the student in the selection and application of appropriate data collection practices, field research methods, conceptual frameworks, and analysis procedures, and advise on the solution of any difficulties that arise.
Advise on matters of thesis content, organisation and writing, including the timely provision of comments, written and oral, on drafts or portions of the thesis.
Meet/communicate frequently with the student to discuss and evaluate each stage of the thesis project. Where there are joint supervisors, they should arrange joint meetings with the student.
Monitor student progress and advise the student when progress is unsatisfactory.
Advise students on gaining ethics clearance to conduct field work Fieldwork rules and academic integrity.

Responsibilities of the student

While preparing the application, to approach potential supervisors (normally College staff members) and ascertain their willingness to supervise a thesis on a mutually agreeable topic.
Produce and deliver written material in accordance with the schedule agreed on with the supervisor.
Consider advice seriously. If advice is not taken, the supervisor should be informed and given the reasons for the decision.
Consult regularly with the supervisor. Students should prepare in advance for consultations by determining the help they require and the areas in which advice would be useful.
Take responsibility for their progress overall and to seek advice early if problems arise.
Fulfil all the requirements of the honours course.
Where necessary prepare an ethics submission Fieldwork rules and academic integrity and travel approval.

Problems in supervisor-student relations

If you are experiencing difficulties in your relationship with your supervisor, you should endeavour to discuss this, in the first instance, with the supervisor. If it is not appropriate to hold such a discussion with your supervisor, you should consult the Honours Convenor. If the difficulties between you and your supervisor cannot be resolved to the mutual satisfaction of both, you may request the Honours Convenor for permission to apply to another academic for supervision during the remainder of your candidature.

If the matter remains unresolved, you should contact the College Associate Dean (Student Experience) or the ANU Dean of Students.

Please go through the University’s Appeals & Grievances policies to understand the handling of student grievances.

Expectations of your thesis

The following guidelines are to assist you with what may be expected of your honours thesis. It is highly recommended that you discuss the following expectations with your supervisor.

Your thesis topic should be selected by you and accepted for supervision by a member of staff as part of the application process for the honours program.
Generally, honours theses are treated as the work of an undergraduate student and not as the work of an experienced researcher. They are not judged by the same criteria as research masters or doctoral theses, or articles submitted to learned journals. They are seen as your first real opportunity to develop a range of research and communication skills, and to analyse a body of knowledge, and thus demonstrate your potential to succeed in research at more advanced levels.
Rather than being expected to make a “significant” contribution to the field, honours theses produced in the College are expected to display familiarity with the Asia-Pacific region and effective disciplinary approaches to studying it. However, it is important to note that several honours students in the history of the College have made significant contributions to their field and discipline, and shortened versions of their theses have been published in reputable journals. If you wish to finish in the 90 - 100 per cent range and plan to do a PhD with a scholarship, you should aspire to make such a contribution.
The thesis should demonstrate your ability to find and assess information and particularly to assess the relevance of arguments, theoretical concepts, and methods for your specific problem. This involves a grasp of relevant and accessible literature.
Information should be presented logically and lucidly. Pretentiousness and jargon should be avoided, and comprehension should be clearly demonstrated.
Your thesis must be written in formal, scholarly English and demonstrate a high level of literacy. It must be carefully proof-read and presented in clean copies for examiners to read.
Theses submitted for completion of the Asia-Pacific Studies Honours Specialisation must demonstrate evidence of your proficiency – and ability to conduct supervised research – in at least one of the languages of the Asia-Pacific region.
Theses submitted for completion of the Security Studies (Honours) Specialisation – and theses discussing a Pacific culture whose language is not offered at the ANU – are exempted from requirements regarding the use of a regional language.

Organisation of your thesis

The honours year is an apprenticeship in the training of researchers, and the thesis represents your first major effort in independent research and writing.
Since honours projects differ in type and content, there is no standard format for writing common to all theses. However, the following organisational requirements are essential:

Length

Word limit: The thesis must be a maximum of 20,000 words in length. This applies to the main text of the thesis, from the introduction to the conclusion. Footnotes, appendices, bibliography and the abstract will not be included in the word count. The abstract must be a maximum of 1 page.

It is a good idea to discuss with your supervisor the length of your thesis as writing proceeds, seeking their advice on likely outcomes and how to manage the length.

Thesis layout:

Title page: The first page should set out the title of the thesis, state that it is submitted for the degree of Bachelor of Asia Pacific Studies (Honours), Bachelor of Asia-Pacific Security (Honours), or Master of Asia and the Pacific (Honours) at the Australian National University; your name; and the month and year of submission.
Second page: A signed statement that this is your own work. For example, “Unless otherwise acknowledged in the text, this thesis represents the original research of the author” or alternatively “This thesis is my own work. All sources used have been acknowledged.”
Table of contents / figures / tables / plates.
Abstract.
Chapters numbered, and each beginning on a new page.
Bibliography: The system of referencing can vary in the College, so you must check with your supervisor.
Appendices.

Thesis format

The following guidelines have been adopted by the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific for the presentation of honours theses:

The thesis should be written in a clearly legible, size 12 font, and either 1.5 or double-spaced.
Pages should be numbered consecutively.
Margins:
- Left hand 30mm
- Right hand 20mm
- Top 20mm
- Bottom 30mm
The thesis must be submitted electronically through wattle. The student should not submit a hard copy. The CAP Student Centre will prepare a hard copy of the thesis if requested by an examiner.

Due date

The due date for thesis submission is October. All honours theses must be submitted via wattle.

For students due to complete their theses or equivalent work mid-year (eg some part-time students), the due date is May.

Assessment

Please be aware that assessment at honours level is both formal and informal. That is, you will receive an indication of your level of achievement in coursework as you complete it and progress reports in the form of written or verbal feedback on your thesis work during meetings with your supervisor. The final grade/honours classification covering both coursework and thesis, as determined at a final examiner’s meeting, is published on ISIS at the completion of the assessment period.

You are entitled to a copy of the examiners’ reports after assessment has been made and formal notice of results given.

The following advice will be given to the examiners of your thesis if you are pursuing a Bachelor of Asia Pacific Studies (Honours) or Master of Asia and the Pacific (Honours) degree:

The main goal of an honours thesis from the College of Asia and the Pacific (CAP) is showcasing a successful combination between demonstrated intimacy with the Asia-Pacific region and a disciplinarily-grounded contribution to broader scholarly debates. In other words, while CAP expects its students to show their acquaintance with the Asia Pacific region, it also requires them to contextualise their findings within a disciplinary or multi-disciplinary context. Examiners should assess both aspects in equal measure.

It is of utmost importance for a CAP honours thesis to have an original argument. Purely narrative accounts without a substantial argument or thesis – even if based on well-researched empirical material – should not be marked in the first class range.

Use of original Asian language source material is expected. Examiners should assess the quality, frequency, relevance and substantive understanding of these sources within the context of the overall theme of the thesis.

When using Asian-language source material, students are required to provide both the original text and a translation. Whenever possible, examiners should assess the accuracy of the translations. Significant and frequent mistakes in the translations should lead to a reduction in the overall assessment.

Some theses may primarily involve translation of a text from an Asian language and a conceptual contextualisation of that text. In such cases, the translation may be placed as an appendix. However, examiners should still assess the way in which the translation and its interpretation are connected to wider scholarly debates.

CAP expects honours theses to be written in high-quality, scholarly English. Frequent typographical and/or grammatical errors, as well as casual, non-scholarly forms of expression should lead to a reduced overall mark.

The maximum length of a CAP honours thesis is 20,000 words, this applies to the main text of the thesis, from the introduction to the conclusion. Footnotes, appendices and the abstract will not be included in the word count. The abstract must be a maximum of 1 page. Unless there have been special arrangements between CAP and the student, theses that are substantially longer than the prescribed word limit allows should be given a reduced assessment.

Examiners are expected to produce a mark and a signed report (approximately one to two pages in length) within two weeks of receiving the thesis. Delayed submission of the mark and report can have serious consequences for the student’s ability to graduate on time and be considered for possible awards and scholarships.

Each thesis is examined by two examiners. If the marks awarded by the examiners differ significantly (ie if there is a margin larger than ten per cent), the Honours Committee will appoint a moderator. The Committee will subsequently make a determination based on the advice of the moderator.

For students of the Bachelor of Asia Pacific Security (Honours) degree and students who focus on an area of the Pacific whose language is not offered at ANU, the advice to examiners is similar, except for one difference:

While CAP does not require students of the Bachelor of Asia Pacific Security (Honours) and students who focus on an area of the Pacific whose language is not offered at the ANU to demonstrate their proficiency in an Asia Pacific language, use of original Asia Pacific language sources is nevertheless encouraged. When using such material, students are required to provide both the original text and a translation. Whenever possible, examiners should assess the accuracy of the translations. Significant and frequent mistakes in the translations should lead to a reduction in the overall assessment.

Grade	Percentage Value	Interpretation
Honours I	90% - 100%	Work of exceptional quality demonstrating a high level of originality, and making a fundamental contribution to the field. There is very little the student could have done additionally or alternatively. The thesis suggests outstanding potential for future research work.
Honours I	80% - 89%	Work of exceptional quality showing clear understanding of subject matter and appreciation of issues; well formulated; arguments sustained; relevant literature referenced; marked evidence of creative ability and originality; high level of intellectual work. The thesis suggests excellent potential for future research work.
Honours IIA	70% - 79%	Work of good quality showing strong grasp of subject matter and appreciation of dominant issues though not necessarily of the finer points; arguments clearly developed; relevant literature referenced; evidence of creative ability; solid intellectual work. The thesis suggests good potential for future research work.
Honours IIB	60% - 69%	Work of solid quality showing competent understanding of subject matter and appreciation of main issues though possibly with some lapses and inadequacies; arguments clearly developed and supported by references though possibly with minor red herrings and loose ends; some evidence of creative ability; well prepared and presented. The thesis suggests limited potential for future research work.
Honours III	50% - 59%	Range from a bare pass to a safe pass. Adequate, but lacking breadth and depth. Work generally has gaps. Frequently work of this grade takes a simple factual approach and does not attempt to interpret the findings. At the lower end, indicates a need for considerable effort to achieve improvement. The thesis suggests little potential for future research work.
Fail	<50%	Unsatisfactory. This grade characterises work that shows a lack of understanding of the topic. Inadequate in degree of relevance and/or completeness. The thesis does not suggest any potential for future research work.

Extensions

Coursework

An extension of time for submission of an assessment in coursework courses is granted at the discretion of the course convenor. An extension will be granted only in the event of unforeseen circumstances having prevented timely submission of work. Applications for extensions should be lodged as early as possible, and must be lodged before the due date of the work for which the extension is requested. Only in exceptional circumstances will applications be considered after the due date. Requests for extensions of time to submit coursework should be supported by medical or other documentation validating the grounds for the extension.

Thesis

An extension of the deadline for thesis submission is granted only under exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the Associate Dean (Student Experience). Students seeking an extension for their thesis submission must fill out the Extenuating Circumstances Application eform. This application should be accompanied by supporting statements from both your supervisor and the relevant Honours Convenor. It should also be accompanied by a letter from you, setting out in detail your case for an extension.

Acceptable grounds for an extension of the deadline for thesis submission may include that you have:

been ill while working on it. Minor bouts of illness (eg colds, minor flus) will only be considered grounds for extension if suffered in the final six weeks before the due date.
suffered unforeseen misfortune (eg illness or death of a family member or close friend, or the need to assume significant caring responsibilities) while working on it.
through no fault of your own, experienced abnormal, unpredictable, and unforeseen difficulties in carrying out the work (eg as a result of the destruction of an archive during your candidature).
had a significant unforeseen and unavoidable escalation in your paid work hours.

Non-acceptable grounds for an extension of the deadline for thesis submission may include:

a personal event, such as a wedding or a holiday, during your program of study.
that you are not a native speaker of English.
that you could do a better job if you had extra time in which to complete the work.

Applications for extensions should be lodged as early as possible and must be lodged before the due date of the thesis. Only in exceptional circumstances will applications be considered after the due date.

In all cases, supporting documentation must be lodged along with the application.

If you consider that you have a case for an extension of time in which to submit a thesis on grounds that are not among those listed above, you should consult with the Associate Dean (Student Experience).

Penalties for late submission of work

Standard penalties apply for late submission of work as part of the coursework component of your Honours degree. See the Class Summary for information specific to your course.

Note that this does not apply to the thesis – if you do not submit the thesis on time, without acceptable grounds, it will be marked “zero”.

Fieldwork rules & academic integrity

Fieldwork and ethics approval

Although fieldwork certainly is not expected, much less required, of honours students in the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, some students choose to undertake interviews or other forms of primary and/or in-country, field-based research involving human subjects.

All research involving human subjects (including online surveys and phone interviews) requires the approval of the University’s Human Research Ethics Committee to comply with the national guidelines, as enshrined in the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Research Involving Humans (1999).

When developing your research proposal and application for admission to Honours, be sure to discuss with your proposed supervisor whether research with human subjects is desirable, or necessary for your thesis. You should also discuss with them ethics issues and the time needed to apply for approval and carry out the proposed research in your research plan.

You must factor in the process of gaining approval for your research early in the development of your research project plan and incorporate the lead-time in the timetable for your honours year. An ethics application should have been approved, at the very latest, one month prior to the date on which you plan to start the research. If you wish to conduct in-country field-based research toward your thesis, it is recommended that the research is completed no later than the middle of July of your honours year (for full-time students).

Advice on ethics training and the approval process should be sought from the ANU Ethics Office prior to the development of your ethics protocol.

Intellectual property

The ownership of intellectual property remains entirely with the University. The following paragraph is taken from the University’s official policy on intellectual property:

“Whilst there is no employment relationship between the University and student, if intellectual property is developed by a student using University resources or facilities, or where a student is working as part of a team responsible for generating intellectual property, then the student would be in the same position as University staff members who develop intellectual property in the course of their employment. In the event that intellectual property was originated by a student independently or privately, then the University would not consider assisting the student to protect or develop the property unless the rights were assigned to the University. This general rule also applies to visitors undertaking research at the University.”

The College does not have the discretion to vary this rule.

Student academic integrity

The ANU College of Asia and the Pacific is committed to upholding the principle of academic honesty. Students should develop the ability to think independently and to express themselves clearly and cogently in their own words. Students enrolled in the College are expected to be able to express themselves and to sustain an argument in their own words. They may not submit written work containing improperly acknowledged transcription or excessive quotation of the work of others. The University considers academic dishonesty a most serious academic offence and severe penalties may be imposed on anyone found guilty of it. The University’s policy and other important information and advice can be found on the University’s Academic Integrity page.

All students must familiarise themselves with this material.

The Academic Skills and Learning Centre is also available to help students who need assistance with academic writing.

Administrative procedures

Administratively, honours is a separate undergraduate program, taken after completion of a pass degree. The College’s honours program begins at the start of each first semester. Mid-year entry is currently not available. Most students enter honours directly on completion of their pass degree, or within a year of that event. Generally, the College does not accept applications from students who completed their pass degree more than five years before filing their honours application, except in truly extraordinary circumstances.

The honours year has rigid deadlines to test your organisational skills, ensure equity among candidates and facilitate the organisation of assessment and determination of results for the class. Please be aware that the University and the College have set a number of deadlines for enrolment variations and other processes. Make sure you are aware of the Census Dates for the year.

Deferment of commencement of honours program

If circumstances prevent you from commencing your honours study as you intended, you are able to withdraw from your honours program no later than the semester Census Date, without your enrolment appearing on your academic transcript. Students should then apply for deferment for either one or two semesters, but there can be no more than two years break. To defer, you must submit an ‘Application for Deferment’ form with the written approval of the Convenor to the College Student Office. Students commencing study after a period of leave must advise the College Student Office in writing (email) of their intention to enrol.

Part-time honours

If you are enrolled part-time in honours, you are given more time than a full-time student to complete the honours program (three semesters instead of two). However, part-time enrolment in honours is not an automatic option, but is granted at the discretion of the Associate Dean (Student Experience). This is true whether you are newly entering the honours program, or have already commenced studies and want to convert from full-time to part-time status. If you wish to enrol part-time, you must fill out the ‘Application for Approval to Undertake Honours on a Part-Time Basis’ form and submit it to the College Student Office before the semester Census Date. The form needs to be signed by both your supervisor and Honours Convenor. It should be accompanied by a letter, setting out in detail your case for part-time status.
Acceptable grounds for part-time enrolment may include that you:

are undertaking full-time (minimum 35 hours/week) paid work.
have significant other responsibilities (eg caring for a seriously-ill parent, spouse or child).
have a significant ongoing health problem or disability that prevents full-time work at your studies.

Non-acceptable grounds for part-time enrolment include that you:

are undertaking part-time paid work.
want to take more time over your honours studies.

In all cases, supporting documents (eg medical certificates or a statement from an employer confirming ongoing full-time employment) must be lodged along with your application.

If you believe you have a case for part-time enrolment on grounds that are not among those listed above, you are encouraged to consult with the College Associate Dean (Student Experience) as soon as possible.

Program leave

Once you have commenced your honours program, program leave is permitted only under exceptional circumstances and is granted at the discretion of the Associate Dean (Student Experience). The maximum leave available is one year. If granted program leave, full-time students must complete their honours year within two years of enrolment and part-time students within three years of enrolment.
To apply for program leave you must apply for program leave through Manage My Degree on ISIS before the semester Census Date. The application should be accompanied by a letter, setting out in detail your case for program leave.
Acceptable grounds for program leave may include that you:

have developed a serious health problem that makes it difficult for you to study.
had an occurrence of major unforeseen misfortune (eg death or serious illness of an immediate family member, or the need to assume significant caring responsibilities for a family member) which is making it difficult for you to study.

Non-acceptable grounds for program leave include that you:

want to take a year off in order to broaden your horizons.
have a short-term illness (in this case you are advised to apply for an extension).

In all cases, supporting documentation must be lodged along with the application. If you believe you have a case for program leave on grounds that are not among those listed above, you should consult with the Associate Dean (Student Experience) as soon as possible.