The Honours Year—A Reflection on the Experience from Four Former Students

Abstract

An honours year is an introduction to new relationships with supervisors, fellow students, research participants and, importantly, yourself. This paper is based upon the experiences of four former Australian honours students who felt there was a distinct lack of guidance for firsttime researchers in the available academic literature. In this paper, we explore the research experiences, processes and relationships that characterize the honours year including, working with theoretical frameworks and the student -supervisor relationship, providing examples from our own experience. We conclude by considering the ethical implications of the research and the power and ethical obligations of the researcher.

stepping stone for postgraduate research? Assessing the place of the honours degree in the Health Science curriculum

“…The learning required in research means stepping up to a higher level of intellectual engagement and standard of work compared to undergraduate study (Kiley et al, 2011). This transition often demands critically engaging with academic literature, obtaining ethics approval, collecting primary data, handling the student-supervisor relationship, and time and financial constraint (Kite, Russo, Couch, & Bell, 2012). Almost inevitably, this work will require skills of selfmanagement.…”

“…Their assessment was confirmed by more than three-quarters of graduates' surveyed going onto further study, most of which was fully research-based (Masters or PhD). We are currently emphasising practical time management and realistic goal setting, developing an analytical outlook and flexibility and responsiveness to change (Kite et al, 2012) in the programme. We have designed rubrics for examination, and now specifically make reference to metacognitive aspects of learning.…”

“…The supervisor-student relationship is likely the most crucial factor for a student during the honours year (Kite et al, 2012), yet while the supervisor may act in assisting student welfare, they may also exacerbate any ill feelings a student has (Spear, 2000). However, this was rarely the case in this study, as many students relished the opportunity to work with a member of staff, a feeling that returned by academics.…”