curtin phd thesis submission

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How do I find theses in my field?

espace , Curtin’s institutional repository is the best place to search for Masters and PhD theses completed by past Curtin students. Search the repository by your topic keywords, limiting to Thesis under ‘Document Type’.

You can also search local and international theses collections listed on the Theses webpage.

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Research degrees

A Higher Degree by Research is your chance to pursue a specialist area in your field and build knowledge in your profession. You’ll make discoveries and we’ll help turn them into real-world outcomes that are highly valued by academia, industry and society.

Types of research degree

We offer research degrees in most disciplines, for those who hold a master degree or bachelor degree with first or upper-second class honours.

At least two-thirds of these degrees are pure research. Although you may need to complete some coursework units, the major part of the work will be in the form of a thesis written under the guidance of a supervisor.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Uncover new knowledge, either by the discovery of new facts, the formulation of theories or the innovative interpretation of established data.

• Browse PhD programs

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

Become a highly skilled, critical thinking and practical manager who can read, carry out and apply the results of a research initiative.

• Learn more about the Doctor of Business Administration

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Contribute to the growth of the education profession and the discipline itself.

• Learn more about the Doctor of Education

Doctor of Sustainable Development (DrSUSDEV)

Develop a critical understanding of the complex issues that lay at the frontier of sustainable development, from an inter-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary context.

• Learn more about the Doctor of Sustainable Development

Master of Philosophy (MPhil)

Expand your knowledge beyond the undergraduate honours and postgraduate diploma level with a degree that culminates in a research thesis.

• Browse Master of Philosophy programs

Master of Research (MRes)

Obtain a research master qualification by completing one year of study in addition to your honours year.

• Learn more about the Master of Research

Collaborative PhD program

The Collaborative PhD is a prestigious program where research students are co-supervised by academics from Curtin University and one of Curtin’s international partner institutions.

• Learn more about the Collaborative PhD program

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Discovery begins with curtin research.

While we can’t predict the future, we do know that research at Curtin is working towards making tomorrow better.

Find out more by exploring Curtin research

Funding and scholarships

There are a variety of funding and scholarship options available to provide you with financial assistance during your research program. This can include a living stipend, a tuition fee offset or a combination of both.

What you can expect

Training and development.

Our training and development programs for research candidates will boost your academic, professional and transferable skills.

Powerful industry connections

We’re highly engaged with a range of industry, government and academic partners, including BHP, Chevron, NASA and CSIRO.

Highest median salary in WA

Curtin graduates with a research degree earned the highest median salaries among their graduate peers in WA, and the equal second highest in Australia.

2018 Graduate Outcomes Survey

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Master of Research

The Master of Research (MRes) is a research program that enables honours students to expand their honours research project into a master level project. In doing so, you can obtain a research master qualification by completing one year of study in addition to your honours year.

Applications are open to current Curtin students enrolled in the final unit of their honours program. To enrol in the Master of Research, your honours program must be the end-on type, and not an embedded honours program.

Those expecting to receive a final grade of first or upper-second class honours are eligible for entry into the Master of Research. Those who have already been awarded their Honours degree are ineligible to apply.

For more information, contact the Graduate Research School.

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• an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident
• Humanitarian visa holder

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Graduate Research School

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The Graduate Research School (GRS) is responsible for administering key aspects of your research program:

• Application for Admission
• Enrolment and/or change of enrolment
• Application for Candidacy
• Application for Leave of Absence
• Application for Change of Thesis Committee
• Application for Change of Thesis Title
• Annual Progress Reports and International Sponsored Student Reports
• Application for Conference Support Funding
• Funding for consumables and fieldwork
• Nomination of Examiners
• Thesis Examination Report of Chairperson
• Co-ordinates Scholarship Assessments.

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• Current Students
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• Chair’s Message
• Higher Degree by Research
• Thesis Committee, Assessor & Examiner
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Important Information While You Study

• Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Milestones
• Preparing and Submitting Your Thesis
• Research Ethics and Safety
• Information Before Submission of Your Application
• Application
• Flow of Application Process
• Application Form
• Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The Essentials

Time allowed.

Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Programmes are time-based and not semester-based. You are allowed between one (1) and two years equivalent full-time student load (EFTSL) or between two (2) and four (4) years equivalent part-time student load (EPTSL) for a master by research degree (MPhil) and between two (2) and four (4) years equivalent full-time student load (EFTSL) or between four (4) and eight (8) years equivalent part-time student load (EPTSL) for a doctoral degree (PhD).

Remarks. For HDR students sponsored by Curtin University Scholarship such as CMPRS and Faculty’s Tuition Fee Waiver, the funded stipend and/or tuition fee may only valid for less than two years for MPhil or max 3 years for PhD. Therefore,  it is advisable that these students to complete their programmes within 1.5 years for MPhil and 3 years for PhD.

Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Enrolment

You may choose to enroll on a full-time or part-time basis. However, it is a mandatory for international students to enroll on a full-time basis to satisfy the visa regulations.

Where to Get Help?

Supervisors

Your supervisors are there to help guiding you throughout your study at Curtin University Malaysia. They are the first people to go to when you have any question or concern related to your study, policies and processes, facilities and resource issues.

Thesis Chair

If you are having difficulties in your study or overall programme and have not been able to  resolve these issues with your supervisors, you should make an appointment to meet your thesis chair.

Enroling Faculty’s Associate Dean of R&D

Associate Dean of R&D is responsible for monitoring your enrolments and progression.

Enrolling Faculty’s Dean

If your issues cannot be solved at the Associate Dean of R&D and thesis committee level, then you may make an appointment to meet the Dean to resolve them.

Curtin Malaysia Graduate School (CMGS)

The Curtin Malaysia Graduate School (CMGS) oversees high-level policy, administration and leadership matters related to Curtin’s HDR programmes. You may need to contact the CMGS if you are having issues in your course and these issues have not been adequately addressed at the Faculty level.

More Information

For more information about who to contact for what matter.

Note. For any email to HDR Admin Officer/Graduate School Officer, please email to [email protected] .

Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Progression Milestones

During your enrolment, your progress will be formally monitored at three milestones.

• Milestone 1 (M1)
• Milestone 2 (M2)
• Milestone 3 (M3)

Please visit the  Milestones page  for further information.

Progress Reports

Supervisory Meeting Record System (Monthly Progress Report)

HDR students need to submit Monthly Progress Report every month (1st day of the month) for full-time enrolment and every two (2) months (1st day of the second month) for part-time enrolment.

It is a record of meetings between HDR students and their supervisors. For supervisory team, only the principal supervisor is required to submit this report.

HDR Students who fail to submit records of meetings may be assigned the “Conditional” status by the Curtin Malaysia Graduate Studies Committee. For persistent offenders, the Curtin Malaysia Graduate Studies Committee may recommend their scholarship (tuition fee and stipend) be suspended and/or their enrolment be terminated.

HDR students just need to submit their report online via this link .

Annual Progress Report (APR)

In order to meet government reporting requirements, Curtin requires higher degree by research students to complete an Annual Progress Report (APR) each year. The APR is a short online questionnaire which will give you the opportunity to review and confirm your enrolment details as well as report any impediments to progress which you have encountered in the previous year. You will be sent a link for the questionnaire at the opening of the reporting period.

2021 reporting period

In 2021 the Annual Progress Report will be open for typically a 6 week period in the first half of the year

All reports must be submitted via the online portal during this period. Extended access to the reporting website will not be possible.

Who needs to complete a report?

If you were enrolled in a higher degree by research on or before the 31 December 2020 you need to complete an annual report (unless you have submitted your thesis or have withdrawn from the course). This means that if you enroll on or after the 01 January 2021 you will not be required to complete the annual report.

If you are on Leave of Absence during the reporting period you must still complete the annual report.

Supervisors will also complete a report for each student.

What happens if you don’t submit your report?

If you don’t submit your APR by the closing date your enrolment status will be recommended to be changed to Absent Without Leave (AWOL).

Once Annual Progress Reports have been submitted to the system and their summaries are available, the Chair of Graduate Studies Committee arranges a Higher Degree by Research Review Board Meeting, one for each faculty. The meeting is chaired by the Dean of the Faculty and attended by members of all the Thesis Committees concerned at the Curtin University Malaysia. If principal supervisors or co-supervisors are on Perth campus, attendance via teleconferencing or other means can be arranged as necessary.

During the meeting, the Review Board considers and recommends the status of each HDR student. The recommended status can either be “Good Standing”, “Conditional”, “Pending” or “Termination”. After the meeting, the Thesis Committee should discuss decisions and recommendations from the Board with the respective student and plan for follow-up actions.

HDR admin officer also updates the students’ record and notify the students (especially those who are under conditional) on their academic status. The student may also regularly check their academic records in OASIS. Otherwise, they can request to their supervisor to access e-Academic and check their academic status.

All HDR students will have a thesis committee. A thesis committee consists of

• Thesis Chair; and
• Principal supervisor; and
• Co-supervisor(s); and/ or
• Associate Supervisor(s)

Your supervisory team carries the primary responsibility for your supervision, including the coordination of all communication between the supervisors and you. The supervisor will be a member of the academic staff of the school in which you are enrolled. You should be able to seek advice from your supervisor when you have problems in your research program. Many candidates find it best to present both the problem and potential solutions and discuss these, rather than solely relying on the supervisor to provide a solution.

For further information, you may refer to the following documents:

• Supervision of Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Students Policy
• Supervision of Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Students Procedures

Guidelines for Establishing the Higher Degree by Research Supervisory Relationship

Essential Facilities

Your faculty will provide you with access to a computer, printer access and appropriate software to support your research programme. You will also be provided with a desk, secure storage and a telephone. Such resources may be shared, however your faculty will ensure that you have adequate and reasonable access commensurate to your research programme and stage of candidature.

Data Management Plan You will need to create a plan for the management of the data you collect as part of your research, including data collection and storage. For further information see the Library’s Research Data Management webpage . The University provides the Research Data Management Planning Tool to assist you in creating your plan and accessing the University’s data storage facilities.

Data Storage The Western Australian University Sector Disposal Authority (WAUSDA) requires all data you have collected in your research to be retained for a minimum of seven years after the completion of the research or seven years after it is published, whichever is later. This means that you and your Faculty must ensure secure storage of your data for this period.

Ensure you read the Guidelines for Essential Facilities For Higher Degree by Research . For Curtin University Malaysia, there would be some adjustments on the amount of available support and how it can be arranged.

Research Support Fund/ Consumables

The Curtin Malaysia Graduate School (CMGS) provides discretionary funding to support HDR students undertake their research projects. This discretionary funding is administered according to the arrangements set out in the Guidelines for Essential Facilities For Higher Degree by Research and Research Support Fund Reimbursement List.

It is important for students and supervisors to note that any funding made available by the CMGS to support HDR research is discretionary and the allocation, administration arrangements and permitted uses may change from time to time throughout a student’s enrolment. Prior approval from CMGS is mandatory before utilising the funding (including for claim purposes).

Lab, fieldwork and creative production costs

If you are undertaking a study which requires you to purchase essential materials, lab resources or data, or you need to undertake fieldwork, you may make a claim for reimbursement of your expenses from your research support allowance. Please obtain an approval from CMGS before making such purchase and/or fieldwork.

Editorial support

You may use your consumables allowance for editorial support. Please ensure you follow the provisions in the Guideline for Professional Thesis Editing .

Mobility Funding

All PhD students are eligible for mobility support to have travel related to their project, such as visiting and working in other institution’s labs or to attend a reputable conference. A maximum of RM2,500 funding is available during their course of research (University budget allowing). Normally, students are permitted to attend a conference after completion of Milestone 2 and prior to Milestone 3. Such funding support is not generally available for MPhil students. The use of this fund is subject to a final approval from CMGS.

It is important for students and supervisors to note that the funding made available by the CMGS to support HDR conference participation is discretionary and the maximum value and administration arrangements may change from time to time throughout a HDR student’s enrolment.

Prior approval from CMGS is required before utilising this fund (including for claim purposes).

Using the Curtin Logo

You can use the Curtin University logo on documents such as research participant information sheets, consent forms and questionnaires, but you must ask your supervisor to contact the Marketing & Communications Department to request a logo and to provide details about its intended use.

Rules, Handbooks and Guidelines

Rule No. 11 Made Pursuant To Statute No. 12 – Enrolment: Degree of Master by Research Rule No. 10 Made Pursuant To Statute No. 12 – Enrolment: Degree of Doctor by Research

Guidelines and Information

Supervision of Higher Degree By Research (HDR) Students Policy Supervision of Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Students Procedures Guidelines for Conditional Status Guidelines for Thesis Preparation and Submission

Guidelines for the Editing of Research Theses by Professional Editors

Guidelines for Conflict of Interest for Thesis Examination

Request for Extension of Time to Submit/Resubmit Thesis

Thesis declaration

Examination report (sample)

Submission of digital thesis

Information Regarding Authorship and Joint Authorship

Authorship, Peer Review and Publication of Research Outputs Procedures

Making Changes

Changing your thesis title.

Your thesis title is officially recorded on your student record. Your thesis title on your student record must match the title of your submitted thesis.

The research title can be fully or partially amended due to the following reasons:

• Your research topic is slightly modified (based on your discussion with your supervisor) and this also requires title modifications.
• Recommendations by the internal assessors during milestone presentation (either during milestone 1, 2 or 3) as agreed by the thesis committee.

To change the research title, you need to discuss with with your thesis committee, complete  Variation to Candidacy Details form, and get it approved and signed by your supervisor and Head of Enrolling Area/AD, R&D prior to submitting this form to Curtin Malaysia Graduate Studies.

Change in Thesis Committee

The thesis committee involves the thesis chair a principal supervisor, co-supervisor(s) and/ or associate supervisor(s).

Changes in your thesis committee can be due to the following reasons:

• Thesis chair, principal supervisor or co-supervisor(s)  has left the university and is no longer a university staff.
• Thesis chair, main supervisor or co-supervisor(s) or associate supervisor(s) withdraws from the thesis committee.
• Changing in percentages to each supervisor’s contribution.
• Adding or reducing thesis committee member(s) (either thesis chair, principal supervisor, co-supervisor or associate supervisor).

You need to fill in  Variation to Candidacy Details form, get it approved by Head of Enrolling Area/AD, R&D, and submit this form to Curtin Malaysia Graduate School’s office.

Curtin Malaysia Graduate Studies Committee may approve a change to your thesis committee based on the recommendation of your faculty.

If you would like to change your thesis committee you should first discuss this with your supervisor or thesis chair. If this is not possible, then you should discuss the matter with the faculty’s Associate Dean of R&D.

Changing between Full-time and Part-time Enrolment

It is important that you consult with your Thesis Committee and Associate Dean of R&D before requesting a change to your study mode.

A request for a change in enrolment can be made via the HDR Enrolment/Change of Enrolment Form . You need to submit your form to the Curtin Malaysia Graduate School after the form is approved by your supervisor and signed by Associate Dean of R&D.

Please be reminded that International students are only allowed to enroll on a full-time basis.

Confirming or Amending Your Enrolment

A request to confirm or to amend the enrolment can be made via the HDR Enrolment / Change of Enrolment Form . You need to submit your form to the Curtin Malaysia Graduate Studies after the form is approved by your supervisor and signed by Associate Dean of R&D.

Converting to Another Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Programme

To change from one higher degree research course to another, you need to apply for Milestone 1 again in the desired course. You cannot do this until you have achieved Milestone 1 in your current course, have an academic status of Good Standing and you have the support of your Thesis Committee.

Before approaching your supervisors, ensure you have read the  Information Sheet for converting to another HDR course

Master by research degree to a doctoral degree

If you have obtained Milestone 1 and wish to change from a master by research program to a doctoral program, you must submit an application for Milestone 1 to a doctoral program to your Director of Graduate Research/AD, R&D and then CMGS.

Your principle supervisor will be required to certify that your proposed program of study is expected to produce an original contribution to your discipline that is of a standard internationally recognised for a research doctoral degree by providing a letter of support.

The recorded commencement date for the new program shall be that of your original degree.

You will be advised by the CMGS/GRS if you have been successful and your enrolment will be amended accordingly.

Doctoral degree to a master by research degree

If you have obtained Milestone 1 and wish to change from a doctoral program to a master by research program, you must submit an application for Milestone 1 to a master by research program to your Director of Graduate Research/AD, R&D and then CMGS.

You will be advised by the CMGS/GRS if you have been successful, and your enrolment will be amended accordingly.

Extension of Time to Complete

Your time-based enrolment commences from the date of initial enrolment into your thesis unit.

If the submission date of your milestone 1 (candidacy proposal), milestone 2 (Mid Candidacy) or milestone 3 (Pre-submission) extends beyond the limits prescribed (having taken any leave of absence into consideration), you will be placed on Conditional  status.

If you are unable to submit your milestone 1, 2 or 3 within the designated period, you must apply for a formal extension.

The Australian Government’s Research Training Program (RTP) Guidelines allow a minimum period of three years and a maximum of four years equivalent full-time student load at the discretion of the University for a Doctoral student. For a   Research Masters student the period of support is a maximum of two years at a full-time student load.

If the submission date of your thesis extends beyond the limits prescribed (having taken any leave of absence into consideration), you will be classified as  Overtime  and placed on  Conditional  status.

If you are unable to submit your thesis within the designated period, you  must  apply for a formal extension using the  Request for Extension of Time to Submit Thesis form .  Extensions of time are only granted under exceptional circumstances. To be eligible for an extension you must be able to demonstrate:

• reasons why you were unable to complete your research project on time;
• that you have made a concerted effort throughout the duration of your research to keep the project on schedule

Scholarship holders

Be aware of the conditions of your scholarship, which usually only apply for a limited period of time, as this may mean that you will not receive funding for the extension period. Therefore, please complete your study within the valid duration of your scholarship.

Taking Leave

Annual leave.

You are entitled to 20 days annual leave each year, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and nationwide or statewide public holidays. The entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Annual leave applications are to be made formally via the submission of the Application of Leave from HDR Studies form to the Graduate School at [email protected] prior to the start date of your proposed period of leave. Applications will be submitted to the Curtin Malaysia Graduate Studies Committee for review and approval.

Applications for retrospective periods will not be considered. Students are requested to submit their annual leave applications seven (7) working days prior.

If this permission is withheld, you should discuss the problem with your Thesis Chair. Annual leave may not be accumulated from year to year. If you are a scholarship holder, please check the conditions of your scholarship to confirm the amount of annual leave you are entitled to, and notify CMGS at [email protected] before you take any leave.

For scholarship holders, taking leave without the consents from the supervisor and Office of Graduate Studies or taking leave more than 20 days (without consents from the supervisor) may result in suspension of the tuition fee and stipend.

Annual leaves will not extend your time to submit your thesis for examination.

Leave of Absence

A leave of absence may be granted for a period of one to 12 months.

In exceptional cases, with provision of supporting documentation, more than 12 months of leave may be approved by the Curtin Malaysia Graduate Studies.

Applications are to be made formally via the submission of the Application of Leave from HDR Studies form to the Graduate School at [email protected] prior to the start date of your proposed period of leave. Applications will be submitted to the Curtin Malaysia Graduate Studies Committee for review and approval. Applications for retrospective periods will not be considered.

During a period of Leave of Absence, your enrolment will be suspended. You will not normally be allowed to remain on campus to conduct any research or demonstration. For scholarship holders, your scholarship (fee and stipend) will also be suspended. For International Students, approval of Leave of Absence is subject to their student visa requirements.

Important note: Due to student visa terms and conditions, international students may not be permitted take a leave of absence.

The University prefers that you do not take leave before approval of your Milestone 1. If Milestone 1 has not been attained at the time the leave of absence is approved, the due date for submission of the Milestone 1 will be extended accordingly.

If you are a scholarship holder, you are usually only funded for a specific period of time (normally three years for a doctoral program) during which it is expected that your research should be completed and your thesis submitted.

Under these circumstances, should there be a period during which you are unable to actively engage in your research, it is recommended that you discuss your circumstances with your principle supervisor and Thesis Committee and apply for a leave of absence. You are also advised to check the conditions of your scholarship and  you must advise  the Graduate School before taking a leave of absence.

Sick leave applications are to be made formally via the submission of the Application of Leave from HDR Studies form to the Graduate School at [email protected] .

Medical certificates are to be attached with. Applications will be submitted to the Curtin Malaysia Graduate Studies Committee for review and approval. Applications for sick leave are to be made within seven (7) days from the day of returning.

If your medical condition is going to affect the continuation of your studies beyond a month, the student is recommended to apply for a Leave of Absence.

If you are a scholarship holder you’ll also need to contact CMGS ( [email protected] ).

Sick leaves (taken without an approved leave of absence) will not extend your time to submit your thesis for examination.

Withdrawing Permanently From Higher Degree by Research Programme

How to withdraw permanently from higher degree by research (hdr) programme.

If you are not able to continue your course and need to withdraw, you are advised to discuss with your thesis committee first on your intention.

To withdraw, you will need to fill in Enrolment/ Change of Enrolment form and submit the completed and signed form to Curtin Malaysia Graduate School.

Before your application is approved, Curtin Malaysia Graduate School will arrange a discussion session with you.

Cancellation of Enrolment

If your performance in your course is determined to be unsatisfactory, or if you do not comply with the policies, your enrolment may be Cancelled.

The process for the Cancellation of enrolment is detailed in the  Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Student Progression Policy and Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Student Progression Procedures .

The  Conditional Status Information for Students  provides some further information about the processes that may lead to the cancellation of enrolment.

Show-cause notice

If you have received a “show-cause” notice indicating the University’s intention to cancel your enrolment, you can:

• Lodge your appeal with the Chair of Curtin Malaysia Graduate Studies Committee.
• Withdraw from your course to avoid cancellation of your enrolment.

If you choose to appeal and your appeal is unsuccessful, your Faculty chooses to continue with the cancellation of enrolment process.

Notification of outcome

You will be formally notified by the Chair of Curtin Malaysia Graduate Studies Committee about the decision to cancel your enrolment.

International Students

If you are an International student studying on a student visa, a consequence of your enrolment being terminated is that you are potentially in breach of your student visa conditions. This may lead to your visa being cancelled by the Immigration Department. If you have any questions on visa issues, please contact the International Division .

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Meeting copyright obligations when depositing to espace

Researchers need to be aware of the copyright statement associated with their published research before depositing to espace.

Research outputs in their published form will display a copyright statement similar to:

© Publisher/Commissioning Body 2022. All rights reserved. © Publisher/Commissioning Body 2022. Open Access CC BY.

© The Authors 2022. All rights reserved. © The Authors 2022. This is an open access publication under CC BY licence.

If publications do not have a copyright statement, you must assume the content is © Publisher 2022. All rights reserved.

Publisher copyright

Research outputs with the copyright statement ‘© Publisher 2022. All rights reserved’ do not permit the published version to be made openly available in espace without the express written permission of the publisher.

However an author may have self-archiving rights detailed within the publishing agreement. These author self-archiving rights may permit an open access version of the research outputs to be ‘self-archived’ in a suitable repository, possibly subject to an embargo period.

Author copyright

Copyright statements such as ‘© The Authors 2022’ indicate the copyright is retained by the authors.

A published version of the research can be deposited to espace by a Curtin affiliated author.

Open Licences and Creative Commons

Copyright statements such as ‘© The Authors 2022. This is an open access publication under CC BY licence’ specifies the authors retain copyright and permit sharing of the published version under an open licence.

Copyright statements such as ‘© Publisher 2022 Open Access CC BY ’ specifies the publisher retains copyright but permits sharing of the published version under an open licence.

The published version is permitted to be deposited in espace in both these circumstances.

Look for Creative Commons icons on research publications to determine if the published version is suitable to be deposited to espace under an open licence.

Making research publications open access via espace

Researchers can make their research open access by depositing a copy of their publication into espace. This is known as Green Open Access, where the author publishes their research and then deposits, or ‘self-archives’, a version of the research in a freely accessible institutional repository.

Refer to the individual publication types below for more information on meeting copyright obligations, author self-archiving rights and selecting the correct version to deposit to espace.

Journal publishing models

Researchers can make their research open access by depositing a copy of their journal article into espace. The journal version suitable for public access in espace is often dependent on the journal publishing model selected by the author(s). Generally this is a choice between:

Open accessing publishing - published articles made freely available to everyone, subject to specific licence conditions. Payment is generally through author or funder payment of an Article Processing Charge.

Traditional subscription publishing - published articles made available to institutions and individuals through subscription fees or pay per view arrangements.

Open access publishing

Researchers can upload the published version or enter the DOI or URL when completing the espace Deposit Process via Elements.

Generally the published version can only be displayed in espace if the author has retained copyright or published their research under a Creative Commons licence.

Published journal articles will look similar to the following example:

Traditional subscription publishing

Researchers are encouraged to check their publisher agreement for the journal version suitable for self-archiving in an institutional repository.

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Researchers looking to simplify the espace Deposit Process, can deposit the accepted version .

The accepted version, also known as the author’s accepted manuscript, is the final version that has undergone peer review and been accepted for publication but has not yet been copy-edited and formatted for publication. The accepted version may be a Word document or a PDF.

Accepted versions (accepted manuscripts) will look similar to the following example:

Prior to making full text of a published work available, the espace team checks to ensure the deposited version complies with publisher policies such as embargo periods, and copyright provisions.

Note: different provisions apply to reuse of journal articles in Higher Degree Research (HDR) theses. For more information refer to Copyright for HDR students .

Understanding journal article version terms

Image attribution: Dr Melodie Garnier from https://unlockingresearch-blog.lib.cam.ac.uk/?p=1872

Submitted version

• The version of the article before peer review or editing, as submitted by an author to the journal.
• The submitted version is also know as Author’s Original Manuscript (AOM), Pre-print, Author’s first draft.
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• The accepted version is also known as the Author’s Accepted Manuscript (AAM), Post-print, Author’s final draft.
• For journal articles published under the traditional subscription model, it is the accepted version that most publishers permit researcher to deposit to espace.

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• The published version is also known as the Version of Record (VOR) or the Final published version.
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For further information on Journal article version terms refer to the 3-minute Video: Understanding journal article versions

Which journal article version do I deposit to espace?

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For researchers publishing under the traditional subscription model, deposit the author’s accepted version.

How do I obtain the accepted version of a journal article?

Researchers are encouraged to save a copy of the final accepted version of their journal article once it has been accepted for publication. With the shift to article submissions via journal online portals, publishers increasingly expect the corresponding author to retain their own copy of the accepted version suitable for self-archiving in an institutional repository.

It may also be possible to obtain a copy of the accepted version of a publication via the journal’s online submission portal.

Step 1: Identify the journal’s online submission portal

From the journal’s website, locate the “Submit Your Paper” or similar option. This will generally direct you to log into the journal’s online submission portal. Note the type of online submission portal. For example:

Step 2: Identify the corresponding author

The corresponding author is traditionally responsible for overseeing the online publishing process with the journal and has access to the online submission portal.

Step 3: Obtain a copy of the accepted version from the journal’s online submission portal

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If you are not the corresponding author, please contact and request they download a copy of the accepted version, using the appropriate submission portal instructions.

Instructions to obtain the accepted manuscript version are available for the following online submission systems:

Editorial Manager Instructions for the corresponding author to obtain a copy of the accepted manuscript via the Editorial Manager online submission portal.

ScholarOne Manuscripts Instructions for the corresponding author to obtain a copy of the accepted manuscript via the ScholarOne Manuscript online submission portal.

If your journal accepts manuscript submissions via email or uses a bespoke submission portal, please contact your journal’s editor to request a copy of the accepted manuscript suitable for author self-archiving in espace.

Step 4: Upload the accepted manuscript to espace via Elements

For detailed instructions on depositing to espace via Elements refer to Curtin’s Elements Publications Manual, located under Elements Training in the Curtin Staff Portal.

Introduction to Sherpa Romeo

Sherpa Romeo is a searchable database of publisher’s policies regarding the self-archiving of journal articles on the web and in Open Access repositories. Each entry provides a summary of the publisher’s policy, including what version of an article can be deposited, where it can be deposited, and any conditions that are attached to that deposit (e.g. embargo period).

For further information on navigating Sherpa Romeo refer to the 6-minute Video: Introduction to Sherpa Romeo .

Book or book chapters

The right for an author to self-archive a copy of a book or book chapter is determined by the terms of the publishing agreement.

Unfortunately there is no searchable database of publisher policies summarising the self-archiving rights for books or book chapters.

Researchers will need to refer to their publishing agreement for specific author-self archiving rights associated with the accepted version. Alternatively an author may contact their publisher for written permission to deposit the accepted version (author’s final manuscript) to espace.

Published versions of chapters or whole books are seldom permitted to be made openly available in espace unless published Open Access

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Unfortunately there is not yet a comprehensive database of publisher policies summarising the self-archiving rights for conference papers. Sherpa Romeo may provide some information on conference proceedings with valid ISSNs. Researchers will generally need to refer to their publishing agreement for specific author-self archiving rights.

Published versions of conference papers are seldom permitted to be made openly available in espace unless the author retains copyright or the proceedings are made available under an open licence.

Conferences organised by large professional organisations such as IEEE often provide specific guidelines on the version of the conference paper suitable for self-archiving in an open access repository. Alternatively authors can contact the conference organisers directly for written permission to deposit the accepted version of the publication to espace.

Conference outputs suitable for deposit to espace

Conference papers reporting on original research and published in their entirety are suitable for deposit to espace.

Presentation slides and posters are not in scope for deposit to espace.

Reports published via government, institutional or commercial organisations may not have clearly established or articulated guidelines around copyright and re-use of content.

The Report Clearance Checklist for Deposit to espace prompts researchers to consider a range of issues such as confidentially, privacy and copyright to assist in making reports openly available through espace.

The checklist also prompts researchers to consider applying a Creative Commons licence to the report or request the minting of a DOI (digital object identifier) through Curtin Library.

• The Report Clearance Checklist for Deposit to espace [DOCX, 224kB]

The Creative Works Clearance Checklist for Deposit to espace is designed to prompt Curtin Researchers to consider a range of issues such as confidentially, privacy and copyright and assist in making creative works openly available through espace.

• The Creative Works Clearance Checklist for Deposit to espace [DOCX, 214kB]

• Dissertation Advisory Committee
• Introduction

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Dissertation Advisory Committee; Thesis Acceptance Certificate

The Dissertation Advisory Committee formally approves the dissertation by signing the Thesis Acceptance Certificate . In PhD programs that are not lab-based, this committee also guides the student in writing the dissertation. The committee should work cohesively in supporting the student to produce their best work. The signatures of these faculty members on the Thesis Acceptance Certificate indicate formal acceptance of the student’s scholarly contribution to the field.  

In some fields, especially in the sciences, the Dissertation Advisory Committee described below is known locally as the “Dissertation Defense Committee.” In these programs, a separate additional committee (also called the Dissertation Advisory Committee) that includes the student’s primary advisor, will guide the student’s progress until submission for formal review by the DAC/defense committee. The members of the DAC/defense committee give formal approval to the finished work, but the student’s work will be understood to have occurred under the guidance of the primary advisor. The changes to the DAC/defense committee as described below do not in any way affect the essential structure of dissertation advising that already exists in lab-based PhD programs. 

The following policy applies to every Harvard Griffin GSAS Dissertation Advisory Committee formed on or after July 1, 2024. Any Dissertation Advisory Committee approved before July 1, 2024 is subject to the rules outlined below, see “Grandfathering.”  

Effective July 1, 2024:  

•  The graduate thesis for the PhD shall be accepted, and the Thesis Acceptance Certificate signed, by at least three advisors, who will form the Dissertation Advisory Committee (DAC). At least two members of the committee shall be on-ladder faculty members. 
• In FAS-based programs, the Director of Graduate Studies or Department Chair or Area Chair shall sign off on the proposed committee.  
• For programs based outside the FAS, the Program Head shall sign off. 
• A program may petition the Dean of Harvard Griffin GSAS to consider a variation to the above requirement. 
• A Professor in Residence or Professor of the Practice may serve as a non-chairing member of the DAC, as long as the committee composition is consistent with “1.”  
•  Senior Lecturers and other non-ladder faculty may serve on the DAC as the third member when appropriate, as approved by the Director of Graduate Studies, Department Chair, Area Chair, or Program Head, as long as the committee composition is consistent with “1.” 
• Tenured emeriti faculty members (including research professors) may serve on the DAC. They may co-chair the DAC with a current on-ladder faculty member from the student’s department or program but may not serve as the sole chair. 
• Non-Harvard faculty of equivalent appointment rank to on-ladder faculty at Harvard may serve as one of the non-chairing members of the DAC.  
• A committee with co-chairs shall require a third member, consistent with ”1.” 
• Additional members may be appointed to the DAC, as long as the core three-member committee is consistent with ”1.” 
• They may continue to serve as a committee member if they have moved to another institution with an appointment rank equivalent to on-ladder at Harvard.  
• Or, if they are no longer serving on the DAC (by choice of the student, the student’s program, and/or the departing faculty member), the advisor must be replaced in accordance with ”1.” 
• If the departing faculty member will remain as chair on the DAC, a co-chair must be designated in accordance with “1.” The co-chair may, in this instance, be the Director of Graduate Studies in the student’s program if a faculty member with field expertise is not available to serve in this capacity. 

Please note:

• “On ladder” refers to faculty members with tenure or who are tenure-track. The phrase “on ladder” is generally not used at HMS, but all HMS and HCSPH assistant, associate, and full professors are considered to be “on ladder” according to HMS Faculty Affairs, and, for the purposes of this legislation, may serve on the DAC/defense committee. 
• With regard to paragraph 3.b.ii, and in keeping with the spirit of this legislation, ordinarily a scholar appointed as a College Fellow would not be ready to serve as one of the three core members of the committee. 
• With regard to paragraph 3.b.iv, individuals who do not fit this category (e.g., a scholar holding a non-ladder faculty position at another institution) may sit on the committee as a fourth member, in accordance with paragraph 3.d.  
• On the rare occasion that a situation requires special consideration, programs are advised to consult with the Dean of Harvard Griffin GSAS.  

Grandfathering

Grandfathering, and rules applying to all dissertation advisory committees, regardless of status prior to July 1, 2024:  

For dissertation advisory committees approved before July 1, 2024 under the former policy ( Two signatories must be members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS); FAS emeriti (including research professors) and faculty members from other Schools at Harvard who hold appointments on Harvard Griffin GSAS degree committees are authorized to sign DACs as FAS members. Harvard Griffin GSAS strongly recommends that the chair of the dissertation committee be a member of the FAS. If approved by the department, it is possible to have co-chairs of the dissertation committee as long as one is a member of FAS) , the following rules apply:   

Dissertation Advisory Committees approved prior to July 1, 2024 will be grandfathered, except in two situations:  

• An existing DAC chaired by an individual whose faculty appointment does not meet the requirements of the new rules will need to be adjusted. A co-chair should be designated, with the option of appointing the DGS to serve as co-chair, as allowed in paragraph 3.e.iii;  
• An existing DAC with fewer than three members should be updated, and the new member(s) should be consistent with the new policy.   

Thesis Acceptance Certificate

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• Open access
• Published: 08 May 2024

Measurement and analysis of change in research scholars’ knowledge and attitudes toward statistics after PhD coursework

• Mariyamma Philip 1  

BMC Medical Education volume  24 , Article number:  512 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

190 Accesses

Metrics details

Knowledge of statistics is highly important for research scholars, as they are expected to submit a thesis based on original research as part of a PhD program. As statistics play a major role in the analysis and interpretation of scientific data, intensive training at the beginning of a PhD programme is essential. PhD coursework is mandatory in universities and higher education institutes in India. This study aimed to compare the scores of knowledge in statistics and attitudes towards statistics among the research scholars of an institute of medical higher education in South India at different time points of their PhD (i.e., before, soon after and 2–3 years after the coursework) to determine whether intensive training programs such as PhD coursework can change their knowledge or attitudes toward statistics.

One hundred and thirty research scholars who had completed PhD coursework in the last three years were invited by e-mail to be part of the study. Knowledge and attitudes toward statistics before and soon after the coursework were already assessed as part of the coursework module. Knowledge and attitudes towards statistics 2–3 years after the coursework were assessed using Google forms. Participation was voluntary, and informed consent was also sought.

Knowledge and attitude scores improved significantly subsequent to the coursework (i.e., soon after, percentage of change: 77%, 43% respectively). However, there was significant reduction in knowledge and attitude scores 2–3 years after coursework compared to the scores soon after coursework; knowledge and attitude scores have decreased by 10%, 37% respectively.

The study concluded that the coursework program was beneficial for improving research scholars’ knowledge and attitudes toward statistics. A refresher program 2–3 years after the coursework would greatly benefit the research scholars. Statistics educators must be empathetic to understanding scholars’ anxiety and attitudes toward statistics and its influence on learning outcomes.

Peer Review reports

A PhD degree is a research degree, and research scholars submit a thesis based on original research in their chosen field. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees are awarded in a wide range of academic disciplines, and the PhD students are usually referred as research scholars. A comprehensive understanding of statistics allows research scholars to add rigour to their research. This approach helps them evaluate the current practices and draw informed conclusions from studies that were undertaken to generate their own hypotheses and to design, analyse and interpret complex clinical decisions. Therefore, intensive training at the beginning of the PhD journey is essential, as intensive training in research methodology and statistics in the early stages of research helps scholars design and plan their studies efficiently.

The University Grants Commission of India has taken various initiatives to introduce academic reforms to higher education institutions in India and mandated in 2009 that coursework be treated as a prerequisite for PhD preparation and that a minimum of four credits be assigned to one or more courses on research methodology, which could cover areas such as quantitative methods, computer applications, and research ethics. UGC also clearly states that all candidates admitted to PhD programmes shall be required to complete the prescribed coursework during the initial two semesters [ 1 ]. National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) at Bangalore, a tertiary care hospital and medical higher education institute in South India, that trains students in higher education in clinical fields, also introduced coursework in the PhD program for research scholars from various backgrounds, such as basic, behavioral and neurosciences, as per the UGC mandate. Research scholars undertake coursework programs soon after admission, which consist of several modules that include research methodology and statistical software training, among others.

Most scholars approach a course in statistics with the prejudice that statistics is uninteresting, demanding, complex or involve much mathematics and, most importantly, it is not relevant to their career goals. They approach statistics with considerable apprehension and negative attitudes, probably because of their inability to grasp the relevance of the application of the methods in their fields of study. This could be resolved by providing sufficient and relevant examples of the application of statistical techniques from various fields of medical research and by providing hands-on experience to learn how these techniques are applied and interpreted on real data. Hence, research methodology and statistical methods and the application of statistical methods using software have been given much importance and are taught as two modules, named Research Methodology and Statistics and Statistical Software Training, at this institute of medical higher education that trains research scholars in fields as diverse as basic, behavioural and neurosciences. Approximately 50% of the coursework curriculum focused on these two modules. Research scholars were thus given an opportunity to understand the theoretical aspects of the research methodology and statistical methods. They were also given hands-on training on statistical software to analyse the data using these methods and to interpret the findings. The coursework program was designed in this specific manner, as this intensive training would enable the research scholars to design their research studies more effectively and analyse their data in a better manner.

It is important to study attitudes toward statistics because attitudes are known to impact the learning process. Also, most importantly, these scholars are expected to utilize the skills in statistics and research methods to design research projects or guide postgraduate students and research scholars in the near future. Several authors have assessed attitudes toward statistics among various students and examined how attitudes affect academic achievement, how attitudes are correlated with knowledge in statistics and how attitudes change after a training program. There are studies on attitudes toward statistics among graduate [ 2 , 3 , 4 ] and postgraduate [ 5 ] medical students, politics, sociology, ( 6 – 7 ) psychology [ 8 , 9 , 10 ], social work [ 11 ], and management students [ 12 ]. However, there is a dearth of related literature on research scholars, and there are only two studies on the attitudes of research scholars. In their study of doctoral students in education-related fields, Cook & Catanzaro (2022) investigated the factors that contribute to statistics anxiety and attitudes toward statistics and how anxiety, attitudes and plans for future research use are connected among doctoral students [ 13 ]. Another study by Sohrabi et al. (2018) on research scholars assessed the change in knowledge and attitude towards teaching and educational design of basic science PhD students at a Medical University after a two-day workshop on empowerment and familiarity with the teaching and learning principles [ 14 ]. There were no studies that assessed changes in the attitudes or knowledge of research scholars across the PhD training period or after intensive training programmes such as PhD coursework. Even though PhD coursework has been established in institutes of higher education in India for more than a decade, there are no published research on the effectiveness of coursework from Indian universities or institutes of higher education.

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of PhD coursework and whether intensive training programs such as PhD coursework can influence the knowledge and attitudes toward statistics of research scholars. Additionally, it would be interesting to know if the acquired knowledge could be retained longer, especially 2–3 years after the coursework, the crucial time of PhD data analysis. Hence, this study compares the scores of knowledge in statistics and attitude toward statistics of the research scholars at different time points of their PhD training, i.e., before, soon after and 2–3 years after the coursework.

Participants

This is an observational study of single group with repeated assessments. The institute offers a three-month coursework program consisting of seven modules, the first module is ethics; the fifth is research methodology and statistics; and the last is neurosciences. The study was conducted in January 2020. All research scholars of the institute who had completed PhD coursework in the last three years were considered for this study ( n  = 130). Knowledge and attitudes toward statistics before and soon after the coursework module were assessed as part of the coursework program. They were collected on the first and last day of the program respectively. The author who was also the coordinator of the research methodology and statistics module of the coursework have obtained the necessary permission to use the data for this study. The scholars invited to be part of the study by e-mail. Knowledge and attitude towards statistics 2–3 years after the coursework were assessed online using Google forms. They were also administered a semi structured questionnaire to elicit details about the usefulness of coursework. Participation was voluntary, and consent was also sought online. The confidentiality of the data was assured. Data were not collected from research scholars of Biostatistics or from research scholars who had more than a decade of experience or who had been working in the institute as faculty, assuming that their scores could be higher and could bias the findings. This non funded study was reviewed and approved by the Institute Ethics Committee.

Instruments

Knowledge in Statistics was assessed by a questionnaire prepared by the author and was used as part of the coursework evaluation. The survey included 25 questions that assessed the knowledge of statistics on areas such as descriptive statistics, sampling methods, study design, parametric and nonparametric tests and multivariate analyses. Right answers were assigned a score of 1, and wrong answers were assigned a score of 0. Total scores ranged from 0 to 25. Statistics attitudes were assessed by the Survey of Attitudes toward Statistics (SATS) scale. The SATS is a 36-item scale that measures 6 domains of attitudes towards statistics. The possible range of scores for each item is between 1 and 7. The total score was calculated by dividing the summed score by the number of items. Higher scores indicate more positive attitudes. The SAT-36 is a copyrighted scale, and researchers are allowed to use it only with prior permission. ( 15 – 16 ) The author obtained permission for use in the coursework evaluation and this study. A semi structured questionnaire was also used to elicit details about the usefulness of coursework.

Statistical analysis

Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, number and percentages were used to describe the socio-demographic data. General Linear Model Repeated Measures of Analysis of variance was used to compare knowledge and attitude scores across assessments. Categorical data from the semi structured questionnaire are presented as percentages. All the statistical tests were two-tailed, and a p value < 0.05 was set a priori as the threshold for statistical significance. IBM SPSS (28.0) was used to analyse the data.

One hundred and thirty research scholars who had completed coursework (CW) in the last 2–3 years were considered for the study. These scholars were sent Google forms to assess their knowledge and attitudes 2–3 years after coursework. 81 scholars responded (62%), and 4 scholars did not consent to participate in the study. The data of 77 scholars were merged with the data obtained during the coursework program (before and soon after CW). Socio-demographic characteristics of the scholars are presented in Table  1 .

The age of the respondents ranged from 23 to 36 years, with an average of 28.7 years (3.01), and the majority of the respondents were females (65%). Years of experience (i.e., after masters) before joining a PhD programme ranged from 0.5 to 9 years, and half of them had less than three years of experience before joining the PhD programme (median-3). More than half of those who responded were research scholars from the behavioural sciences (55%), while approximately 30% were from the basic sciences (29%).

General Linear Model Repeated Measures of Analysis of variance was used to compare the knowledge and attitude scores of scholars before, soon after and 2–3 after the coursework (will now be referred as “later the CW”), and the results are presented below (Table  2 ; Fig.  1 ).

Comparison of knowledge and attitude scores across the assessments. Later the CW – 2–3 years after the coursework

The scores for knowledge and attitude differed significantly across time. Scores of knowledge and attitude increased soon after the coursework; the percentage of change was 77% and 43% respectively. However, significant reductions in knowledge and attitude scores were observed 2–3 years after the coursework compared to scores soon after the coursework. The reduction was higher for attitude scores; knowledge and attitude scores have decreased by 10% and 37% respectively. The change in scores across assessments is evident from the graph, and clearly the effect size is higher for attitude than knowledge.

The scores of knowledge or attitude before the coursework did not significantly differ with respect to gender or age or were not correlated with years of experience. Hence, they were not considered as covariates in the above analysis.

A semi structured questionnaire with open ended questions was also administered to elicit in-depth information about the usefulness of the coursework programme, in which they were also asked to self- rate their knowledge. The data were mostly categorical or narratives. Research scholars’ self-rated knowledge scores (on a scale of 0–10) also showed similar changes; knowledge improved significantly and was retained even after the training (Fig.  2 ).

Self-rated knowledge scores of research scholars over time. Later the CW – 2–3 years after the coursework

The response to the question “ How has coursework changed your attitude toward statistics?”, is presented in Fig.  3 . The responses were Yes, positively, Yes - Negatively, No change – still apprehensive, No change – still appreciate, No change – still hate statistics. The majority of the scholars (70%) reported a positive change in their attitude toward statistics. Moreover, none of the scholars reported negative changes. Approximately 9% of the scholars reported that they were still apprehensive about statistics or hate statistics after the coursework.

How has coursework changed your attitude toward statistics?

Those scholars who reported that they were apprehensive about statistics or hate statistics noted the complexity of the subject, lack of clarity, improper instructions and fear of mathematics as major reasons for their attitude. Some responses are listed below.

“The statistical concepts were not taught in an understandable manner from the UG level” , “I am weak in mathematical concepts. The equations and formulae in statistics scare me”. “Lack of knowledge about the importance of statistics and fear of mathematical equations”. “The preconceived notion that Statistics is difficult to learn” . “In most of the places, it is not taught properly and conceptual clarity is not focused on, and because of this an avoidance builds up, which might be a reason for the negative attitude”.

Majority of the scholars (92%) felt that coursework has helped them in their PhD, and they were happy to recommend it for other research scholars (97%). The responses of the scholars to the question “ How was coursework helpful in your PhD journey ?”, are listed below.

“Course work gave a fair idea on various things related to research as well as statistics” . “Creating the best design while planning methodology, which is learnt form course work, will increase efficiency in completing the thesis, thereby making it faster”. “Course work give better idea of how to proceed in many areas like literature search, referencing, choosing statistical methods, and learning about research procedures”. “Course work gave a good idea of research methodology, biostatistics and ethics. This would help in writing a better protocol and a better thesis”. “It helps us to plan our research well and to formulate, collect and plan for analysis”. “It makes people to plan their statistical analysis well in advance” .

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the existing coursework programme in an institution of higher medical education, and investigated whether the coursework programme benefits research scholars by improving their knowledge of statistics and attitudes towards statistics. The study concluded that the coursework program was beneficial for improving scholars’ knowledge about statistics and attitudes toward statistics.

Unlike other studies that have assessed attitudes toward statistics, the study participants in this study were research scholars. Research scholars need extensive training in statistics, as they need to apply statistical tests and use statistical reasoning in their research thesis, and in their profession to design research projects or their future student dissertations. Notably, no studies have assessed the attitudes or knowledge of research scholars in statistics either across the PhD training period or after intensive statistics training programs. However, the findings of this study are consistent with the findings of a study that compared the knowledge and attitudes toward teaching and education design of PhD students after a two-day educational course and instructional design workshop [ 14 ].

Statistics educators need not only impart knowledge but they should also motivate the learners to appreciate the role of statistics and to continue to learn the quantitative skills that is needed in their professional lives. Therefore, the role of learners’ attitudes toward statistics requires special attention. Since PhD coursework is possibly a major contributor to creating a statistically literate research community, scholars’ attitudes toward statistics need to be considered important and given special attention. Passionate and engaging statistics educators who have adequate experience in illustrating relatable examples could help scholars feel less anxious and build competence and better attitudes toward statistics. Statistics educators should be aware of scholars’ anxiety, fears and attitudes toward statistics and about its influence on learning outcomes and further interest in the subject.

Strengths and limitations

Analysis of changes in knowledge and attitudes scores across various time points of PhD training is the major strength of the study. Additionally, this study evaluates the effectiveness of intensive statistical courses for research scholars in terms of changes in knowledge and attitudes. This study has its own limitations: the data were collected through online platforms, and the nonresponse rate was about 38%. Ability in mathematics or prior learning experience in statistics, interest in the subject, statistics anxiety or performance in coursework were not assessed; hence, their influence could not be studied. The reliability and validity of the knowledge questionnaire have not been established at the time of this study. However, author who had prepared the questionnaire had ensured questions from different areas of statistics that were covered during the coursework, it has also been used as part of the coursework evaluation. Despite these limitations, this study highlights the changes in attitudes and knowledge following an intensive training program. Future research could investigate the roles of age, sex, mathematical ability, achievement or performance outcomes and statistics anxiety.

The study concluded that a rigorous and intensive training program such as PhD coursework was beneficial for improving knowledge about statistics and attitudes toward statistics. However, the significant reduction in attitude and knowledge scores after 2–3 years of coursework indicates that a refresher program might be helpful for research scholars as they approach the analysis stage of their thesis. Statistics educators must develop innovative methods to teach research scholars from nonstatistical backgrounds. They also must be empathetic to understanding scholars’ anxiety, fears and attitudes toward statistics and to understand its influence on learning outcomes and further interest in the subject.

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the participants of the study and peers and experts who examined the content of the questionnaire for their time and effort.

This research did not receive any grants from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Department of Biostatistics, Dr. M.V. Govindaswamy Centre, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, 560 029, India

Mariyamma Philip

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Mariyamma Philip: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Investigation, Writing- Original draft, Reviewing and Editing.

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Ethics approval and consent to participate.

This study used data already collected data (before and soon after coursework). The data pertaining to knowledge and attitude towards statistics 2–3 years after coursework were collected from research scholars through the online survey platform Google forms. The participants were invited to participate in the survey through e-mail. The study was explained in detail, and participation in the study was completely voluntary. Informed consent was obtained online in the form of a statement of consent. The confidentiality of the data was assured, even though identifiable personal information was not collected. This non-funded study was reviewed and approved by NIMHANS Institute Ethics Committee (No. NIMHANS/21st IEC (BS&NS Div.)

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Not applicable because there is no personal information or images that could lead to the identification of a study participant.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Philip, M. Measurement and analysis of change in research scholars’ knowledge and attitudes toward statistics after PhD coursework. BMC Med Educ 24 , 512 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05487-y

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Received : 27 October 2023

Accepted : 29 April 2024

Published : 08 May 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05487-y

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