Confirmation Process
1. Overview
1.1. This process supports the Graduate Research Training Policy (MPF1321) by setting out how to prepare for confirmation.
2. Purpose
2.1. Confirmation is a major candidature milestone. The purpose of confirmation is to:
- a) assess the candidate’s progress to date and their academic preparedness
- b) determine whether the candidate has developed a clearly defined, coherent and feasible research project and to contribute suggestions and feedback for successful completion of the work
- c) publicly acknowledge a major milestone in the project and inform others about the research project
- d) provide an opportunity for the candidate to demonstrate that they have the written and oral presentation skills appropriate to graduate research study
- e) determine that any specific requirements for confirmation have been met.
3. Process
3.1. Confirmation comprises a written report and an oral presentation with a short period of questioning from academic peers (confirmation seminar) followed by a meeting between the candidate and their advisory committee.
3.2. Candidates will be notified by email of their upcoming confirmation 12 weeks in advance of the due date.
3.3. Candidates are responsible for verifying their department’s procedures for scheduling and publicising confirmation meetings and seminars and, if required, to schedule the meeting with their advisory committee.
3.4. At least 10 days prior to the scheduled meeting the candidate must submit:
- a) a completed confirmation form
- b) a written report as outlined in 3.6 below
- c) an originality report for a substantial piece of writing (such as thesis chapter, section of chapter, or written progress report)
- d) any other confirmation and progress requirements specified on enrolment and at subsequent meetings with their advisory committee and supervisors and
- e) for masters degree (research) candidates, evidence of successful completion of required mandatory training.
3.5. The confirmation seminar should be of 20 to 30 minutes’ duration and may be held in a public forum.
Written report
3.6. Faculties may set additional requirements for the written report, but at minimum the report must be:
- a) at least 3000 and up to 10,000 words for a doctoral degree course
- b) at least 2000 and up to 5000 words for a masters degree (research) course.
and include:
- c) a concise statement of the research aims
- d) an explanation of the approach, framework, methods, and practical requirements
- e) a literature review
- f) an argument for the significance and importance of the study that demonstrates that it is of a scale appropriate to the degree
- g) a summary of progress to date including, where relevant, preliminary data, state of development of resources, materials accessed, and activities completed
- h) a research plan that includes a proposed schedule and timeline towards completion within the expected duration of candidature (1.5 years for a masters degree (research) and 3 years for a doctoral degree); and, where appropriate, a publication plan for expected outputs during candidature
- i) a brief bibliography, and
- j) a list of publications, presentations, conference posters, or creative outputs produced during probationary candidature.
Confirmation meeting
3.7. The candidate and the advisory committee must attend the confirmation meeting.
3.8. The head of department may nominate an additional person, such as a graduate research program director or coordinator, to attend confirmation meetings to ensure consistency in the evaluation of candidates’ academic progress.
3.9. At the meeting, the advisory committee must discuss and provide advice on:
- a) the candidate’s progress to date
- b) the feasibility of the resource and data requirements and timelines for the research plan
- c) ongoing management and retention of data
- d) the originality report, and good authorship practice
- e) the structure of the thesis and publication plan; and where relevant, confirm the form, durable record and weighting of any non-traditional research outputs to be included in the thesis
- f) the candidate’s development as a researcher and additional opportunities for career development
- g) whether changes are needed to the supervisory agreement, and
- h) the confirmation outcome.
3.10. Following the meeting, the supervisors and advisory committee chair must complete the confirmation form and lodge it in the student management system.
Confirmation Process version 1.
Authorised by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Graduate and International Research), 1 January 2025.