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Monash University
Graduate Research Program in
Literary and Cultural Studies
The Confirmation
Milestone Events in PhD and Research
Masters Candidature
• Rationale:
– Regular, formal monitoring and review helps ensure timely
completion of a candidate’s thesis and the acquisition of
the appropriate research skills and experience.
• Objectives:
– Confirm soundness of research direction and methods are
appropriate and quality of writing;
– Give students experienced academics’ feedback on their
progress;
– Give students advice on possible improvements;
– Give students an opportunity to practice good
presentation skills; and
– Identify difficulties and suggest solutions.
Milestones
• Method:
– Review by a panel of scholars, some very
familiar with the candidate’s work, others
not, of a written report and an oral
presentation by the candidate on her/his
work thus far.
• See:
– PhD handbook
• http://www.monash.edu.au/migr/researchdegrees/handbook/chapter-three/3-9.html
– Masters handbook
• http://monash.edu.au/migr/researchdegrees/handbook/masters/chapterthree/3-8.html
Confirmation: Time
• Full-time:
– PhD candidates: 12 months after the start of candidature.
– Two-year Research Masters candidates: 9-12 months after
the start of candidature.
• Part-time:
– PhD candidates: 24 months after the start of candidature.
– Two-year Research Masters candidates: 18-24 months
after the start of candidature.
• Up to confirmation, the candidature is regarded as
provisional.
Confirmation
• Students need to demonstrate:
– diligent and effective application;
– initiative;
– satisfactory progress in the research project;
– satisfactory progress in the practicum or
performance components of the program, if
applicable;
– satisfactory completion of all research coursework
and/or research skills training components.
Confirmation procedure: form
• 8 weeks prior to due date for confirmation MIGR forwards a
confirmation form, identical for PhD and Masters, also
downloadable from
– http://intranet.monash.edu.au/migr/candidates/manage/index.html
• Candidates complete Section 1:
– Enter Personal details;
– Tick confirmation of successful completion of research coursework
units:
• Literary and Cultural Studies:
– APR6724 Literary and Cultural Theory
• Translation Studies/Translation and Interpreting Studies:
– APR6724
– OR APR5876 Theoretical Issues in Literary and Cultural Translation
– OR APR5021 Research design in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics
• Creative writing:
– APG5272 Writers and the Creative Process
– Attach (preferably electronically) copy of Individual Research Skills
Training plan: worked out at the beginning of candidature with the
main supervisor. Available at
http://www.monash.edu.au/migr/research-degrees/program-plans/
– Sign declaration.
Confirmation Procedure: Submission
to Confirmation Panel
• Requirements for the candidate’s meeting with the
Confirmation Panel
– Oral presentation (20 minutes)
– Progress report (sent by you to the Confirmation Panel and to
[email protected] at least one week, preferably two
weeks, in advance of the panel date)
• Literary and Cultural Studies
– PhD: 7000-10,000 words
– Masters: 5000-6000 words
• Creative writing
– PhD: c. 10,000 words
– Masters: 5000-6000 words
• Translation Studies
– PhD: c. 10,000 words
– Masters: 5000-6000 words
Literary and Cultural Studies: Suggested Report
Structure (PhD and Research Masters)
• Title of research report/thesis.
• Statement of the research problem(s):
–
–
–
–
Introduction;
research question or hypothesis;
subsidiary questions;
review of relevant research and theory.
• Statement about procedure:
– theoretical and conceptual framework;
– analytical techniques and research design.
• Timetable for completing the thesis and a detailed statement of
progress to date.
• Brief bibliography.
• List of publications produced during probationary candidature (if
applicable).
Creative Writing: Suggested Report Structure (PhD)
• Length: c. 10,000 words, divided 50/50 (flexible; may be
60/40) into:
– Creative (a segment of the creative component and/or work in
progress that focuses on the overall creative project).
– Exegetical (“This section should engage with the creative and
theoretical context of the overall project and the relationship
between the creative component and the exegesis”).
• Title of research report/thesis.
• Statement of the research problem(s):
–
–
–
–
Introduction;
research question or hypothesis;
subsidiary questions;
review of relevant research, theory and practice.
Creative Writing: Suggested Report Structure (PhD)
Contd.
• Statement about the method of Inquiry:
–
–
–
–
–
framework of creative component;
theoretical and conceptual framework;
analytical techniques;
creative and research approach/design;
the relationship between the practical and critical components within
the overall project.
• Research plan and timetable for completing each component of the
thesis and a detailed statement of progress to date.
• Brief bibliography.
• List of publications produced during probationary candidature (if
applicable).
Creative Writing: Suggested Report
Structure (Research Masters)
• Length: 5000-6000 words;
• Handbook: “A detailed written document of
5000–6000 words focusing on two parts: the
creative component and the exegetical”
• But – common sense suggests following the
structure of the Creative Writing PhD.
Translation Studies/Translation and Interpreting
Studies: Suggested Report Structure (PhD)
• Length: c. 10,000 words, divided into:
– a segment of the translation component and/or work in progress that
focuses on the overall translation project (4000-6,000 words);
– material that focuses on the exegesis (this section should engage with
the translation and theoretical context of the overall project and the
relationship between the translation component and the exegesis)
(4000-6,000 words
• Title of research report/thesis.
• Statement of the research problem(s):
–
–
–
–
–
Introduction;
Outline of translation component;
research question or hypothesis of the exegesis;
subsidiary questions;
review of relevant exegetical research, theory and practice.
Translation Studies/Translation and Interpreting
Studies: Suggested Report Structure (PhD) contd.
• Statement about the method of Inquiry:
–
–
–
–
–
framework of the translation component;
theoretical and conceptual framework;
Translation strategy and approaches;
creative and research approach/design;
the relationship between the critical components and the
overall project.
• Research plan and timetable for completing each
component of the thesis and a detailed statement of
progress to date.
• Brief bibliography.
• List of publications produced during probationary
candidature (if applicable).
Translation and Interpreting Studies: Suggested Report
Structure (Research Masters)
• Length: 5000-6000 words.
• No specific instructions in the handbook, but
common sense suggests following the
structure of the corresponding PhD.
Setting up the Confirmation Panel
• The panel comprises:
–
–
–
–
The LCS Co-ordinator (chairing) or nominee;
The main supervisor;
Associate supervisor(s);
The external specialist (normally invited by the main supervisor).
• Times available for the Confirmation Panel may be found through My
Monash under the News tab through the AGRS booking system tab:
– https://my.monash.edu.au/news-and-events/bookings/artsgradresearch/
• You and your supervisor need to find one of these times that suit your and
the other panel members.
• You (the student) then enter the system and make the booking. (Write to
everyone involved, including the LCS administrator Sally Riley, to say that
you have done so.) Members of the public may attend.
• You circulate all the panel members with your confirmation report and
confirmation form with Section 1 filled in about 2 weeks before the due
date.
The Session of the Confirmation Panel
•
•
•
•
•
•
You speak for 20 minutes, presenting a summary of your report.
The independent specialist responds, giving commentary and asking questions.
Other members of the panel may ask questions or enter into discussion with you.
Other people present have the opportunity to ask questions.
The chairperson asks all but the panel members to depart. The panel confers
about its recommendation and the advice it wishes to give you.
The panel may recommend:
– confirmation of candidature;
– confirmation of candidature subject to minor amendments to the research proposal and/or
satisfactory completion of any coursework and/or training requirements;
– extension of the probationary period and review of the confirmation of candidature within 12
weeks; or
– Non-confirmation of candidature (this comes after the candidate has been given the
opportunity to revise the confirmation document).
•
The Panel chair invites you back into the room, tells you what the Panel’s
recommendation will be and summarises the advice that the Panel wants to give
you.
Finalisation of the Confirmation
process
• If the Panel believes your candidature should be confirmed:
– The main supervisor and the panel chair fill their parts of the report
and sign it.
– The panel chair sends the report to you. If you accept its content, you
sign it (electronically if possible) and return it.
– The report is sent to the Faculty for approval, then to MIGR.
– MIGR notifies you that your candidature has been confirmed.
• If the Panel recommends extension of the probationary period:
– The panel will give the candidate instructions to modify the
confirmation report and set a timeline for the implementation of the
changes that it recommends.
• If, after the extended probationary period, the Panel still does not
believe that the requirements for confirmation of candidature have
been met:
– It recommends non-confirmation.