Dental Research Project 1

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

Total of 106 hours: 58 contact, 48 non-contact

Successful completion of 1st Year Teaching Blocks 1 and 2 (Semester 1) DDS subjects.

None.

None.

N/A.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject comprises the background research and literature review of a research project. In the 2nd and 3rd years of the DDS, the continuation and completion of this project will take place under the companion subjects 'Dental Research Project 2 and 3'. At the commencement of this subject in Teaching Block 3, students will be divided into groups and a supervisor and research project will be allocated to each group. Each group will be maintained throughout second and third years. The School reserves the right to adjust the membership of a group when necessary. The research project can be undertaken in any of the following disciplines: Restorative Dentistry, Growth and Development, Oral Biology, Oral Medicine, Pathology and Surgery or Population and Oral Health Sciences. In conjunction with the supervising staff member(s), each group will be required to develop the research project's aims and objectives, determine the details on facilities required and consult with the supervisor(s) at regular intervals.

On completion of this subject, the student will:

be competent in:

1. formulating a hypothesis and in planning how the hypothesis may be tested;
2. planning the execution of the research and understanding the process of undertaking the research;
3. written and oral presentation and in responding to questions;

be able to discuss the:

1. principles of research methodology, methods of recording the data, analysing the results;
2. validity of results and setting these in the overall knowledge of the topic;
3. importance of formulating precise objectives for a research project;
4. need for a thorough review of the existing knowledge of the research topic;
5. need for the scientific assessment of the results and the presentation of the findings in a manner acceptable to the scientific community.

1. A literature review of no more than 3000 words based on the research project - to be submitted at the end of Teaching Block 4 (70%);
2. A "take home" examination of a critical review of a research paper which will be distributed at the beginning of the last week of Block 4 - to be submitted at the end of that week (30%).

None.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Students should:

1. be able to access new knowledge from different sources, analyse and interpret it in a critical manner;
2. demonstrate infellectual curiosity and creativity;
3. develop skills in effective communication as a team member whilst respecting individual differences;
4. develop effective organisational skills and time management;
5. be able to articulate knowledge and understanding in oral and written presentations;
6. demonstrate profound respect for truth and intellectual integrity, and for the ethics of scholarship;
7. be able to identify and address their own learning needs.