ERMT4008-9
Honours Project
I / II
Briefing Session
30 June 2023
1
Documents on the Moodle system
• This briefing ppt
• The Honours Project Handbook
• Proposal Form of Honours Project
• Ethical approval application forms
• Student Project Ethics Review Form
• Standard Template for Honours Project
2
On the Moodle course page ACADEMIC
Advising (Section 2) [BER2022 2] The content will
migrate to another
course page
ERMT4008 Honours
Project I when it is
ready.
Briefing
• What is an Honours Project ?
• What you need to do in order to pass ?
• Important dates
• Subject expertise of teachers
3
Honours Project
• The Honours Project constitutes a very significant part (6
units) of your study.
• 8-9 month long independent research activity
• spend about 6-9 hours each week
• a typical thesis between 8,000 and 15,000 words
Note
• The Honours Project is a research project, and therefore
needs to have a component of original research
• You must undertake original data analysis, which may
consist in fieldwork, original GIS analysis, or original
analysis of a dataset
• Simply a literature review is normally not acceptable.
4
You will need to retake the
course if you get a fail grade (F)
in HP.
Resources to help you
• Consult your HP Handbook
• Get familiar with research methods and subject
knowledge using library resources and online
literature / databases
• Meet your Chief Adviser periodically (you are
highly recommended to meet your supervisor
every week, e.g. 25 – 40 min)
5
Your Adviser will ..
• narrow your proposed topics to a manageable size
• develop and clarify you views if necessary
• advise you on the use of various resources
• ensure that you are provided with sufficient
resources to complete their projects, and
• ensure that you are working through their projects
at an appropriate pace.
Note
• Remember that the project is your own
responsibility. Do not expect your Chief Adviser
to provide you with ideas, topics or sources or
to copy-edit your text. (Para. 7.4, HP Handbook)
6
Assessment
• Progress report (30%)
Chief Adviser will give progress score based on
your performance in –
(1) proposal
(2) progress report / written assessment
(3) other meetings.
• Final product (70%)
Chief Adviser (35%) + Second Examiner (35%)
(Equal weighting)
7
Assessment criteria
(Para. 2.5 of HP Handbook)
i) clarity of problem definition and statement of project
objectives;
ii) review of literature relevant to the research topic;
iii) clear operational definition of methods and data required
to meet the objectives of the research;
iv) relevance of the data collected and analyses performed to
meet the research objectives;
v) the maturity, thoroughness, logic and clarity with which
the results are presented and discussed;
vi) the soundness of the conclusions;
vii) the quality and relevance of any illustrative material
such as maps and photos presented in support of the
presentation of results and discussion;
viii) the overall presentation of the final project product; and
ix) the project process
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Please also go
through the grading
rubrics for more
details.
IMPORTANT
1. DO NOT PLAGIARIZE
(“Precautionary Points” Section B Page 1 of HP
Handbook )
2. Follow the format in HP Handbook
3. OBSERVE ALL DEADLINES!
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IMPORTANT
Message from Vice-president (Teaching and Learning) on 22 Feb 2023
• HKBU expects students to uphold academic integrity at all times.
If a student takes words or ideas from other sources, including
ChatGPT and other AI technologies, and present them as if they
were the student’s own without proper citation of the source(s), the
student has committed plagiarism. The consequences of plagiarism
and other forms of academic dishonesty include reduced or failure
grades, suspension of study, academic dismissal and other
disciplinary actions. For further information about academic
integrity, please visit https://ar.hkbu.edu.hk/quality-
assurance/university-policy-and-guidelines/guidelines-for-students-
on-academic-integrity
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Do not plagiarise
(Para. 7.6 of HP Handbook)
A student who is found to have committed an act of
academic dishonesty such as :
• plagiarism,
• submission of material(s) for assessment which is
not the student's own work,
• the use of fabricated or copied data for
assessment,
shall receive an "F" grade for the course.
In addition, the case may be submitted to the
Student Affairs Committee for further action.”
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Do not plagiarise
(Para. 7.7 of HP Handbook)
• 7.7 If an Honours Project is found to have a high
similarity rate or contain any suspected
plagiarized content, the Review Mechanism in the
Programme will be activated, and a Review Panel
will be formed to investigate the case in question
with the student concerned. If plagiarism is
confirmed by the Review Panel, a grade penalty
will be assigned to the student for the course
following the “Guidelines on Handling Plagiarism
or Academic Dishonesty” of CIE. The Programme
will report the case to the corresponding PMC for
discussion accordingly, followed by reporting to
CIE PB. The CESB will also be informed of the
case.
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Follow the format in HP Handbook
The order of the materials included should be as follows (See samples
attached):
1) Standard Cover
2) Standard Title Page
3) Standard Page of Acceptance
4) Acknowledgement Page
5) Abstract (also stating the total number of words of Honours Project).
6) Table of Content/List of Tables/List of Figures (if required, see Major
Section)
7) Text
8) Notes (if used)
9) Appendix (if needed)
10)Bibliography
For other technical information refer to the handbook.
13
Observe the deadlines
HP Briefing30 June 2023
30 June – 15 Aug
2023
Students to approach teachers to propose HP Topics
Teacher put Student
name on online list
Approved by
proposed Chief
Adviser
Reconsider HP Topic
Rejected by
the teacher
Consider
looking for
other teachers
Chief Adviser assigned
to student
15 – 31 Aug 2023 Teachers confirm
list of HP Students
01 Sept 2023
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Topic Consultation (30 June – 15 Aug)
1. Think of a topic you would like to work on in your
HP
2. Read and consider which staff member has the
most similar research interests with your
proposed subject
3. Approach the staff member. State clearly your
intended topic, and outline your proposed
research methods, expected outcomes etc. to him /
her
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Consideration by teachers
(30 June – 15 Aug)
4. The staff member, if interested, will work with
you to develop your topic further (likely through
Q&A, discussions in email etc.)
5. If the staff member is already fully occupied
(around 8-14 students each ), or if the staff
member does not think the topic is suitable for
him / her to supervise, you will be told to consider
approaching other staff members
16
Confirmation of Chief Advisor selection
6. All staff members will confirm with the
Programme on the list of students and topics they
would like to take on or before 01 September
2023.
Visit this link and make sure your adviser
has put your name in:
https://scemoodle.hkbu.edu.hk/course/view.php
?id=64112
17
Submission Timeline
Application for Ethical Approval 15 November 2023
Para. 3, HP Handbook
Submission of Honours
Project to Programme
12 April 2024
(Friday)
Remember to get HASC
Approval ASAP!
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Penalty for late submission
Student who fail to submit his/her Honours Project by the deadline
shall be subject to the following penalty:
i) 1-3 calendar days late - downgraded by one sub-grade
(e.g. a “B+” grade project will be downgraded to “B”)
ii) 4-7 calendar days late - downgraded by two sub-grades
(e.g. a “B+” grade project will be downgraded to “B-”)
iii) 8-14 calendar day late - downgraded by one grade and the
project shall receive a grade no higher than “C” .
(e.g. a “A”, “A-”, “B+” or “B” grade project will be downgraded to
“C”)
(e.g. a “B-” grade project will be downgraded to “C-”)
(e.g. a “C+”, “C” or “C-” grade project will be downgraded to “D”)
(e.g. a “D” grade project will be regarded as fail. )
iv.) Submission of project 15 calendar days late or more shall
receive an “F” grade.
(Para 4 of HP Handbook)
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Staff Profiles
• You will work under one of the staff members
responsible for the ERM Programme
• Dr Karen Chow
• Dr Wei Xi
• Dr Alastor Coleby
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Dr. Karen Chow
Environmental pollutions and monitoring
1. Pollutants in Hong Kong water bodies/ municipal
sewage, e.g. microplastics/ microfibres
2. Constructed wetlands
3. Air quality monitoring – PM and toxic gases
Environmental health and toxicology
1. Environmental health
2. Environmental toxicology
e.g. Microplastics in Deep Bay/ other water regions
Any other topics includes interaction between hazardous
physical, chemical, and biological agents and organisms
(including human population)
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Please contact me
before 1 Aug 2023 if
you are interested in
any of these topics.
Dr. Karen Chow
Environmental education and behavior
1. Waste charging scheme
2. Waste management scheme of Waste Electrical and
Electronic Equipment/ glass, etc.
3. Pandemic and waste management
4. Food waste management
Ecological monitoring
1. Aquaculture study and fish production
2. Ecological recovery in landfills
3. Mapping of species in HK
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Dr. Wei Xi, Sisi
Biodiversity and Conservation
1. Biological Diversity in Hong Kong/Shenzhen
2. Conservation and Sustainable use of wild species in
China
Environmental Pollution and Human Health
1. Water pollution in HK/SZ and health risk assessment
2. Air quality monitoring in urban park of HK
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Dr. Wei Xi, Sisi
Ecological Restoration
1. Forest restoration - Ecological survey of PEPs
(Planting Enrichment Programs) in HK
2. Ecological survey of artificial wetland park as a
corridor between Hong Kong and Shenzhen
3. Ecological Performance of Artificial Green Areas in
urbanized city (e.g. Shenzhen, Hong Kong)
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Dr Alastor M. Coleby
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Marine Spatial Planning
1. Marine conservation and stakeholder engagement
2. Marine plastics and environmental policy
3. Marine pollution control and regulation
Environmental Impact Assessment
1. Environmental impact assessment and mitigation of resource-
extraction and use
2. Environmental management systems in practice
Dr Alastor M. Coleby
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Land-use Planning
1. Renewable energy scenarios policy and planning
2. Community and public participation in sustainable development
3. Rural, urban, and regional planning frameworks
Ecosystem Services and Planning for Biodiversity
1. Ecosystems as natural capital and nature based solutions for
conservation and climate mitigation
2. Ecosystem services identification and valuation