Students taking the original research option may undertake a Major Research Project under the supervision of a full-time FIMS faculty member. The Major Research Project is intended for those students who want to do a substantial research project.
Successful completion of the Major Research Project achieves four course credits: two in one term (MLIS 9413 and 9414) and two in the following term (MLIS 9415 and 9416). Students taking the Major Research Project option, therefore, have a reduced regular course load after their first term to enable them to complete the research project. For suggestions as to how the Major Research Project may be completed, see the section on Sequencing at the end of this document.
General Requirements:
- All students who have completed five courses and have received an 83% average are eligible.
- LIS 9004 (Research Methods) must be completed with a grade of at least 80%.
- Only regular FIMS faculty members can supervise Major Research projects, and normally no faculty member will supervise more than two student projects in any one term.
- Part-time faculty may volunteer (outside of their collective agreement responsibilities as instructors) to be a co-supervisor on a Major Research project if appropriate, but the full-time faculty member is the one with primary responsibility for ensuring the study is valid, academically rigorous, and conducted according to sound methodological principles. No actions should be taken with respect to the study without the involvement and consent of the full-time faculty member;
- A Major Research Project is NOT a means by which a student can take a regular course that is not being offered during a particular term.
- While the content of the project may incorporate topics dealt with in other courses, it must differ significantly from any course currently listed in the calendar.
- The resource implications of the Major Research Project (required software, hardware etc.) must be addressed in compliance with existing FIMS resource collection policies.
- At the end of the first and second terms of the Major Research Project, the faculty supervisor must judge whether the student’s progress is satisfactory or unsatisfactory and assign grades accordingly.
- Existing policies for incomplete work apply.
Ethics Requirements:
- If a research project or other work by a student involves contact with an institution or individual outside the School, such contact must be discussed beforehand with the faculty supervisor.
- Any research instrument, such as a questionnaire, letter, or interview schedule must be approved by the faculty supervisor before it is submitted for ethics approval.
- Any research at FIMS involving human subjects must be approved by the FIMS Research Committee, which will examine the proposal with respect to the protection given the individuals involved, the methods used to secure their informed consent, and the degree of risk to them. To request this approval, an ethics review form (available on the student section of the FIMS Intranet under the topic Research and Ethics) must be submitted to Sharon Campbell (NCB 239) for distribution to the FIMS Research Committee. This ethics approval must be obtained prior to the distribution of any research instrument or contact with any research participants and may take two or more weeks. /li>
Procedures:
Students who wish to complete a Major Research Project must:
- fiind a full-time FIMS faculty member who is interested in and agreeable to supervising such research. Such contact must be made by the middle of the term prior to the one in which the research will commence;
- prepare a research proposal to be approved by the supervisor (a form is available for current students on the FIMS Intranet – username and password required);
- include in the proposal a number of meetings with the faculty member at pre-arranged times during the term to determine whether the work for the research is on track;
- obtain approval of the proposal from the supervising faculty member;
- 10 working days before the end of classes
- if the proposal is approved, the student will begin the project the following term;
- students should complete the course registration process (i.e., excluding LIS 9413-9416 from their selections) to ensure availability of course options in the event that the grade requirements (see item 1) are not met.
- once grade eligibility has been met, and during the Add/Drop period, students will Add courses 9413-9416 in the appropriate term and Drop previously selected courses (see item 5) to maintain a suitable course load.
Sequencing:
The Major Research Project option may be enacted in two ways, which differ not only in the length of time spent completing degree requirements, but also in the preparation for the project.
- Three term (one year) degree completion:
Students who wish to complete the MLIS with the Major Research Project option within a twelve month timeframe must be very organized right from their first term. Accordingly, a student in his/her first term must find a full-time FIMS faculty member who is willing to supervise the proposed project and who will work with the student to ensure that the project is achievable within the time allowed. The student then must complete the Major Research Project proposal (form on the FIMS Intranet; current students only) in consultation with the faculty supervisor (see further details in Procedures). Once the supervisor approves the proposal, the student then must start immediately in his/her second term to work on the project.
The sequencing of courses in this scenario normally would be (although other configurations also are possible):
- Term One – five core courses
- Term Two – sixth core courses, two elective courses plus Major Research Project (two course weight)
- Term Three – three elective courses plus Major Research Project (two course weight)
- Four term (or longer) degree completion:
Students who develop an interest in LIS research relatively late in their first term and want to undertake the Major Research Project option may opt to lengthen the time spent achieving the MLIS degree.
In such cases, in second term, the student may wish to undertake an Individual Study (MLIS 9410, one course weight), using this opportunity to do the background reading, literature review and proposal development for the Major Research Project. In the term preceding the desired start of the Individual Study, the student must find a full-time FIMS faculty member who is willing to supervise the proposed project and who will work with the student to ensure that the project is achievable within the time allowed. The student then must develop a proposal (form on the FIMS Intranet; current students only) in consultation with the faculty supervisor (see further details in Procedures).
Once the supervisor approves the proposal, the student is ready to begin working on the Major Research Project in terms three and four. This approach gives the student time to work on proposal development as a course credit in second term, and also enables the student to take only one regular course in each of third and fourth terms. This may be very beneficial as more time then can be devoted to completion of the Major Research Project.
Sequencing of courses might look like the following (although other configurations also are possible):
- Term One – five core courses
- Term Two – sixth core course, two elective courses plus Individual Study (one course weight)
- Term Three – one elective course plus Major Research Project (two course weight)
- Term Four – one elective course plus Major Research Project (two course weight)
Archiving of LIS 9413-9416 Reports:
A copy of the final 9413-9416 projects must be kept as a permanent record with the FIMS Graduate Resource Centre or on the FIMS Intranet, as appropriate; therefore, after grading, a clean copy of the revised final project must be submitted to the supervisor who will then forward it to the GRC within one month of grading.
Updated 05/06/2010