Research in your postgraduate degree

A thesis, research essay, research project, research portfolio or dissertation is the written element of a research study undertaken in fulfilment or partial fulfilment of a postgraduate qualification such as a masters degree, bachelors (honours) degree, or a postgraduate diploma. In some disciplines, research components also include a creative component.

Students undertaking a research component require a supervisor, who provides academic advice and support. Coursework assignments such as coursework essays and reports are not considered research components.

Make sure you are aware of which type of research component you are undertaking, as the requirements are different for different components. See the related links and the Guide to the Presentation and Submission of Research Components in Sub-doctoral Qualifications for more information about undertaking research components. 

The responsibility for the research, writing, and submission of your research component is yours, however your supervisor will help you determine your topic and methodologies and will read your work and comment on drafts.

Students and supervisors will likely have different expectations of supervision, so it is important to discuss these early on and make agreements for how you will work together.

If your research involves human or animal participants in any way, you must obtain approval from the ethics committee. Your supervisor or graduate adviser will be able to help you with this.

The University's policies on plagiarism also apply to postgraduate research. In any submitted work, unacknowledged copying (or plagiarism) is regarded as a form of cheating.

Word length

One of the skills of completing a research component is writing within the word length. This is one of the factors that examiners consider as they mark your work. Examiners are reluctant to examine theses that are too lengthy and are within their rights to refuse to examine those pages that exceed an agreed word limit. Word lengths generally include appendices, footnotes and the reference list.

Department guidelines on the length of research components vary, so it is highly recommended to consult with your supervisor, department Graduate Adviser or Sub-Doctoral Research Coordinator (or equivalent) for individual department requirements. 

The word length for a research component is generally determined by its academic weight in terms of study point value, so as a general guide:

• 30-point research component: 10,000 - 12,000 words
• 60-point research component: 15,000 - 20,000 words
• 90-point research component: 25,000 - 30,000 words*
• 120-point research component: 35,000 - 40,000 words*

* Where creative practice is involved including an examinable performance component or examinable written creative work the 30,000-word limit for the non-creative component of the research portfolio is reduced by 40%. An abstract of 350 words for theses is included in the guides above.

The word lengths noted above include appendices, footnotes and the bibliography/reference list. Appendices, if needed, should not be more than 10 percent of total pages. 

Content, structure and formatting

The content, structure and formatting of your research component is at your discretion. However, the Faculty of Arts and Education generally expects that a research project will use a standard referencing system, such as Chicago or APA, and follow a logical scheme that is consistent throughout the work.

Chapters with subsections are the most common form of division. Any logical system of subdivision within chapters or sections appropriate to the field or discipline may be used, but the scheme must be consistent throughout the thesis.

It is expected that students discuss their methodology and note if ethics approval was granted, where appropriate

Please also refer to the below guide for more information..

Your research component should be submitted on or before the due date.

For research essays, research projects and dissertations, check the due date with your supervisor.

For theses and research portfolios, the due date can be found in the University Calendar – University of Auckland, in the General Programme Regulations -General Regulations-Masters Degrees (Duration of Enrolment -2e).

1. Research essays, research projects and dissertations are submitted through Canvas. [Students in Education and Social Practice will be contacted by the
faculty about submission of research essays, research projects and
dissertations].

2. Theses and research portfolios are submitted by email. One PDF copy is required. If the work is over 20MB you should submit via FileSender

Some degrees or specialisations may have additional requirements; you will be notified if this applies to you.

Submission addresses (thesis/ research portfolio):                                                  
Creative Arts: examinations.creative@auckland.ac.nz
Education and Social Practice: edsw-pgr@auckland.ac.nz                            Humanities, Social Sciences, Te Wānanga o Waipapa: arts-thesis@auckland.ac.nz