Students

ACSC100 – Academic Communication in Science

2015 – S2 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Jean Brick
Contact via jean.brick@mq.edu.au
C4A 413
Unit co-ordinator
Maria Herke
C4A 416
Tutor
Dana Skopal
Administration
Margaret Wood
Tutor
Christine Joyce
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit is designed to support students in their transition to university by enabling them to understand and achieve standards of performance required in an academic environment. The unit provides a three-level focus which is initiated by facilitating the development of academic practices, behaviours and values. Secondly, it fosters a level of familiarity with the disciplinary language, texts and conventions used when studying in programs offered by the Faculty of Science. Finally, it raises an awareness of the impact of scientific knowledge and the role of scientists when they act to solve problems and implement innovations affecting contemporary society. Learning and assessment activities are designed to build the capacity for independent and collaborative approaches to learning. Students are guided to develop their capacity for reading, thinking and expressing ideas effectively and critically.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Read efficiently to gather specific information and ideas from discipline-specific sources.
  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Analyse the purpose, language and features of academic, disciplinary and professional genres.
  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.

General Assessment Information

All assignments must be submitted in order to fulfil the requirements of the unit.

For all but the oral presentation, you are expected to bring a completed first draft of the assignment to your tutorial, usually one week before the final submission is due. The draft will be  peer-reviewed and edited in the tutorial, following which you have a week to re-write the assignment and produce a final copy for submission and marking.

Peer review will take place in groups, so you MUST bring a printed copy of your draft for each member of your group. Please note that it is not sufficient to bring an electronic copy of your draft, nor is it appropriate to bring an incomplete version. Peer review is a requirement of ACSC100. If you do not bring a draft copy of your assignment to the appropriate tutorial, your mark for that assignment may be reduced by 20%. If you are unable to attend a tutorial in which peer-review is carried out, you MUST submit a formal request to be excused through the ask.mq.edu.au web portal.  Supporting documentation (eg a medical certificate) must be provided.

You will need to submit your edited draft together with your final draft in order to have your assignment marked.

All assignments (except the oral presentation) need to be submitted to Turnitin using the link available on the ACSC100 iLearn website:   

 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Critical Summary 15% 14.8.15
Information report 20% 11.9.15
Group Oral Presentation 15% Week 8 tutorial
Research report 35% 23.10.15
Brochure 15% 13.11.15

Critical Summary

Due: 14.8.15
Weighting: 15%

Summary of an article


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Read efficiently to gather specific information and ideas from discipline-specific sources.
  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Analyse the purpose, language and features of academic, disciplinary and professional genres.
  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.

Information report

Due: 11.9.15
Weighting: 20%

An information report for an academic audience outlining a major issue with regard to a topic of social concern, indicating potential areas of further research

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Read efficiently to gather specific information and ideas from discipline-specific sources.
  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Analyse the purpose, language and features of academic, disciplinary and professional genres.
  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.

Group Oral Presentation

Due: Week 8 tutorial
Weighting: 15%

Group oral presentation on scientific information regarding a social issue.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Read efficiently to gather specific information and ideas from discipline-specific sources.
  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Analyse the purpose, language and features of academic, disciplinary and professional genres.
  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.

Research report

Due: 23.10.15
Weighting: 35%

Formal report on research


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Read efficiently to gather specific information and ideas from discipline-specific sources.
  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Analyse the purpose, language and features of academic, disciplinary and professional genres.
  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.

Brochure

Due: 13.11.15
Weighting: 15%

Brochure aimed at a popular audience


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Read efficiently to gather specific information and ideas from discipline-specific sources.
  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.

Delivery and Resources

Attendance: ACSC100 incorporates weekly 2 hour lectures and 2 hour tutorials. Students need to attend a minimum of 80% of tutorials, and are strongly encouraged to attend all lectures, as these incorporate extensive student participation.

Expectations: Students are expected to submit all assignments. They are also expected carry out extensive reading and to bring draft copies of assignments to tutorials for evaluation, editing and feedback.

Text book: Brick, J. (2011). Academic Culture: A student's guide to studying at university. Melbourne: Macmillan

iLearn and Echo: Power point slides and lecture and tutorial worksheets will be posted on the iLearn site for ACSC100 (https://ilearn.mq.edu.au)

Lectures will be recorded on Echo.

 

Unit Schedule

Wk

Lecture

Tutorial

Assessment

1

 

Introduction to ACSC100

  • Course Overview & Expectations
  • What is a  People Unit?
  • Is there a language of science?
  • Talking about language: nouns, verbs and what not

 

  • Organising research groups
  • Identifying features of the language of science

 

 

2

 

Developing effective reading skills

  • Choosing appropriate readings
  • Reading for Academic Purposes (4S System)

 

  • Evaluating reliability of academic readings
  • Identifying argument structure
  • Identifying key points
  • Using the 4S System

 

3

 

Writing summaries and paraphrases

  • Purpose and audience of a summary
  • Writing effective summaries
  • Understanding turnitin
  • Evaluating model summaries
  • Peer-review of individual summaries
  • Tutor feedback on draft summaries

Draft Assignment 1: Critical Summary

 

 

4

 

Critical thinking/critical reading

  • Understanding academic questions
  • Critical reading
  • Taking effective notes

 

  • Identifying key ideas
  • Distinguishing between main ideas and supporting detail
  • Taking effective notes

 

Final submission:

Assignment 1

20.3.15

5

 

Expressing your voice and referring to the work of others

  • What is voice?
  • Distinguishing between your voice and the voice of others
  • Using citation effectively
  • Using reporting verbs
  • Writing bibliographies and reference lists

 

  • Using citation effectively
  • Using reporting verbs
  • Writing bibliographies and reference lists

 

 

6

 

Writing reports

  • Purpose and audience of information reports
  • Report structure
  • Integrating tabular evidence
  • Writing data commentaries
  • Synthesising  information
  • Deconstructing model report
  • Peer-review of individual reports
  • Tutor feedback on draft reports

 

Draft Assignment 2:

Information Report

 

7

 

Academic presentations

  • Differences between speaking and writing
  • Effective academic speaking
  • Multimodality:  Integrating power point slides and spoken presentation
  • Sentence structure

 

  • Spoken and written texts
  • Sentence structure
  • Oral presentation planning

 

Final submission:

Assignment 2

Friday September 11th 5.00pm

8

 

Writing a research report

  • Purpose & structure of a research report
  • Introduction & thesis/hypothesis statement
  • Paragraphing
  • Writing the discussion section
  • Oral presentations

Assignment 3: Oral presentations

9

 

Developing an effective argument

  • Topic sentences
  • Paragraph structure
  • Thematic progression

 

  • Developing research questions
  • deconstructing a research report
  • using topic sentences effectively

 

10

 

 

Developing an authoritative voice

  • Developing a cohesive and coherent argument
  • Exploring nominal groups
  • Exploring technical language

 

  • Peer-review and tutor feedback on research reports

Draft Assignment 4:

Research Report

11

 

Expressing judgement

  • Using hedging
  • Expressing attitudes
  • Expressing identity and using pronouns
  •  Using nominal groups effectively
  • Using technical language effectively

Final submission: Assignment 4: Research Report

Friday October 23rd 5.00pm

12

 

Writing for a popular audience

  • Differences between popular and academic writing in science
  • Purpose and audience of brochures
  • Structure and language of brochures
  • Using visuals effectively

 

 

  • Deconstructing information brochures
  • Using popular language:
    • Dot-points
    • Command
    • Questions
    • Personal pronouns

 

13

 

Unit Summary

  • Where to now? Continuing to develop academic writing
Peer and tutor review of individual brochures

Draft Assignment 5: brochure

14    

Final submission Assignment 5

Friday November 13th 5.00pm

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy  http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.

Assessment tasks

  • Group Oral Presentation
  • Brochure

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Analyse the purpose, language and features of academic, disciplinary and professional genres.
  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.

Assessment task

  • Research report

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Read efficiently to gather specific information and ideas from discipline-specific sources.
  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Analyse the purpose, language and features of academic, disciplinary and professional genres.
  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.

Assessment task

  • Brochure

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Read efficiently to gather specific information and ideas from discipline-specific sources.
  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Analyse the purpose, language and features of academic, disciplinary and professional genres.
  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.

Assessment tasks

  • Critical Summary
  • Information report
  • Group Oral Presentation
  • Research report

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Read efficiently to gather specific information and ideas from discipline-specific sources.
  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Analyse the purpose, language and features of academic, disciplinary and professional genres.
  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.

Assessment tasks

  • Critical Summary
  • Information report
  • Group Oral Presentation
  • Research report

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Read efficiently to gather specific information and ideas from discipline-specific sources.
  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Analyse the purpose, language and features of academic, disciplinary and professional genres.
  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.

Assessment task

  • Research report

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.

Assessment tasks

  • Critical Summary
  • Information report
  • Group Oral Presentation
  • Research report
  • Brochure

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.

Assessment tasks

  • Information report
  • Group Oral Presentation
  • Research report

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.

Assessment tasks

  • Information report
  • Group Oral Presentation
  • Research report