Documenting the Impact of COVID-19 in Research Theses
Documenting the Impact of COVID-19 in Research Theses
Adjustments to research projects are common in the normal course of research, but for many students, the pandemic has created significant additional challenges related both to their research and their personal circumstances. The extent and duration of the disruption mean that time, resources, or other variables have been constrained and that projects and outputs may have changed significantly in order to adapt to these circumstances. Research students should continue to reflect on the impact of the pandemic and related disruptions on the design and conduct of their research through normal supervision meetings and supportive mechanisms such as the annual progress review (APR) process. Any redesign or adaptation of the project would naturally form part of the narrative of the work and should be included in the research design, methodology, or other appropriate section of the thesis.It is important to recognise that a research degree is awarded based on the quality of the work presented in the thesis and how it meets the criteria for an award at masters or doctoral level. The outputs of the research presented for examination must meet the same standards as any thesis, even if the research is different from that which was originally intended. It is the obligation of the University to ensure that this is the case and to safeguard the quality of all its awards. Examiners will assess the totality of the work as presented and make an assessment according to their academic judgment
and experience. For the avoidance of doubt, a project that has been adapted will be regarded as being of equal standard to one that has followed the original plan, provided the quality criteria are met.