Research - Special Topics

This section includes:

Calculation of EFTD Used/Total and Submission Dates for a Candidature

The Research Subsystem uses the concept of Effective Full-Time Days (EFTD) as a means of assisting a candidate in monitoring their progress, establishing minimum and maximum dates for Thesis submission and in calculating the EFTSL a candidate's Research Studies contribute to their total EFTSL for any given Load Calendar.

This is because a range of unique aspects apply to Research Studies. Research is not necessarily limited to the standard Teaching Periods used for coursework studies. The Commencement Date of a candidate's research may not be the same as the defined Course Commencement Date. The amount of time any research candidate allocates to his/her research may vary over the period of their research.

The System calculates both the current number of (effective full-time) days already used and the total number of (effective full-time) days available for a Research Candidature (EFTD Used/Total field displayed on RESF3211). Both are displayed as values to two decimal places. These calculated values are used in the System calculation of Min / Max Submission Dates.

Note that for a candidate enrolled in a Research Unit and studying at a 'standard' full-time rate (100%), this candidate would consume one effective full-time day each Calendar Day. The same student studying at a 'standard' part-time rate (50%) would consume 0.5 of an effective full-time day each Calendar Day.

Example:

 

Student Attendance Percentage

Commencement Date

Total EFTD Available

EFTD Used by 24/3/03 (inclusive)

STUDENT 1

100%

3/3/03

730

22 days

STUDENT 2

50%

3/3/03

730

11

 

The EFTD Used value is recalculated daily and whenever the Attendance % is changed for a candidate. (The range of Attendance % values matching each defined Attendance Type is explained in detail below). The calculation of the EFTD Used value starts when a candidate's Student Course Attempt is confirmed. It is derived using data from the candidate's Attendance Percentage variations records. A candidate may have Intermission Periods in their attendance history. The inclusion or exclusion of these Intermission Periods is determined by the value of the Count in Progression check box (a Course Version attribute, defined by a course structure specialist using the form CRSF1210).

Example:

The calculation of EFTD Total uses the Standard Full Time Completion Time value, an attribute of the Course Version (see form CRSF1210). The EFTD Total value is calculated once, when a Research Candidature record is created (in form RESF3211). The formula used to calculate the total days available for the candidature is:

(Standard FT Completion Time value/10) * 365.


Example:

Actual Total EFTD is calculated using the formula:

The calculated value can be overridden by manual entry of an EFTD value.

Where Submission Dates are System-calculated values (as opposed to Override Dates entered for a specific candidate), they are recalculated daily. (Refer to RESF3211 for explanation of overriding these values)

The Max Submission Date is calculated using the EFTD Used, Actual Total EFTD and the Attendance Percentage values, recorded for the candidature. The calculation is:

The remaining days are added to the current date at the rate specified by the current, and any future dated, attendance % records until all remaining days have been accounted for and the Max Submission Date has been reached.
 
Example:

The Min Submission Date calculates from the current date, using the same method as for the Max Submission Date, except that instead of adding remaining days at the recorded Attendance Percentage Rates, remaining days are added at the Min Submission Perc rate ((an attribute of the Course Version, established using form CRSF1210)

Example:

An Example of these Calculations:

Student One

A research candidate enrols in a course with a Std FT Cmpltn Time value of 20. The EFTD Total for this candidature 

(20/10)*365

= 730

The candidate has a Prior Candidature credit of 30 days and the following Attendance Percentage entries:

31/5/02 - 1/7/02 at 50% Attendance

2/7/02 - 30/6/03 at 80%

1/7/03 - 2/12/03 at 100%

3/12/03 - 31/12/03 at 80%

The current date is 6/12/03

The EFTD Used for this candidature at 6/12/03

Prior candidature = 30


50% of 32 days = 16

80% of 364 days = 291.2

100% of 155 days = 155

80% of 4 days (to 6/12/03) = 3.2

 

= 495.4

The current date is 6/12/03 and the candidate has future dated attendance percentage records of:

3/12/03 - 31/12/03 at 80%

1/1/04 - (record not end dated) at 100%

The Max Submission Date is

730 - 495.4 = 234.6 EFT days remaining
7/12/03 - 31/12/03 accounts for 80% of 25 days = 20
234.6 - 20 = 214.6 EFT days remaining

 

31/12/03 + 214.6 days (at 100%) = 3/8/04

The course has a MinSubmission % value of 75%

 

 

The Min Submission Date is

75% of 730 = 547.5 days

547.5 - 495.4 = 52.10

52.10 / 0.75 = 69.47

6/12/03 + 69.47 = 13/02/04

Student Two:

A research candidate enrols in a course with a Std FT Cmpltn Time value of 10.

The EFTD Total for this candidature 

(10/10)*365

= 365

The current date is 7/12/02 and the candidate has the following Attendance Percentage entries:

1/4/02 - 1/7/02 at 100% Attendance

2/7/02 -  (record not end dated) at 75%

The EFTD Used for this candidature at 7/12/02 is

 


100% of 92 days = 92

75% of 159 days (to 7/12/02) = 119.25

= 211.25

The current date is 7/12/02 and the candidate has future dated attendance percentage records of:

2/7/02 - (record not end dated) at 75%

The Max Submission Date is

365 - 211.25 (to 7/12/02) = 153.75 EFT days remaining

153.75 / 0.75 = 205 calendar days remaining

7/12/02 + 205 days = 30/06/03

The course has a MinSubmission % value of 75%.

 

 

The Min Submission Date is

75% of 365 = 273.75 days

273.75 - 211.25 = 62.5

62.5 / 0.75 = 83.33

7/12/02 + 83.33 = 28/02/03

 


EFTSL Calculation for Research Units

The calculation of EFTSL for a research Student Unit Attempt assumes :


Example:

Teaching Period

Load Calendar

Load Research %

EFTSL per Load Calendar

RES-1

LOAD-CAL-1

50%

= 50% of 1.0
= 0.50

RES-2

LOAD-CAL-2

50%

=50% of 1.0
= 0.50

SUM

LOAD-CAL-3

NULL

N/A

 

For more information on establishing appropriate Research Calendars & Date Aliases see Specialist Overview.

The calculated research EFTSL is used where:

and

The calculated research EFTSL is not used where:

Note: The calculated research EFTSL is adjusted when a candidate is enrolled in both a Research Unit and Coursework Unit/s. This is explained in detail below.

 

Recommended Effective Start/End Date Alias Instances

Because the majority of commencing students usually start their Research Studies at the same time as the Academic Year starts (late February or early March in Australian Universities), it is expected that these students generate the maximum EFTSL for their Attendance Type.

It is also important to be able to claim the load generated by a research student who begins Research Studies before the start of the first Research Teaching Period in any given Academic Period. In this case the student can be enrolled in a Research Unit for a Teaching Period which contributes to a Load Calendar with a 'NULL' Load Research %, so the standard EFTSL calculation applies. In the example configuration, the student would be enrolled in the SUM Teaching Period, if their Research Studies commence before 1/3/2005 and this would generate an EFTSL value, calculated in the standard way, for that Teaching Period.

The following example provides a structure within which these varied commencements will have the accurate EFTSL load calculated.

 

Teaching Period Calendar

Start Date

End Date

Date Alias Instance: Effective Start Date (RES-STRT)

Date Alias Instance: Effective End Date (RES-END)

EFTD in Teach Period

RES - 1

01/01/2004

30/6/2004

1/3/2004 (= to the CRS-START Date Alias for the ADM-PER-1 calendar, with no offset)

18/7/2004 (= to the CRS-START Date Alias for the ADM-PER-2 calendar with Offset value of minus 1 day).

140

RES - 2

01/07/2004

31/12/2004

19/7/2004 (= to the CRS-START Date Alias for ADM-PER-2 calendar with no offset)

5/12/2004 (= to the RES-STRT Date Alias for RES-2 calendar with an offset value of +139 days)

140

SUM

30/11/2004

29/2/2005

6/12/2004

29/2/2005

Not Applicable

 

How EFTSL is Calculated for a Research Unit

Values: The calculation uses the following values:

Adjustment Values: The calculation may use any or all of the following adjustment values, depending on the candidate's Commencement Date, attendance history and periods of intermission.

 

The final calculation of EFTSL uses the following steps:

 

An Example of the EFTSL Calculations

In all scenarios given, the following values apply:

 

Explanation /Calculation:

EFTD in Teach Period * Census Att%

Adjustment

No. of Days (after Adjustments)

No. of Days / EFTD in Teach Period

Result * EFTSL per Load Calendar

Candidate One: Standard EFTSL calculation with no adjustments

56

 

56

= 56 / 140

= 0.40 * 0.5

= 0.2 EFTSL

Candidate Two: has an attendance history entry where for a period of 3 weeks in this Teaching Period (before the Census Date), the attendance percentage was higher (50%)

56

= (50% - 40%) * 21

= 10% * 21

2.1 HighAdj

= 56 + 2.1

= 58.1

= 58.1 / 140

= 0.415 * 0.5

= 0.207 EFTSL

Candidate Three: has an attendance history entry where for a period of 3 weeks in this Teaching Period (before Census Date) this candidate's attendance percentage was lower (25%).

56

= (40% - 25%) * 21

= 15% * 21

= 3.15 LowAdj

= 56 - 3.15

= 52.85

= 52.85 / 140

= 0.3775 * 0.5

= 0.188 EFTSL

Candidate Four: has an attendance history that shows for a period of 1 week in this Teaching Period (before Census Date) the candidate's attendance percentage was lower (20%) and for a period of 2 weeks was again lower at 30%.

56

= ((40% - 20%) * 7)+ ((40%-30%)*14

= 20% * 7 + 10% * 14

= 2.8 LowAdj

= 56 - 2.8

= 53.2

= 53.2 / 140

= 0.38 * 0.5

= 0.19 EFTSL

Candidate Five: has a Commencement Date of 15/03/2004, the Effective Start Date is 1/03/2004.

56

= (1/03/2004 - 15/03/2004) * 40%

=15 days * 40%

= 6 days CommenceAdj

= 56 - 6

=50

= 50 / 140

= 0.357 * 0.5

= 0.178 EFTSL

Candidate Six: has an Intermission Period of 14 days in the Teaching Period (before Census Date.), with no change to attendance percentage at any stage.

56

= 40% * 14

= 5.6 IntermissAdj.

= 56 - 5.6

= 50.4

= 50.4 / 140

= 0.36 * 0.5

= 0.18 EFTSL

 

The Implications for EFTSL Calculation of Enrolment in Both Research and Coursework Units

If a student is enrolled in both a Research Unit and one or more Coursework Units, there are important implications for the calculation of EFTSL for the Research Unit. The EFTSL values determine the disbursement of income to Organisational Units within the institution - the Organisational Unit 'owning' the Coursework Unit receives the coursework EFTSL proportion of the income generated by this research student and the Organisational Unit/s of the supervisor/s are allocated the research EFTSL proportion of the income.

The EFTSL applicable to a unit can be adjusted for an individual student if the Override Credit Points Indicator is set for that unit (see Maintain Basic Unit Details - CRSF2210). Reducing the EFTSL for a Coursework Unit through overriding it, causes a corresponding increase in the EFTSL attributed to the student's Research Unit. The OVERRIDE EFTSL value is entered against the Student Unit Attempt in ENRF3000. This causes a corresponding adjustment of the same ratio, to income disbursement.

The Attendance % value entered in the Candidature Details form (RESF3211) should be seen as the candidate's attendance % for their total studies - Research and Coursework Units. A student enrolled in a part-time course with the standard Attendance % of 50, would have an expected EFTSL of 0.250. This student is enrolled in one Research Unit (within a research Teaching Period contributing to a Load Calendar which has an appropriate Load Research % value, so using the research EFTSL calculation) and 2 Coursework Units under a standard Teaching Period (which have EFTSL of 0.125 each). The calculated EFTSL value for the Research Unit has to be 0 as the Coursework Units have used all the available EFTSL. He/she has, in effect, no time available for the Research Unit. In fact the student has enrolled in units which require a 75% attendance, so the value entered in RESF3211 should be altered. (This may prompt a warning, as this new Attendance % value is above the Upper Enrol Load Range for a part-time course).

The following steps apply to the EFTSL calculations when a candidate is enrolled in research and Coursework Units:

Examples of the Combined EFTSL Calculations:

Candidate One:

Attendance % = 100 (i.e. a Full-Time enrolment)

EFTSL Ceiling:

= 0.5 * 1

= 0.5

StartingResEFTSL

= 0.5

Student is enrolled in one Coursework Unit which has a CourseEFTSL value


= 0.125

StartingResEFTSL - CourseEFTSL

= 0.375

The final value means the Research Unit generates EFTSL of 0.375

Candidate Two:

Attendance % = 75 (i.e. the minimum for classification as full-time )

EFTSL Ceiling:

= 0.5 * 0.75

= 0.375

StartingResEFTSL

= 0.375

Student is enrolled in 3 Coursework Units, each with a CourseEFTSL of :

Total CourseEFTSL


= 0.125

= 0.375

StartingResEFTSL - CourseEFTSL

= 0

The final value means that the Research Unit generates 0 EFTSL.

 

Options Available where a Research Unit with an EFTSL of 0 is unacceptable:

In either of these scenarios, the override value is a fixed value, so is used instead of the calculated value.

 


Valid Candidature Attendance Percentage Ranges

Each value entered as the Attendance Percentage for a candidate (in RESF3211) is checked against the Load Ranges which apply to the enrolled course offering. These Load Ranges are attributes of Attendance Types (CRSF1170). In the Attendance Type Load block of this form, these load ranges are defined as EFTSL values, with a Lower and Upper Load value for each Load Calendar.

When an Attendance Percentage for a candidate is entered (in form RESF3211), an EFTSL value for that Attendance % is calculated and a check made against the Load Ranges which apply. When this calculated EFTSL value falls outside the range as defined for the course Attendance Type, a warning displays in RESF3211.

The same process and warning occur if the student's Course Offering Options are changed through form ENRF4110.

Example:

The following values exist in the database:

For the applicable Load Calendar (The Load Research % value is defined in CALF0330):

Load Research %

50%

Attendance Type (CRSF1170)

FT (full-time)

PT (part-time)

Attendance Type Load Ranges (for applicable Load Calendar)

 

 

Lower Enrol Load Range

0.375

0.001

Upper Enrol Load Range

=>20.00

0.374

 

A candidate is enrolled in a course offering with an Attendance Type of FT and in a single Research Unit in the current Teaching Period. An entry of 40% is made in the Attendance Percentage field on the Candidature Details form RESF3211.

The EFTSL value of this attendance percentage is calculated using this formula:

For the example values:

This is below the lower limit of the defined range for a Full Time course, so will prompt a warning.


Last Modified on 17 January, 2005