Research Support Programme - First Year Seminars

Broadly stated, the aim in this first year is to help graduate research students develop some key skills that are necessary to complete a research higher degree, to assist students with developing a good approach to and timetable for research, and to provide students with a chance to get to know other graduate research students and members of the faculty.

Essential to the success of these seminars will be a student's ability to maintain a flexible approach to their research.  An important role of these seminars is to encourage students to think in a more informed and creative way about their work.  While many students will already have good research skills, most students find that they still need to develop the full range of skills required to complete a research thesis.  The aim is to make the seminars a welcoming and supportive environment where students develop confidence, skills and a support network.

Participation in the Research Support Programme is compulsory.

Aims and objectives

These seminars aim to:

1. Assist and encourage students to develop a feasible research plan;
2. Assist and encourage students to prepare and present a 'work-in-progress' seminar to a faculty symposium;
3. Help students to develop a range of practical skills that will assist them with completing their thesis; and
4. Provide a setting where law post-graduate research students and a variety of members of faculty can discuss issues that arise in the course of thesis-writing, exchange ideas, and assist each other to write a better thesis.

 These seminars have a number of objectives.  In particular, by the end of the year students should have:

1. Developed a feasible research plan, addressing their research aims, methods, assumptions, and possible findings;
2. Have presented a 'work-in-progress' seminar to the class and to the faculty;
3. Thought carefully, broadly, and creatively about the best way to investigate and answer your research questions (methodology); and
4. Developed a firm peer support network for the remainder of your thesis-writing days.

Note:  For graduate research students, will be expected to present a work in progress seminar at a faculty symposium at the end of their first year of research and a completion seminar at the end of their final year of research.  Training in oral presentations will take place each year to assist students with their presentation skills.

The classes for Semester 1 2009 will commence on Wednesday 4 March and will take place between 10:30am - 12:00pm during term time.  Classes take place in room 831 unless otherwise noted on the timetable.