Students
MRES700 – Research Communications
2016 – S1 External
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Juliet Lum
Contact via 9850 4196
C5C 314
Consultations by appointment
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| Credit points |
Credit points
4
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MRes and 4cp at 700 level
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit explores the ways in which our disciplinary mindsets, habits and practices shape how we relate and communicate with other researchers. We will consider why and how we conform to certain academic conventions of style in our disciplines and the impact this has on our perception of ourselves as scholars. In doing so, we confront a central issue in research communication practices: If our disciplinary training shapes how we think, read, write and speak to each other, how can a person from one discipline understand someone from a different background? What do we need to translate complex findings and discipline-specific concepts into a language, format and context that non-experts can understand? Why and to whom does this matter? The course will debate these questions and discuss strategies for engaging with wider and non-specialist audiences. As effective communication relies on responsible communication, we will also pay close attention to the ethical dilemmas that can emerge from the research encounter, and through this deepen our appreciation of research integrity and responsibility.
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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:
- Better understand the academic, linguistic, disciplinary and cultural conventions of research
- Appreciate the relationship between research communications and knowledge creation
- Refine your academic writing and presenting skills
- Hone your critical thinking skills
- Know how to acknowledge other sources and have established a referencing system
- Understand what is involved in writing a research proposal, journal article and doctoral thesis
General Assessment Information
Applying for an extension
To request an extension for an assignment, students should submit a Disruption to Studies Notification within five (5) working days of the commencement of the disruption. The Disruption to Studies Notification must be submitted online through ask.mq.edu.au. Information on what constitutes a disruption and how to apply for an extension can be found on the MQ students’ Disruption to Studies webpage.
The Disruption to Studies Policy applies only to serious and unavoidable disruptions that arise after a study period has commenced. Conditions existing prior to commencing a unit of study are covered by other policies, except in the event of deterioration or exacerbation of the condition. The student is responsible for managing their workload in light of any known or anticipated problems. Students with a pre-existing disability/health condition may contact Campus Wellbeing and Support Services for information on available support.
Late submissions
Work that is submitted after the due date (without an approved extension) will attract a penalty of 10% of the total marks for each week it is overdue (i.e. -10% for 1-6 days late; -20% for 7-13 days late; -30% for 14-20 days late). Work submitted more than 20 days late will not be accepted.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Research proposal introduction | 0% | 6pm, 24/03/2016 |
| Article Analysis & Rewrite | 30% | 6pm, 29/04/2016 |
| Conference presentation | 20% | 6pm, 27/05/2016 |
| Peer review | 10% | 6pm, 03/06/2016 |
| Revised Intro & Response text | 30% | 6pm, 17/06/16 |
| Weekly Participation | 10% | Assessed throughout the unit |
Research proposal introduction
Due: 6pm, 24/03/2016
Weighting: 0%
Write a text that introduces your proposed MRes research project, or a project based on a topic/problem in your discipline that interests you. Explain the research problem and make explicit the aim of your research. Assume that the text will be read by your faculty's HDR application assessment panel, which includes academics from outside of your discipline.
This is a hurdle assignment, which you need to submit on time and pass in order to proceed with the unit. Penalties for late submissions will be applied to the final assignment.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Better understand the academic, linguistic, disciplinary and cultural conventions of research
- Refine your academic writing and presenting skills
- Know how to acknowledge other sources and have established a referencing system
- Understand what is involved in writing a research proposal, journal article and doctoral thesis
Article Analysis & Rewrite
Due: 6pm, 29/04/2016
Weighting: 30%
Part A (out of 15): Select a published research article in your own field and answer a series of questions on its structure, argument and referencing conventions.
Part B (out of 15): Rewrite the journal article in a genre appropriate for a specific non-specialist audience. The text should be approximately 500 words and should feature a catchy title and at least one appropriate image.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Better understand the academic, linguistic, disciplinary and cultural conventions of research
- Hone your critical thinking skills
- Know how to acknowledge other sources and have established a referencing system
- Understand what is involved in writing a research proposal, journal article and doctoral thesis
Conference presentation
Due: 6pm, 27/05/2016
Weighting: 20%
Complete one of the following:
a) Oral Presentation
Film yourself presenting a 5 minute talk on a piece of completed research in your field. Your talk may report on a research project in which you were involved, or it may be based on a research article you have read. Present at least one slide (in addition to a title slide) to accompany your talk.
OR
b) Poster Produce a conference poster on completed research in your field. Your poster may report on a research project in which you were involved, or it may be based on a research article you have read. Imagine your poster will be printed on A2 sized paper.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Better understand the academic, linguistic, disciplinary and cultural conventions of research
- Refine your academic writing and presenting skills
- Know how to acknowledge other sources and have established a referencing system
Peer review
Due: 6pm, 03/06/2016
Weighting: 10%
Using the template supplied in the ilearn unit, provide feedback on your assigned classmate's Research Proposal introduction text. You need both to submit this text on ilearn and to send it to your classmate.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Refine your academic writing and presenting skills
- Hone your critical thinking skills
Revised Intro & Response text
Due: 6pm, 17/06/16
Weighting: 30%
Document 1: (20%):Revise the text you submitted as Assignment 1, incorporating the feedback you received from your tutor and your class mate. In addition to introducing the topic, problem and aim, you will need to situate your proposed research in the field by relating it to existing research (at least 5 related research texts).
Document 2 (10%): Outline in a table how you have responded to each of the suggestions made by your “reviewers”. Refer to the tutor as “Reviewer A” and your classmate as “Reviewer B.”
Document 3: (0%): Submit the review you received from your classmate on your Research Proposal introduction (Assignment 1 text).
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Better understand the academic, linguistic, disciplinary and cultural conventions of research
- Refine your academic writing and presenting skills
- Hone your critical thinking skills
- Know how to acknowledge other sources and have established a referencing system
- Understand what is involved in writing a research proposal, journal article and doctoral thesis
Weekly Participation
Due: Assessed throughout the unit
Weighting: 10%
For most weeks you will be asked to listen to the lecture, read at least one text and respond to some questions. You need to upload your response to the ilearn Discussion Forum in that week. The weekly participation mark will be based on the extent of your engagement with the unit, as indicated by the timely, thoughtful & comprehensive completion of these activities. You need to complete at least 9 weeks of activities to pass this component.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Better understand the academic, linguistic, disciplinary and cultural conventions of research
- Appreciate the relationship between research communications and knowledge creation
- Refine your academic writing and presenting skills
- Hone your critical thinking skills
- Understand what is involved in writing a research proposal, journal article and doctoral thesis
Delivery and Resources
The unit is delivered externally through ilearn (MRES700_FHFYR_2016_ALL_U|Ext). You will be automatically enrolled in the iLearn unit “MRES700: Research Communications.” Login here. The MRES700 iLearn unit enables you to download and submit assignments; access lecture recordings, slides and other videos; and participate in online discussion forums.Students need to complete the weekly activities in the week for which they are designed, ie Week 1's activities should be done in Week 1 of Semester 1 (23-28 February, 2015), Week 2's activities should be done in Week 2 (2-7 March), and so on.
Required and Recommended Reading:
Readings for each week will be available via MultiSearch, the MQ Library catalogue site. In MultiSearch, click on Unit Readings, and enter MRES700.
Recommended texts (available in the Macquarie Library):
- Cargill, M. and O’Connor, P. 2009. Writing Scientific Research Articles, Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell
- Carter, S., Kelly, F. and Brailsford, I. 2012, Structuring Your Research Thesis, Hampshire/NY: Palgrave Macmillan
- Dunleavy, P. 2003. Authoring a PhD: How to plan, draft, write & finish a doctoral thesis or dissertation. Hampshire/NY: Palgrave, Macmillan
- Evans, D. and Gruba, P. 2002. How to Write a Better Thesis. (2nd edn.) Melbourne: Melbourne Univ. Press
- Grix, J. 2004. The Foundations of Research. Hampshire/NY: Palgrave, Macmillan
- Hyland, K. 2000. Disciplinary Discourses: Social Interactions in Academic Writing. Essex: Pearson Education
- Lewin, B.A. 2010. Writing Readable Research: A Guide for Students of Social Science. London: Equinox
- O'Leary, Z. 2014. The essential guide to doing your research project (2nd edn.), London: SAGE
- Paltridge, B. and Starfield, S. 2007. Thesis and Dissertation Writing in a Second Language: a handbook for supervisors. Oxon/NY:Routledge
- Swales, J.M. and Feak, C. B. 2012. Academic writing for graduate students: essential tasks and skills (3rd edn.), Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press
- Turabian, K. L. (2013). A manual for writers of research papers, theses, and dissertations: Chicago style for students and researchers. Revised by Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, Joseph M. Williams, and the University of Chicago Press editorial staff (8th Edn), Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
- Zeiger, M. 2000. Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers (2nd Edn), NY: McGraw-Hill
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
New Assessment Policy in effect from Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html. For more information visit http://students.mq.edu.au/events/2016/07/19/new_assessment_policy_in_place_from_session_2/
Assessment Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.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://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Graduate Capabilities
PG - Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative
Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Better understand the academic, linguistic, disciplinary and cultural conventions of research
Assessment tasks
- Peer review
- Revised Intro & Response text
PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills
Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Better understand the academic, linguistic, disciplinary and cultural conventions of research
- Appreciate the relationship between research communications and knowledge creation
- Refine your academic writing and presenting skills
- Understand what is involved in writing a research proposal, journal article and doctoral thesis
Assessment tasks
- Research proposal introduction
- Article Analysis & Rewrite
- Conference presentation
- Revised Intro & Response text
- Weekly Participation
PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking
Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Appreciate the relationship between research communications and knowledge creation
- Hone your critical thinking skills
Assessment tasks
- Article Analysis & Rewrite
- Peer review
- Revised Intro & Response text
- Weekly Participation
PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability
Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Hone your critical thinking skills
Assessment task
- Research proposal introduction
PG - Effective Communication
Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Better understand the academic, linguistic, disciplinary and cultural conventions of research
- Appreciate the relationship between research communications and knowledge creation
- Refine your academic writing and presenting skills
- Know how to acknowledge other sources and have established a referencing system
- Understand what is involved in writing a research proposal, journal article and doctoral thesis
Assessment tasks
- Research proposal introduction
- Article Analysis & Rewrite
- Conference presentation
- Peer review
- Revised Intro & Response text
- Weekly Participation
PG - Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical Citizens
Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Know how to acknowledge other sources and have established a referencing system
Assessment tasks
- Research proposal introduction
- Article Analysis & Rewrite
- Revised Intro & Response text
- Weekly Participation
Changes from Previous Offering
There is no longer an examination for the unit.
Assignment 1 is now a hurdle assignment: marks for this assignment do not contribute to students' final mark or grade. Weightings for other assignments have been increased accordingly.