Discipline Representative

Discipline Representative's Role and Responsibilities

The Discipline Representative is an academic external to the HDR Candidate’s supervisory team who joins the Milestone Review Panel, who is an expert in the field and provides a review of the candidate’s written milestone submission. The Discipline Representative prepares an evaluative report prior to the panel meeting date and helps ensure academic rigour and fairness in progression decisions.

As outlined in the HDR Milestones Policy and Procedure, the Discipline Representative is asked to:

  • Receives and reviews relevant documents once distributed by the Graduate Research School.
  • Complete and submit a Discipline Representative Milestone Report within ten business days. This is due one week prior to the milestone meeting date.
  • If an appropriate Discipline Representative is not available, the HDR Coordinator or Panel Chair may take on the review role.

Role Across Specific Milestones

The Discipline Representative is asked to review the following, relevant to the appropriate milestone:

Table showing Discipline Representative roles across specific milestones

Discipline Representative Written Report Information

In the provided Discipline Representative Report Form (sent by GRS), the Discipline Representative is asked to provide a formal written report of approximately one page and will have approximately ten (10) business days to complete this report and return the report to GRS. Following the milestone meeting, once you have had a chance to witness the oral presentation and ask other relevant questions, your written report will be circulated to the HDR Candidate and Supervisors.

The HDR candidate’s milestone documents should be free from grammatical and typographical errors and should demonstrate:

  • A focused research topic, an appropriate methodological framework, and a sound argument;
  • Writing skills at a level of scholarly depth, sophistication, and originality appropriate to this stage of higher degree research in the discipline.

As per the HDR Milestones Procedure, the Discipline Representative’s report should address the following:

  • quality of the candidate’s written submission
  • the significance of the research problem
  • the candidate’s engagement with the literature
  • the appropriateness of the research methodology
  • ethical clearance, resources, and plans to complete the research.

Further Consideration for the Written Report

You may like to consider the following when writing your report:

  • The HDR candidate’s written work brings something new to our knowledge of the topic (depth and originality of research appropriate to the degree and stage of candidature).
  • The purpose of the research is clearly stated.
  • The problem statement/research question is well developed, and the objectives of the research are clearly stated.
  • The literature review demonstrates knowledge of relevant scholarly research in the field.
  • The research method is clearly articulated and appropriate.
  • The analysis is strong and well presented.
  • The written work is well-organised, and the quality of written expression is of a high standard.
  • The references are complete and comply with the research discipline’s style guidelines.

For more information about the HDR Milestones, please see the following pages and refer to the HDR Milestones Policy and the HDR Milestones Procedure.