Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Teacher
Judith Payne
Contact via Email
Macquarie University International College
Contact Staff Member
Teacher
Ella Gharesoufloo
Contact via Email
Macquarie University International College
Contact Staff Member
Teacher
Liz Shoostovian
Contact via Email
Macquarie University International College
Contact Staff Member
Teacher
Reza Heidarzadegan
Contact via Email
Macquarie University International College
Contact Staff Member
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Credit points |
Credit points
3
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
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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 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.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Requirements to Pass
In order to pass this unit a student must obtain a mark of 50 or more for the unit (i.e. obtain a passing grade P/ CR/ D/ HD).
For further details about grading, please refer to Schedule 1 of the Assessment Policy.
Students must also pass any hurdle assessments as stipulated in the Assessment Section of this Unit Guide.
Grading
The College will award common result grades as specified in Schedule 1 of the Assessment Policy.
Students will receive criteria and standards for specific assessment tasks, which will be aligned with the grading descriptors given in Schedule 1.
The attainment (or otherwise) of learning outcomes for a unit of study will be reported by grade and mark which will correspond to the Schedule 1 and be as outlined below.
Grade |
Mark Range |
Outcome |
Description |
|
HD |
High Distinction |
85-100 |
Pass |
Provides consistent evidence of deep and critical understanding in relation to the learning outcomes. There is substantial originality, insight or creativity in identifying, generating and communicating competing arguments, perspectives or problem solving approaches; critical evaluation of problems, their solutions and their implications; creativity in application as appropriate to the program. |
D |
Distinction |
75-84 |
Pass |
Provides evidence of integration and evaluation of critical ideas, principles and theories, distinctive insight and ability in applying relevant skills and concepts in relation to learning outcomes. There is demonstration of frequent originality or creativity in defining and analysing issues or problems and providing solutions; and the use of means of communication appropriate to the program and the audience. |
CR |
Credit |
65-74 |
Pass |
Provides evidence of learning that goes beyond replication of content knowledge or skills relevant to the learning outcomes. There is demonstration of substantial understanding of fundamental concepts in the field of study and the ability to apply these concepts in a variety of contexts; convincing argumentation with appropriate coherent justification; communication of ideas fluently and clearly in terms of the conventions of the program. |
P |
Pass |
50-64 |
Pass |
Provides sufficient evidence of the achievement of learning outcomes. There is demonstration of understanding and application of fundamental concepts of the program; routine argumentation with acceptable justification; communication of information and ideas adequately in terms of the conventions of the program. The learning attainment is considered satisfactory or adequate or competent or capable in relation to the specified outcomes. |
F |
Fail |
0-49 |
Fail |
Does not provide evidence of attainment of learning outcomes. There is missing or partial or superficial or faulty understanding and application of the fundamental concepts in the field of study; missing, undeveloped, inappropriate or confusing argumentation; incomplete, confusing or lacking communication of ideas in ways that give little attention to the conventions of the program. |
FA |
Fail |
Did Not Attend |
Student has failed the compulsory attendance component of assessment |
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FH |
Fail |
49 |
Failed Hurdle |
Student has obtained a raw mark over 50, yet failed all available attempts of at least one hurdle assessment (as described within Schedule 2 of the Assessment Policy). |
Other grades (FW, I, IS, UD, UJ, UL) may be allocated student has withdrawn after the Census Date, not submitted or completed one or more components of the assessment, has been awarded a supplementary assessment, has applied for special consideration or because of an unresolved matter such as allegations of academic misconduct. These grades are outlined in Schedule 1 of the Assessment Policy.
Where to find information about assessment
General assessment information including the number and nature of assessments, due dates and weightings has been provided in this unit guide.
Specific assessment information including assignment instructions, questions, marking criteria and rubrics as well as examples of relevant and related assessment tasks and responses will be available in the Assessment section on iLearn. For units that have final examinations, students may access past final exam papers using MultiSearch.
Student Responsibilities
As per the Assessment Policy, students are responsible for their learning and are expected to:
Submission of Assessment Tasks
Assessments must be submitted in accordance with instructions provided in this unit guide. Assessment tasks which have not been submitted as required will not be marked; they will be considered a non-submission and zero marks will be awarded for the task.
Late Submissions and Penalties
Late submissions without an approved extension are possible but will be penalised at 20% per 24 hour period or thereof up to 4 days (weekend inclusive).
Late penalties will be calculated based on the marks allocated to the assessment. I.e. if an assessment is worth 100 marks, a 20 mark deduction will be made for each day of lateness or part thereof.
Example: An assignment is due at 5:00 pm on a Friday and is marked out of 100 marks.
Please see “In class assessment” section for further information on in class assessments.
Extensions
Extensions will only be granted as a result of a successful application for Special Consideration. To apply for an extension of time for submission of an assessment item, students must submit their application for Special Consideration via ask.mq.edu.au.
An approved extension will not incur late penalties. However, where a student has been granted an extension and submits late (i.e. after the stipulated due date following extension), late penalties will be applied as per the new the due date. Late penalties will be 20% per 24 hour period or thereof up to 4 days (weekend inclusive).
Resubmissions
Students are responsible for ensuring that they make correct submissions. Following an initial submission, students may resubmit their work up to four days after the due date if, for example, they have submitted the incorrect document or forgotten to include information.
Resubmissions will be treated as late submissions and will be penalised at 20% per 24 hour period or thereof up to 4 days (weekend inclusive). After the 5th day record of submission will be made and feedback provided on the new content submitted but the student will receive zero marks for the assessment task.
In order to resubmit your work you will need to contact your teacher, and ask them to delete your original submission so that you can upload a new one. Teaching staff contact details have been provided in this unit guide.
Retention of Originals
It is the responsibility of the student to retain a copy of any work submitted. Students must produce these documents upon request. Copies should be retained until the end of the grade appeal period each term.
In the event that a student is asked to produce another copy of work submitted and is unable to do so, they may be awarded zero (0) for that particular assessment task.
Requests for original documentation will be sent to the applicant’s student email address within six (6) months of notification by the student. Students must retain all original documentation for the duration of this six (6) month period and must supply original documents to the University within ten (10) working days of such a request being made.
In Class Assessments
Students must bring their Student ID Card to all assessment tasks, including in class assessments and produce this if requested. Students may be refused the opportunity to take an in class assessment task where unable to show their student ID card.
Where an assessment is to be held or submitted during a scheduled lesson, students must be ready to submit, present or sit the assessment task at the start of the lesson, however not all assessments may commence at the beginning of the lesson. No additional time or adjustment will be made for late arriving students or students not ready to submit an assessment at the start of the lesson and late penalties will apply.
For example, if a one hour test or quiz is due to take place in a 2 hour lesson, the test or quiz may start at any time in the first hour or at the start of the second hour, so students must be ready to take the test at the beginning of the lesson. No additional time will be given to or adjustment made for students who arrive late. While they may still be permitted to take the test, depending on the task, the student will have only the remaining time to complete the task. Similarly, where an assessment task is due in a given lesson, late penalties may apply to a student who submits the task at the end of the lesson, depending on submission instructions for the task.
Revision Sessions
Where relevant, a revision session may be scheduled prior to the final examination. Revision sessions will usually be scheduled on Monday and/or Tuesday of Week 7. Details of the revision session will be provided in the teaching schedule section of the unit guide and reminders may be posted in iLearn. Where revision sessions are available, students are strongly encouraged to attend.
Final Examinations
The final examination period is Week 7. Examinations will usually be scheduled on Tuesday and Wednesday of Week 7, however students must be available to take exams and submit assessments on any day of this week.
For unit specific details please refer to the Assessment section of this unit guide.
Final Examination Timetable
The University will publish the College Final Examination Timetable at least 4 weeks before the commencement of the final examination period and students will be able to access their final examination schedule in Week 3 of the Term.
Final Examination Requirements
Schedule 4 of the Assessment Policy explains what students are responsible for:
Details of the structure and format of the final examination paper will be made available to students via iLearn prior to the start of the final examination period. This detail will include:
Students must follow directions given by the Final Examination Supervisor.
Students will be required to present their Macquarie University Campus Card as photographic proof of identity for the duration of the final examination and may be refused the opportunity to take a final examination where unable to show their student ID card.
Students are not permitted to:
Missed assessments and examinations
The Special Consideration Policy establishes the principles that support students seeking to notify the University when they experience short-term, unexpected, serious and unavoidable circumstances, which affect their performance in assessment. This Policy applies only to short-term, serious and unavoidable circumstances that arise after a study period has commenced, and where specific assessment task/s have been affected. Students with a pre-existing disability/health condition or prolonged adverse circumstances are advised to seek support from Campus Wellbeing and should also refer to the Student Disability Support Policy.
In order to support students who have experienced serious and unavoidable circumstances, the University will attempt to provide affected students with one (1) additional opportunity to demonstrate that they have met the learning outcomes of a unit or units. An additional opportunity provided under such circumstances is referred to as Special Consideration, and may be granted after careful evaluation of the supporting evidence.
Students are expected to plan their work so that they can meet assessment deadlines at the same time as other obligations which they may have, both inside and outside the University. Special Consideration will not be granted when students are unable to complete an assessment task due to planned or foreseeable absence (e.g. holidays, recreational activities or normal work commitments or changes).
All applications for Special Consideration must be substantiated by original, independent documentary evidence in the format and by the deadline prescribed in the Procedure.
Please refer to the Special Consideration Policy section under Policies and Procedures below.
Supplementary Tests, Supplementary Examinations and Second Attempts at a Hurdle Assessments
Where a student has been granted a supplementary test or examination as a result of an application for special consideration, they will be advised of the time, date and location for the supplementary task.
Supplementary interim assessments (i.e. assessments held during the term) will be held throughout the term and students who have been granted an opportunity to sit a supplementary exam will be informed of times and dates via ask.mq.edu.au.
The supplementary final examination period for formal, end of term examinations will be the fortnight following Week 7. Students who have requested special consideration for a final examination must be available to undertake examinations during the supplementary examination period.
Where a student is eligible for a second attempt at a hurdle assessment, this will typically be scheduled during the supplementary interim/final examination periods unless stipulated otherwise in the assessment section of the unit guide. Students awarded second attempts at hurdles will be notified via email so please ensure you are checking your student email regularly.
No more than one (1) supplementary assessment will be offered to a student in each affected unit, so it is essential that the student makes themselves available for the alternative assessment activity. Please refer to the Special Consideration Policy for further details.
Results for supplementary final examinations may not be available for up to two weeks following the supplementary examination. Students in their final term of study who undertake supplementary final exams and students who apply for special consideration for a unit which is a prerequisite to another unit in their program should note that formal completion of their Program will not be possible until supplementary results are released and this may impact on their ability to enrol in subsequent programs of study on time.
Accessing your Results
Students will be able to view their results for internal assessments via the Grades section in iLearn.
Grades (e.g. HD, D, CR, P, F) for all assessment tasks will be released to students once marking has concluded. Marks for individual assessments may be released as well.
Final results for the unit will be released at 00:01 on Thursday of Vacation Week. Students will be able to view their final result for the unit via eStudent.
Calculating your GPA
A Grade Point Average (GPA) is a calculation that reflects the overall grades of a student in a coursework program. Please refer to the GPA Calculator.
Obtaining Feedback
Teaching staff will provide students with feedback about their academic progress and performance in assessment tasks or a unit of study. Where relevant, other staff such as Senior Teachers, Program Managers and members of the Student Administration and Services Team will provide feedback and advice to students about their performance in a program of study. Feedback may be provided to individual students, a group of students or a whole class and it may be written or verbal in nature.
Some examples of feedback include:
Recorded voice comment provided in response to an essay submitted online.
It is a student’s responsibility to:
If you are unsure how or when feedback has been or will be provided, or you feel that feedback provided is not sufficient, you must approach relevant teaching or administrative staff and request additional feedback in a timely manner during the term and prior to any subsequent assessment task or the final assessment task for the unit. Claims that not enough feedback has been provided are not grounds for a grade appeal, especially where a student has not made any effort to approach staff about obtaining additional feedback in a timely manner. Students may seek general feedback about performance in a unit up to 6 months following results release.
If you have any problems contacting your teacher you must seek help from administrative staff in the 10 Macquarie Walk Level 2 Reception.
Feedback Sessions
Where relevant, a revision session may be scheduled after the results release. Revision sessions will usually be scheduled on Friday of Vacation Week. Details of the revision session will be provided in the teaching schedule section of the unit guide and reminders may be posted in iLearn. Where revision sessions are available, students are strongly encouraged to attend.
Contacting Teaching Staff Obtaining Help
Students may contact teaching staff at any time during the term by using the contact details provided in this guide. Students should expect a response within 1-2 business days. Teaching staff are unable to accept assessment submissions via email, all assessments must be submitted as outlined in the unit guide.
For all university related correspondence, students must use their official Macquarie University student email account which may be accessed via the Macquarie University Student Portal. Inquiries from personal email accounts will not be attended to.
Academic Honesty
All members of the University community must abide by the principles of academic honesty as per the Academic Honesty Policy. The fundamental principle is that all staff and students act with integrity in the creation, development, application and use of ideas and information. This means that:
All breaches of the Academic Honesty Policy are serious and penalties apply. Students should be aware that they may fail an assessment task, a unit or even be excluded from the University for breaching the Academic Honesty Policy.
Examples of some dishonest behaviours include deception, fabrication, obstruction, plagiarism and sabotage.
Deception includes:
Plagiarism involves using the work or ideas of another person, whether intentionally or not, and presenting this as your own without clear acknowledgement of the source of the work or ideas. This includes, any of the following:
Sabotage includes, but is not limited to, theft of work, destruction of library materials.
Fabrication involves creating false data, citation(s), or reports.
Obstruction involves intentionally impeding or interfering with another student’s academic work
The University may commence applicable disciplinary procedures if a person who breaches the Academic Honesty Policy.
Turnitin
To uphold principles of Academic Honesty, Macquarie University employs online anti-plagiarism Software called Turnitin. Turnitin compares electronically submitted papers to a database of academic publications, internet sources and other student papers that have been submitted to the system to identify matching text. It then produces an Originality Report which identifies text taken from other sources, and generates a similarity percentage.
All text based assessments must be submitted through Turnitin as per instructions provided in the unit guide. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that work is submitted correctly prior to the due date. This includes verifying that correct files have been submitted as no special consideration will be given to students who have uploaded incorrect documents. No hard copies of assessments will be accepted and only Turnitin records will be taken as records of submission.
Multiple submissions may be possible via Turnitin prior to the final due date and time of an assessment task and originality reports may be made available to students to view and check their levels of similarity prior to making a final submission. Students are encouraged to use these reports to ensure that they do not breach they Academic Honesty Policy through high levels of similarity (plagiarism).
Students should note that the report on the initial submission will be immediate but on a second or subsequent submission it will take at least 24-36 hours for the similarity report to be generated. This may be after the due date so students should plan any resubmissions carefully. If you have not planned your submission time carefully and note high levels of similarity in your work after the due date, you can still resubmit your work, however a late penalty (20% per day) will apply. For instructions on how to resubmit your work please see “Resubmissions after the due date” section in this unit guide.
Teaching staff will use the report to judge whether plagiarism has occurred and whether penalties should apply for breaches of the Academic Honesty Policy. Any similar text identified by Turnitin will be considered carefully to see if it is indeed a breach of the Academic Honesty Policy.
There is no set percentage which indicates whether plagiarism has occurred; all identified matching text should be reconsidered carefully. If plagiarism has occurred or is suspected and resubmission is possible prior to the due date, students are advised to edit their work before making a final submission. Help may be sought from teaching staff and students may also access research resources provided by the library or Learning Skills.
Please refer to these instructions on how to submit your assignment through Turnitin and access similarity reports and feedback provided by teaching staff.
Should you have questions about Turnitin or experience issues submitting through the system, you must inform your teacher immediately. If the issue is technical in nature may also lodge a OneHelp Ticket, refer to the IT help page.
Submission of Drafts through Turnitin.
In some instances students may be required to submit drafts of written work via Turnitin prior to the due date of the assessment task so that they can receive feedback prior to making a final submission. If the student does not make a final submission prior to the due date, their draft will be counted as the final submission or late penalties applied.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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Group Oral Presentation | 15% | No | Week 2 Lesson 1 |
Information Report | 30% | No | Week 3 Monday 9 am |
Research report | 40% | No | Week 5 Friday 11:55 pm |
Brochure | 15% | No | Week 6 Friday 11:55 pm |
Due: Week 2 Lesson 1
Weighting: 15%
Students will need to deliver a Group Oral Presentation on scientific information regarding a social issue.
While students within a group will be required to work together to research, structure and deliver their presentation, each student will receive both an individual (60%) and group (40%) mark for this assessment task. As with all assessment tasks, the complete assessment rubric for this task is available on the iLearn website. The presentations will be held in class in Week 2 Lesson 1.
Students must submit their presentation slides via Turnitin by Week 2 Monday 8:30 am. Late submissions will be penalised by 20% per day. Please refer to the late submissions section in this unit guide.
If the student's work has a higher than 10% similarity, the submission will be investigated and, if plagiarism is detected, the penalty identified in the marking rubric will be applied. Students who are found to have committed plagiarism will be reported to the Governance team.
If students miss their presentation due to illness, they should refer to the Special Consideration policy section of this unit guide.
Due: Week 3 Monday 9 am
Weighting: 30%
Students are expected to produce an Information Report for an academic audience outlining a major issue with regard to a topic of social concern. The text should also indicate potential areas of further research. The word count for this task is 1000 words.
This is an individual task.
Students must submit a hard copy draft of their information report in Week 2 Lesson 4 so that they can receive feedback from the teaching staff and their peers.Students will be required to submit a draft of their Information Report into Turnitin to check that they are not committing plagiarism. This must be done at least 24 hrs. before the due date. They will need to address any similarity issues reported by Turnitin and write a Reflection about the steps they have taken to overcome those issues.
The marks will be allocated as follows:
Information Report - 25%
Reflection - 5%
Students must submit the final version of the Information Report via Turnitin by Week 3 Monday 9 am . This final draft should include the Information Report text followed by the Reflection. Please note, re-submissions in Turnitin are only allowed until the deadline. After this time, students will not be able to make changes to their Turnitin submission.
Late submissions will be penalised by 20% per day. Please refer to late submissions section of this unit guide.
Feedback will be provided via Grademark in iLearn.
Due: Week 5 Friday 11:55 pm
Weighting: 40%
Students are expected to produce a Research Report related to their topic.
This is an individual task. Word count: 1200.
Students must submit hard copy drafts of different parts of their Research Report as per the instructions given by the teacher so that they can receive feedback from the teaching staff and their peers. Students will be required to submit a draft of the whole Research Report into Turnitin to check that they are not committing plagiarism. They will need to address any similarity issues reported by Turnitin and write a Reflection about the steps they have taken to overcome those issues. Only students with a similarity higher than 10 % will need to write the Reflection. Unlike the Reflection written for the Information Report, the reflection produced for the Research Report will not be graded. If the student's work has a similarity rating higher than 10%, the work will be closely examined and, if plagiarism is detected the penalty identified in the marking rubric will be applied.
Students must submit the final version of the Research Report via Turnitin by Friday, 11:55 pm in Week 5. Please note, re-submissions in Turnitin are only allowed until the deadline. After this time, students will not be able to make changes to their Turnitin submission. Also note that there is a 24 hrs. lag between re-submissions and the similarity report.
Feedback will be provided via Grademark in iLearn.
Late submissions will be penalised by 20% per day. Please refer to the late submissions section in this unit guide.
Due: Week 6 Friday 11:55 pm
Weighting: 15%
Students are expected to produce an Informative Brochure for a popular audience. The Brochure should present information included in the Research Report but in a format and style appropriate to this type of audience.
This is an individual task. The word count for this task is 600 words.
Students must submit a hard copy of the draft of their Brochure in Week 6 Lesson 4 so that they can receive feedback from the teaching staff and their peers. Students will be required to submit a draft of their Brochure into Turnitin to check that they are not committing plagiarism. They will need to address any similarity issues reported by Turnitin and write a Reflection about the steps they have taken to overcome those issues. Only students with a similarity higher than 10 % will need to write the Reflection. Unlike the Reflection written for the Information Report, the reflection produced for the Brochure will not be graded. If the student's work has a similarity rating higher than 10%, the work will be closely examined and, if plagiarism is detected the penalty identified in the marking rubric will be applied. Students who are found to have committed plagiarism in the Brochure will be reported to the Governance team.
Students must submit the final version of the Brochure via Turnitin by Friday, 11:55 pm in Week 6. Please note, re-submissions in Turnitin are only allowed until the deadline. After this time, students will not be able to make changes to their Turnitin submission. Also note that their is a 24 hrs lag time between re-submissions.
Feedback will be provided via Grademark in iLearn.
Late submissions will be penalised by 20% per day. Please refer to the late submissions section in this unit guide.
Term Dates & College Calendar
Details of key dates during the term can be found on the Important Dates calendar.
Enrolment and Timetables
General timetable information is available via Macquarie University's Timetable page.
Students will be able to enrol in units and register for classes via eStudent and also view their personal timetable. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that classes they have registered for do not clash.
Students are only permitted to attend classes in which they have registered via eStudent, unless they have written approval from the Students Services and Administration Manager. To seek approval, students must email muic@mq.edu.au or speak to a member of the Student Services and Administration Team in 10 Macquarie Walk Level 2 Reception. Approval will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.
The last day to enrol, add or change units is Tuesday of Week 1. Swapping groups is not possible after the enrolment period has concluded. The last day to enrol and register into classes is Tuesday of Week 1 and this must be finalised by the student in eStudent by the end of the day.
Guest Lecturer Presentations and Workshops
One or two Guest Lecturer Presentations and/or workshops may be scheduled during the term. These sessions will take place outside of regular class time, usually in a lecture theatre on campus. In the session a speaker (usually an expert or well-known academic in the field) will give a presentation on a particular topic related to the unit or field.
While attendance at guest lectures is not compulsory, and content covered is not examinable unless covered in regular classes, students are strongly encouraged to attend these sessions as they will:
Specific details including time and venue for Guest Lecturer Presentations and workshops will be posted in iLearn announcements and provided in class.
Recordings of these sessions may also be made available to students via iLearn.
Attendance Requirements – All Students
All students are expected to attend 100% of scheduled class time.
Attendance will be monitored in each lesson & students will be able to see their current attendance percentage to date and potential attendance percentage for each unit they have enrolled in via iLearn.
Where a student is present for a part of a lesson (for example arrives late, leaves early, leaves the class frequently, particularly for lengthy periods) the teacher reserves the right to mark a student absent for that part of the lesson.
In cases of unavoidable non-attendance due to illness or circumstances beyond their control, students should lodge an application for special consideration ask.mq.edu.au within 5 working days and supply relevant supporting documentation, even if they have not missed a formal assessment task. This will ensure that that appropriate records of unavoidable absences can be kept.
Attendance Requirements for International Standard Foundation Program and Intensive Program Students
International students in the Standard Foundation Program and the Intensive Program are required to maintain 80% attendance across all their enrolled units in a Term of study to satisfy the conditions of their visa. Students who do not meet this requirement may be reported to the Department of Home Affairs and excluded from the University.
Where a student is at risk of not meeting the 80% attendance requirement across their enrolled units in a Term, they will be counselled by the teaching and/or student services staff. Once an international student fails to meet the 80% attendance requirement, they may be reported to the Government for non-attendance and their visa may be cancelled.
Because of the intensive nature of this program, students should be aware that their attendance may fall quite quickly and should carefully monitor their attendance on a regular basis. They may do so by checking their attendance in iLearn and ensuring they attend at least 80% of classes in each of the units they are enrolled in. Students should refer to the Potential Attendance Percentage.
For further information on attendance, please refer to the Attendance and Study Load Policy.
Public Holidays and Make-up Lessons
If any scheduled class falls on a public holiday a make-up lesson may be scheduled on an alternate day, usually on a Saturday or a weekday at a time when students do not have other classes scheduled. Alternatively, some make-up lessons might be delivered on-line.
In Term 1 there will be no public holidays.
Technology Used and Required
Bringing your own Device (BYOD)
Macquarie University is BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) friendly and it encourages students to bring their Windows or Mac devices to use on campus and during classes.
In some classes in this unit, you will need to have access to a mobile device, Office applications (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and an Internet Browser of your choice. If you do not have your own device and computer access is required in a particular lesson, you may be able to borrow a laptop to use for the duration of the lesson.
As a Macquarie University student, you are entitled to free access to Microsoft Office Suite, which you can download for use on your device. Please visit the University’s software downloads page for full instructions.
If you do bring your own device, you will need to ensure that it is sufficiently charged as access to power points will not be available in the classrooms.
iLearn
iLearn is Macquarie's online learning management system and a principal teaching and learning resource which will be used throughout the term. Students must access iLearn at least 3 times per week to access important information including:
For any resource related iLearn questions contact your teacher. For any technical or support issues using iLearn, please contact the IT helpdesk (Ph. 02 9850 4357) or lodge a ticket using OneHelp.
Useful Study Resources
StudyWise is an iLearn resource created by Learning Skills, which is specifically designed to help you to manage your studies, strengthen your study techniques, write effective assignments and improve your English language proficiency. Once you enrol in StudyWISE, you can access it from your iLearn course list under the category "Student Support".
InfoWise will help you improve your research skills by teaching you how to use MultiSearch, decode citations, identifying key search terms and use advanced search techniques.
Lib Guides provide students with links to electronic sources and websites that are good starting points for research in different fields or disciplines.
MultiSearch will connect you to Macquarie University Library and allow you to search library resources, databases, unit readings and past exam papers
Academic Language and Learning Workshops are designed to help you with Study Skills, Assignment Writing, Referencing and Academic Language.
Research resources provide information about:
Numeracy Support is provided by the Numeracy Centre. Students who can attend these support classes on a drop in basis as required.
Week |
TOPIC |
Assessment Task |
1 |
Unit overview: Introduction and group topics
Evaluating Academic Sources
Developing effective reading and critical thinking skills
From reading to writing: writing effective summaries.
Introduction to Harvard Referencing basics.
Purpose and structure of academic presentations.
Planning an oral presentation
Using visuals effectively. Defining Academic Honesty.
|
Complete the academic integrity module.
Proficiency Test
|
2 |
Purpose and audience of information reports.
Integrating tabular evidence. Writing data commentaries.
Summarising multiple sources, & integrating evidence
Packaging the ideas of others: Voice: (direct, indirect, external).
Referencing – in-text & reference lists.
Descriptive versus evaluative language. Understanding Turnitin.
Expressing your voice. Distinguishing between your voice and the voice of others. Using citation effectively. Science & expressing judgement. Exploring technical language.
Marking rubric.
|
PRE- CENSUS FEEDBACK Group Presentation slides due Monday 8:30 am
Assessment 1: Group Oral Presentations Lesson 1
Draft Information Report due Lesson 4 |
3 |
Writing research reports: Purpose and audience of research reports.
Report structures.
Deconstructing model research report.
Developing a position.
Structural and linguistic features of the Introduction
Expressing your voice. Distinguishing between your voice and the voice of others.
Using reporting verbs, synthesising sources,
Structural and Linguistic features of a Literature Review |
Assessment 2: Information report due Monday 9 am
Draft Introduction and Literature review due Lesson 4 |
4 |
Structural and Linguistic features of the Results section: Data analysis Giving information: Clause complex structures (simple, compound and complex). Structure and Linguistic features of Discussion:
Expressing Authority: nominal groups and nominalisation,
Expression judgement: Hedges & Boosters
|
|
5 |
Writing Abstracts. Introducing topic. Structure of abstract.
Cohesion and coherence
Reference list revision |
Draft Data analysis and Discussion due Lesson 1
Full draft (including abstract) due Lesson 3
Assignment 3: Research report due Friday 11:55 pm |
6 |
Purpose and audience of brochures.
Structure and language of Brochures.
Writing for a popular audience.
Difference between popular and academic writing in science. |
Draft Brochure due: Lesson 4
Assignment 4: Brochure due Friday 11:55 pm |
7 |
MUIC Official Examination period
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8 |
Vacation Week |
Feedback session for students will be scheduled during this week |
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
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.
Academic Honesty
Using the work or ideas of another person, whether intentionally or not, and presenting them as your own without clear acknowledgement of the source is called Plagiarism.
Macquarie University promotes awareness of information ethics through its Academic Honesty Policy. This means that:
All breaches of the Academic Honesty Policy are serious and penalties apply. Students should be aware that they may fail an assessment task, a unit or even be excluded from the University for breaching the Academic Honesty Policy.
Assessment Policy
Students should familiarise themselves with their responsibilities under the Assessment Policy, and notably Schedule 4 (Final Examination Requirements).
Final Examination Script Viewings
A student may request to view their final examination script once results have been released but scripts remain the property of Macquarie University.
Students should view their final examination paper prior to submitting a grade appeal, if this is relevant to their case. The viewing will be conducted in a secure location under supervision.
To request a final examination script viewing, please email: muic@mq.edu.au and write ‘script viewing’ in the subject heading.
Scripts may be reviewed for up to 6 months following the results release date for the relevant Term.
Grade Appeals
A student who has been awarded a final grade for a unit has the right to appeal that grade as outlined in the Grade Appeal Policy. Grade appeals apply to the final mark and grade a student receives for a unit of study. They do not apply to results received for individual assessment tasks.
Grade appeals must be submitted via ask.mq.edu.au within 20 working days from the published result date for the relevant unit. Before submitting a Grade Appeal, please ensure that you read the Grade Appeal Policy and note valid grounds for appeals.
Students are expected to seek feedback on individual assessment tasks prior to the award of a final grade. Students also have the right to request generic feedback from the teaching staff on their overall performance in the unit, including in a final examination. This can be done at any time in the six month period starting from the day on which the final grade of the relevant unit is published.
Course Progression
The College closely monitors students' academic progress as per the Progression Policy for Programs delivered by Macquarie University International College.
To maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress, a student must successfully complete (pass) 50% or more of their enrolled units in a Term of study. To successfully complete a unit, students must obtain a passing grade and meet any other requirements to pass listed in the unit guide.
Students who fail to make Satisfactory Academic Progress will be classified as "at risk" and will be notified in writing. At-risk students may be required to undergo academic counselling, undertake certain initiatives or have conditions placed upon their enrolment to help them make satisfactory progress.
Students must also pass 50% or more of the units in 2 or more terms in order to meet Minimum Rate of Progress (MRP) requirements. A student is deemed not to be making Minimum Rate of Progress if they fail more than 50% of their enrolled units in two consecutive Terms of study, or if they have failed more than 50% of their units after studying two or more terms.
Any domestic student who has been identified as not meeting Minimum Rate of Progress requirements will be issued with an Intention to Exclude letter and may subsequently be excluded from the program.
Any international student who has been identified as not meeting MRP will be subject to exclusion from the program and be issued with an Intention to Report letter and may subsequently be reported to the Department of Home Affairs for not meeting visa requirements. International students must comply with the Progression Policy of the College in order to meet the conditions of their visa.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
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.
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
All assessments due dates and times have changed.
Marks for Assessment 1 - Group oral presentations now consist of an individual and a group mark.
Hard copy draft submissions for Assessment 3 - Research report now will be done for each section of the report separately.
Accepted plagiarism level is now 10% instead of 8%.
Feedback to students will now be provided during the Vacation week.
Weekly face to face contact for this unit will be 8 hours (48 hours per term).
There will be 4 two-hour lessons per week.
The following text has been prescribed for this unit.
Brick, J., Herke, M. and Wong, D. (2016). Academic Culture: A student’s guide to studying at university. 3rd ed. South Yarra: Palgrave Macmillan.
This text will be available for purchase from the Co-Op Bookshop located in the C7A MUSE Building - 18 Wally's Walk, Phone: 8986 4000.
All students should ensure that they have access to the prescribed text(s) from the start of the Term as failure to do so could jeopardise their academic progress in this unit.
Other editions or formats of the above resource(s) may be acceptable, but you must students must consult teaching staff prior to purchasing these.
Recommended Texts:
iGE Grammar App for iPhone, iPad and Android (Available from the App store).
Collins COBUILD English Grammar HarperCollins, 2011.
Additional reading materials will be provided to the students throughout the semester. These materials will be provided in hard copy or placed on iLearn.
All students should ensure that they have access to the prescribed text(s) from the start of the Term as failure to do so could jeopardise their academic progress in this unit.