The document outlines the probationary assessment process for research students including the requirements, deadlines, and outcomes. It discusses submitting a probation report summarizing the research question, literature review, and research strategy by month 9 (part-time month 18). It also requires a mini-viva by month 10 (part-time month 20) and an oral presentation by month 10 (part-time month 20) to confirm the student and project are on track. By month 3 (part-time month 6), an initial skills audit is due along with a development plan and progress file updates by month 9 (part-time month 18). The outcomes of the probationary assessment are to pass, pass with conditions, or de-register.

1. Faculty of Science
Probationary Assessment
Robert Saunders
Department of Life Health & Chemical Sciences
Chair, Research Degrees Committee

2. Probation assessment
Report
The Research Question
Review existing knowledge
The Research Strategy
Work Plan
The mini-Viva
An oral presentation
STM895 and your skills development

3. Why do we conduct a
probation assessment?
Monitoring progress
Monitoring the project
Is the student-supervisor team working?
Identify issues relating to all the above

4. Time Table
Deadline
Evidence Full Time
(assuming Oct Part Time
start)
End month 9
Probation Report End month 18
(June)
End month 10
Mini-Viva End month 20
(July)
End month 10
Oral presentation End month 20
(July)
End month 3
Initial Skills Audit End month 6
(December)
STM895 Summary Development plan; End month 9
End month 18
progress file (June)

5. The Probation Report
What's the purpose?
How big?
What does it consist of?

6. The Research Question
What?
Why?
What contribution will it make?
What are the likely outcomes?

7. Review the Existing Knowledge
This takes the form of a literature review
Sets your research work in context
Accurate
Comprehensive
Demonstrate your understanding

8. Your Research Strategy
Why are you taking the strategy?
What other approaches are possible?
Show you understand how the strategy fits
What happens if...?

9. Work Plan
What's the likely “road map”?
Where are the “branch points”?
Where will you take stock and review the project?
Are there strategic staging points?

10. The Mini-Viva
Rigorous...
...but not overly formal or daunting
Intended to confirm that you and your project are on the
right track.
It's good practice!
May be departmental variations on the structure (panel of
two academics, may or may not include a supervisor)

11. Oral Presentation
The requirement is merely that to deliver an oral
presentation
There is no assessment
Where might you deliver an oral presentation?

12. STM895 & skills development
You should summarise the following:
Skill development exemptions
Prior skills
Identified skills development
Include:
Summary of your development plan
Summary of your progress file

13. What are the outcomes?
There are three outcomes of probation
assessment
Pass
Pass, subject to conditions
De-register

14. Preparing for the Probationary
Assessment
Don't leave it till the last possible minute
Keep up with the literature – at all times
Discuss your progress with your supervisory team, your
fellow students, your PG tutor