Ethical dilemmas associated wih hyper-structured student research

Abstract

The growth in the number of students engaging in research as part of their studies has increased dramatically and, combined with the need to provide adequate research supervision, the exploration of alternative modes of conducting research together with students has emerged. One such mode of research can be called the hyper-structured student research project (HSSRP). This mode represents supervision where the research area, as well as the methodology, is specifically defined, and where students are supported and guided through every step of the research process, with the supervisor making most of the important research decisions on behalf of the students. Although the HSSRP has delivered on the institutional requirements of efficiency and throughput, there is a need to critically reflect on these projects to ascertain whether they meet academic and professional requirements. In this article, the acceptability of HSSRP projects will be analysed from a utilitarian perspective, consider)