Refereed Papers

Submissions for refereed papers have now closed.

Refereed papers can be on any aspect of the conference theme or sub-themes. Refereed Papers that are accepted from the 40th HERDSA Annual International Conference will be published in the conference proceedings - Research and Development in Higher Education: Curriculum Transformation, Volume 40.

Abstract due date: 23 October 2016

Full paper from accepted abstracts due date: 6 February 2017

Final Paper due date: 12 May 2017

Abstract for Refereed Paper

The first step in submitting a proposal for a refereed paper is to submit an abstract by 23 October 2016. After a blind peer-review process, authors of accepted abstracts will be invited to submit a full paper for peer review.

An abstract (maximum 400 words) must be submitted for review. The abstract should be submitted as a word document using the Abstract for Review Template and NOT contain any information that might identify the author/s. The abstract should include the title and three keywords that best reflect the proposed paper. The abstract should address

• Background/context
• The research and/or issue under consideration
• Overview of methodology (theoretical positioning of the research) and method(s) of data collection and analysis
• Brief discussion of results and implications
• Relevance to conference theme

Abstracts for refereed papers will be reviewed against the following criteria.

• Relevance
• The issue and process
• Contribution to scholarship and/or practice
• Clarity and standard of writing

Full Refereed Paper (from accepted abstracts)

Authors of the accepted abstracts must submit a full version of their paper for peer review by 6 February 2017.

• Papers should be a maximum of 5000 words in length, including abstract, references and all appendices. Longer papers will not be accepted.
• Please ensure that you use the Refereed Paper Template and follow the HERDSA Formatting Guidelines. Submissions which do not follow the guidelines will be returned to authors and may not be reviewed. The paper should NOT contain any information that might identify the author/s.
• Research and scholarly papers will be double blind reviewed by reviewers selected by the Conference Organising Committee. Papers will be reviewed using the following criteria*.
  • relevance of the topic to the conference themes
  • relevance of the paper for the conference audience
  • soundness of the research methods and critical analysis
  • originality and contribution to scholarship
  • clear and coherent presentation of the argument

*Where papers are conceptual/analytical rather than empirical, it is recognised that not all the above criteria will apply.

The outcome of the paper review process will be that each paper is:

• Accepted as is
• Accepted with minor revisions
• Accepted as a non-refereed showcase
• Accepted as a poster
• Rejected

If your paper is accepted for presentation, you need to resubmit the paper after editing for reviewer comments and adding any identifying information that was excluded from the version submitted for review including author name/s and institutional affiliation.

The resubmitted paper should follow the HERDSA Formatting Guidelines and the Refereed Paper template.

Where revisions and/or corrections to formatting are required, authors will need to complete these within the time allocated and in compliance with the guidelines or they will not be accepted.

This final paper is due 12 May 2017.

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All refereed full-papers accepted for presentation at the conference are published in the annual conference proceedings, Research and Development in Higher Education (available on the publications page of HERDSA’s website: http://herdsa.org.au/publications/conference_proceedings). This means they cannot be published elsewhere.

In addition, the HERDSA conference offers three prizes for fully refereed papers.

1. Taylor & Francis Prize for the Best Paper by a New Researcher

A prize of AUD$1000 will be awarded to the best full-refereed paper written by a new researcher (or researchers) that makes a significant contribution to research in the field of tertiary education. The purpose of this prize is to foster original research by encouraging new and less experienced researchers. The prize is judged by three members of the HERD editorial team, including the HERD Executive Editor.

To be eligible for this prize:

The main author (>50% contribution) of this paper, is a ‘new researcher’ (defined as being within the first three years of working in the field of higher education).

2. HERDSA Prize for Best Scholarly Paper

A prize of AUD$500 will be awarded to the best scholarly paper accepted for presentation as a full-refereed paper. Papers to be considered for this award must be unanimously nominated by the reviewers. The prize is judged by three members of the HERDSAcutive team, under the oversight of the HERD Executive Editor.

3. Edith Cowan University Prize for the Best Paper on an Authentic Learning Environment

The purpose of the Edith Cowan University Prize for the Best Paper on an Authentic Learning Environment is to promote the development of authentic learning environments in all facets of university teaching and learning, and to support the dissemination and publication of good practice associated with these environments. An authentic learning environment can be described as one where activities represent the types of complex tasks performed by professionals in the field, rather than decontextualised or contrived activities. Students have access to supporting resources and engage in collaboration, articulation and reflection as they produce outcomes typical of quality performance.

A prize of $1000 will be awarded to the paper which in the opinion of a panel of judges (from ECU) makes a significant contribution to knowledge about authentic learning environments in higher education.

To be eligible for this prize:

The paper must meet the eligibility requirements and criteria available on the Prizes and Awards page.