Exploring the Transition: Coursework to Research‐Based Study in the Geography Honours Year

The transition from coursework study to independent research is a component of many geography Honours programs in Australian tertiary institutions. Despite being canvassed at the 2003 annual meeting of the Australian Heads of Geography Units, it is a topic that has, to date, received relatively little academic attention. This paper developed from a review of the Geography Honours program at the University of Sydney, conducted by the authors in early 2004. The paper aims to help address the perceived deficiency of research into Honours study. Three topics, related to the Honours year transition, are discussed. These are: the rationale for the Honours year transition from undergraduate coursework to research‐focussed study; the composition and rationale behind coursework programs for geography Honours students, and student‐supervisor relations and their impact on independent Honours research. In the process of examining these issues this paper offers suggestions as to how tertiary geography schools can look to develop their Honours year programs. These recommendations are made with the understanding that all tertiary Honours programs are unique and that issues such as staffing levels and departmental structure will influence what suggestions are appropriate for individual institutions. It is hoped that this paper will encourage more discussion about the nature of the Honours year. It is through such communication that the value of the Honours year in student development can be enhanced     

南京滨江开发区15号路六朝墓清理简报

2008年发掘的沙石岗孙吴天册元年墓距1979年发掘的城土盖村棱角山天册元年墓仅约百米,亦为平面呈双凸字形的前、后室砖室结构,出土青瓷器、铜器等精美文物20余件。此二墓墓砖上模印的花纹和铭文完全相同,证明墓主可能均与兒(倪)侯有关呈谔觳嵩昴故歉玫?区发现的第4座孙吴晚期大型砖室墓,对研究该地区高等级孙吴贵族墓葬的分布及孙吴时期丧葬礼俗等具有重要的学术价值。     

广西所见“三藩”土官印

20世纪90年代广西发现了“田州土知府印”和“镇安府土知府印”。本文考证此二印的颁发者为吴三桂政权,并考查了颁发时间及受职者,进而指出二印见证“三藩之乱”的历史价值。     

蒋藏本《唐韵》撰作年代考

现存的蒋藏本《唐韵》残卷中总韵数为204,比《广韵》少了严韵上去声。其所征引的州、郡、县名有些是唐武德至开元二十年期间的名称,有些则是唐以前、甚至是汉代的名称。孙愐的《唐韵》有开元、天宝两本。本文考定蒋藏本的成书年代是开元二十一年(733)。     

建武十六年前东汉货币铸造考

这是一个在钱币学界长期争论不休的问题。《后汉书·光武帝纪》云：“初,王莽乱后,货币杂用布、帛、金、粟。是岁,始行五铢钱。”这一年是东汉光武帝建武十六年(公元40年)。《后汉书·马援传》对这件事...     

道光十一年冬季严寒对京杭大运河运作状态的影响

利用清代地方志、档案等文献资料,复原了道光十一年(1831-1832年)冬的严寒实况,在此基础上分析了严寒对京杭大运河各段运作状态的影响。研究表明,道光十一年冬的严寒涉及我国整个东部地区,是此前百年中最冷的一年。在漕政日益败坏的道光年间,正常情况下的漕河整治与管理已属不易,极端气候更增加了其困难。因地理位置、面临任务以及对气候变化敏感度的不同,此次严寒对各河段的影响也就各有差异。山东运河远离黄河,水浅冰厚,主要表现为河道疏浚的困难;苏北运河地处黄运交汇,凌汛多发,主要表现为堤防修守的艰辛;江南徒阳运河虽出现了漕船通行的延迟,但相对涝灾而言,寒冷气候的影响是其次的原因。     

对2005年海峡两岸政党交往的回顾与思考

中华民族的血缘历史脐带,两岸对和平的共同诉求,使得2005年两岸政党交往有了现实可能。从国民党、亲民党、新党三党角度而言,两岸政党交往具有缅怀先烈、寻根祭祖、政党之间的政治和解、推动两岸的经贸合作等诉求和特点。两岸政党交往影响深远:增进了彼此的了解与理解,为发展两岸关系奠定了现实基础;建立了政党定期沟通平台,为两岸关系发展提供了新枢纽;促进了两岸的经贸合作,为发展两岸关系添加了润滑剂。     

叶昌炽生卒年辨证

叶昌炽为清末至民国时著名的金石学家、校勘学家、目录版本学家,其著作《语石》和《藏书纪事诗》在学术界久负盛名,其《缘督庐日记》则被誉为“晚清四大日记”之一。这样一位成就显著的学问家,其生卒年却长期存在歧误。本文对叶昌炽的著作中有关于其生年的资料进行排比,并结合当时官方文件及其同时代人的相关记载,对叶昌炽生卒年的歧误进行辨证,希望能恢复其本来面貌,并能为从事清代学术的研究者所用。     

张廷玉《明史·太祖纪》至正十三、十四年史事辨析

明清史籍关于明太祖早期发家史中的一些重要历史事件,存在至正十三年和至正十四年两大叙述系统。前者主要依据于《明太祖实录》,后者主要依据于《明太祖文集》。经过考辨,至正十四年叙述意见才是符合历史事实的。张廷玉《明史》最终采纳的是至正十三年叙述意见,而舍弃了至正十四年叙述意见,从而造成了《明史.太祖纪》在至正十三年、十四年史事记载上存在不少失考之处,点校本亦未作出校勘案语。由此一例,亦可提醒研究者在从事元末明初历史研究时务必首先仔细辨别史料的真伪情况。     

Can first-year undergraduate geography students do individual research?

Based on the affirmation in the scholarship of teaching and learning that adding research component into early geography classes is mutually beneficial to both instructors and students, this paper presents a case study that quantitatively articulates the effects of adding a research project into a first-year physical geography class on students’ academic performance. Pushing research into earlier stages of undergraduate students’ academics, even in large classes, can be very beneficial yet challenging because most students at this level have no experience in research; plus, they may still be adjusting to university life. Part of the Undergraduate Research Initiative called First Year Research Experience (FYRE) at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada invited faculty to embed a research component into first year undergraduate classes to align research and teaching. A two-year endeavour in a first year physical geography class resulted in some interesting outcomes. (1) The most challenging part of research for students was the research question formation. (2) Students valued the opportunity to conduct a research project. (3) Doing in-class research actually improved student performance as seen in the higher overall average grades. (4) Students who attained the highest exam marks were not those who attained the highest research project marks.