HDR Annual Review - Frequently Asked Questions - Candidates

1. Go to: http://www.deakin.edu.au/password/
2. Under the heading "Students" select one of the following options:
   • If you have previously set up your Deakin student email account but have forgotten your username and/or password select the option "I have forgotten my username or password".
   • If you have never previously set up your Deakin student email account select the option "I'm a new or returning student".
3. Once you have agreed to the conditions of use you will be directed to a page which asks for a series of details to confirm your identity. Complete and click on the "Submit" button.
4. Ensure that you make a note of your username and that you print out the randomly generated password that you are allocated. Passwords are case specific so unless you type it perfectly it will not be recognised.
5. You will need to wait at least an hour after obtaining your password before accessing any areas of the Deakin website that require this information as it takes a short while for the Deakin computer system to process your new password.

There are several possible answers to this question so you will need to consider which one applies to you:

• You need to wait for at least one hour after changing your password before you try to access the system as it takes a short while for the Deakin computer system to process your new password.
• You have mis-typed your user name or password (ensure that the caps lock is not on, that you haven't typed a letter when it should be a numeral – such as the number zero and the letter 'O' or the number one and the letter 'l').
• The computer browser you are using does not support the online annual review system. You will need to install the Mozilla browser which is the official Deakin University web browser. Refer to Q24 on how to install Mozilla.
• You are a Deakin staff member as well as a HDR candidate and you are using your staff internet access details when you need to use your student user name and password. Refer to Q1 to find out how to obtain your student username and password.

The information shown on the annual review system was the most up-to-date information regarding your candidature that Research Services had at the time the review commenced. If your supervision panel is incorrect, it means that either:

a.) A 'Change of Supervisor Recommendation' form was only recently submitted so the change is not reflected in the information shown in the annual review system. There is NOT a live link between Research Services data and the annual review system so information will not update automatically.

OR

b.) Research Services has not received a 'Change of Supervisor Recommendation' form for changes to your panel. To make changes to your supervision panel you will need to arrange completion of the form with your supervisor. The 'Change of Supervisor Recommendation' form can be found on our Forms and Guidelines web page.

If the person who is now your Principal Supervisor is already showing on your supervision panel listed on the annual review system in another capacity (e.g., Associate Supervisor) they will automatically be able to access the review system. All Deakin staff listed on your panel are automatically able to access your review. If your Principal Supervisor is new to your panel you will need to contact Research Services as your new Principal Supervisor will not be able to access Section 2 (Supervisor's Comments) to provide comments on your progress. Please note that a new Principal Supervisor will only be given temporary access for the review period. The 'Change of Supervisor Recommendation' form will still need to be signed off and submitted in order to formally make the change to your supervision arrangements. This can be found on the Forms and Guidelines web page.

You MUST use your Deakin student log-in details to access the annual review system. Your staff details are not recognised by the annual review system because it is in your capacity as a student that you are required to complete the review. Please refer to Q1 for information on obtaining your student username and password if you have not already done this.

All HDR candidates are required to complete the annual review including:

• candidates who are currently on intermission
• candidates who have taken some period/s of intermission since the last annual review
• candidates who have submitted their notification of intention to submit

The only HDR candidates who are NOT required to complete the 2008 annual review are:

• candidates who commenced their studies on or after 1 July 2008
• candidates whose thesis has been lodged with the Examinations Officer, Research Services for examination.
• candidates whose thesis goes under examination (ie - has been lodged with the Examinations Officer, Research Services) before the close of the online annual review system on Friday 3rd October 2008
• candidates who are revising their thesis for resubmission
• candidates who have been on an approved continuous intermission for the ENTIRE reporting period (October 2007 to September 2008)

If you have been sent mailed correspondence and emails to your Deakin student email address about the annual review then you are expected to complete the review.

If you think you meet one of the criteria (listed in Q6) for not needing to complete the annual review please contact Research Services to clarify whether or not you are required to complete the review.

Yes, you are still required to complete the annual review. It is only candidates who have been on an approved continuous intermission for the ENTIRE reporting period from October 2007 to September 2008 who are not required to complete the review.

Use the review as a good opportunity to revise your timeline for completion in light of your intermission and plan for the coming year and your return to candidature.

Yes, you will still need to complete the review. Although you might be taking intermission for a year, if the year does not coincide with the period October 2007 to September 2008 then you are required to complete the review. You are being asked to report on the PAST year so you will be focussing on the tasks you accomplished prior to your intermission, as well as your revised timeline for once you resume candidature.

Unless your thesis is submitted to the Examinations Officer, Research Services before the close of the online system on Friday 3rd October you are still required to complete the review.

You can log in as many times as you want during the period Monday 15th September to Friday 3rd October and add additional comments, further details etc. Your supervisor/s will receive an email notifying him/her that you have updated the section so that they are able to log back in and read any revisions you have made.

Your answers will still be there provided you have clicked on the 'Submit Section 1' button. If you click on this button but HAVE NOT completed all questions you will receive the following message:

WARNING INCOMPLETE REVIEW: You have not completed all of the questions in this section of the annual review. The questions you have completed have been SAVED so that you are able to log in and complete the remainder of your responses at another time.

You will need to return to this section and answer all remaining questions before you are able to successfully submit your review. This will need to be done by: Friday 3rd October 2008.

Only once you have completed all remaining questions and clicked on the 'Submit Section 1' button again will your review be finalised.

As you will have already received both by post and to your Deakin student email address the topics covered by the review you will have been able to prepare well in advance for the review. Ensure that you discuss the review and the topics covered with your supervisor/s ahead of time if you are going to be away during the review period. As the annual review is conducted solely online you will be able to complete your review from anywhere in the world during the review period. The topics covered by the review are:

1. Outline of work completed to date
2. Specific achievements (e.g., seminar presentation, publication of a paper etc. If a paper has been published, please give the full bibliographic details. A full copy of any publications should be sent to your faculty research administrator.)
3. Any difficulties experienced during the period since commencing candidature or the last annual review
4. Detailed plan of remainder of candidature with milestones to be completed each month.
5. Any specific Occupational Health and Safety matters you wish to raise
6. Average hours of paid employment per week (if any)

Completion Checklist is a series of questions that needs to be answered by candidates who intend to submit within the next 12 months. The purpose of Completion Checklist is to have more structured and co-ordinated completion process. A sample Completion Checklist can be found here.

Discuss the topics covered by the review with your supervisor well in advance. Check that someone from your supervision panel is going to be available during the review period to key the Supervisor's Comments in Section 2.

In response to comments made by a number of candidates Section 3 has been made optional. Some candidates said that they did not want to access the system again to complete Section 3 as their supervisor's comments had already been discussed with them. However it is recognised that other candidate's will still wish to complete this section. Section 3 will remain open until Friday 3rd October. If Section 3 has not been completed by this date, it will be automatically closed so that your review can progress to the sections for the Head of School, Dean and Chair of the Higher Degrees by Research Committee. Therefore you will need to ensure that you have completed Section 3 by this deadline if you intend to do so as you will be unable to access it after Friday 3rd October.

After you and your supervisor have made comments, the Head of School, the Dean, and the Chair of the Higher Degrees by Research Committee also need to make comments before your review is finalised. Your re-enrolment for the following year will not be authorised until all of these people have indicated that they are satisfied with the progress reflected in your review. Reviews need to be fully completed and signed off in time for the re-enrolment period in late 2008.

As your 2009 re-enrolment is dependent upon completion of the annual review, you will be liable for the $200 late re-enrolment fee if your annual review is not completed by Friday 3rd October.

No. If it is a straight forward word processed document you can paste it directly into the question in the review to which it relates. Alternatively, you are able to attach any type of file to the question concerning your plan for completion. Please state in the box near the attachment what type of file you are attaching (for example: Gantt chart, Excel spreadsheet). Please try to ensure that attachments are in standard software formats as not all users who will be making comments on your progress (Head of School, Dean etc) have access to specialised software.

Your re-enrolment for the following year is completed on your behalf by Research Services dependent upon satisfactory completion of the annual review. You CANNOT re-enrol through Deakin Studies Online (DSO) or Student Connect.

Your re-enrolment for 2009 will be automatically processed by Research Services at the conclusion of the review period. If you are on an approved period of intermission which continues into 2009, your re-enrolment will take this into account.

Don't leave contacting your supervisor until the last minute. Contact your Principal Supervisor. If you can't contact your Principal Supervisor contact any other Associate Supervisors you may have on your panel. Your Principal Supervisor may have arranged for one of your other supervisors to complete Section 2 (Supervisor's Comments) if they knew they were going to be unavailable. It is best to clarify this prior to the opening of the review.

Any current Deakin staff members who are on your supervision panel already have access to the annual review system and are therefore able to key comments into Section 2 if required. They do not need to request special access.

The only candidates who are able to obtain paper copies of the annual review are candidates with disabilities. All other candidates are required to complete the review online without exception.

If you are having trouble logging into the annual review system, you have queries about your password or an error message please contact:

Email: hdr-annual-review@deakin.edu.au
Phone: 03 5227 2633

If you have queries about the content of the review or whether you need to complete the review please contact:

Email: research-hdr@deakin.edu.au
Phone: 03 9251 7124