ENVS363 occupies a 3 hour teaching block on Friday from 10 am to 1 pm, at 9 Wally's Walk, 133 Tutorial room (see the campus map here: https://www.mq.edu.au/about/contacts-and-maps/maps). We only meet formally four times in the semester so that you have ample time to read and carry out your research project. Please refer to the Unit timetable below, for further guidance. If I request a meeting with a group outside of these designated four meetings outlined in this unit guide, consider it to be compulsory, given that there will be a good reason for it – such as insufficient evidence of progress that needs to be discussed.

You and your group have to give three presentations (Weeks 3, 5 and 13), submit a short project summary (Week 12) and two copies of a bound Final Report (Week 13). In addition, reflecting and responding to the needs of previous group projects, I have scheduled 3 consultation weeks (weeks 6, 9, 11) for group meetings as required by appointment. I request that we stick to the scheduled available times for meetings for this Unit. For any other queries, I can be contacted on mark.taylor@mq.edu.au.

The University expects that you devote 9 hours per week (over the 15 week session), in total, to a 3 credit point unit such as ENVS363. Put another way, you should be able to achieve a passing grade with around 150 hours for the semester. A rough breakdown for EACH person might be as follows:

Classroom: 4 x 3 hours = 12 hours

Group project meetings: 8 x ~ 1 hours (including preparation time) = 8 hours.

Individual/group research: 130 hours

Total: 150 hours

There is no set textbook or reading list for this unit, due to the varied nature of the projects that are carried out.

Week 1 (2 August 2018) - Introductory lecture and project definition, selection and confirmation

Week 3 (16 August 2018) - Presentation - topic overview

Week 5 (30 August 2018) - Presentation - data collected/other measures of progress presented

Weeks 2,6,7-11 Group consultations with unit convenor/tutor

Week 13 (8 November 2017) - Final presentations - “Industry day” (external supervisors are welcome to attend as they are for previous sessions).

*For consultations it is requested that appointments are made for Friday between 10.00 am - 1.00 pm so that you can be assured of having time to discuss your study.

As per the unit offered in 2018, the unit ENVS363 reflects the University's policy on group work. In this sense, the unit includes individual grading for all assessment tasks required by the unit.

Individual grades will be derived from peer review assessment and will comprise 70% of the unit, with 30% allocated for group work.

The group work component is based on assessment of the final report.

The peer review assessments will be subject to evaluation by the Unit convenor to determine marks are aligned with the assessment comments and that they are consistent and reasonable. In this regard, they may be subject to moderation.

• To create experience in solving applied problems
• To create industry linkages
• To cement group work/social interaction skills
• To foster a research culture
• To become an effective and confident communicator, particularly in public speaking
• To continue to become socially and environmentally aware and responsible

In small groups, you will ​work on and develop ​a project you have been allocated to; or design your own project  in conjunction with the Unit convenor and your supervisor, that have the following parameters;

1. A research question(s) on a matter of environmental concern - these are not prescriptive, so there’s no point in writing down too many guidelines here. You will need to consult with the convenor to determine if your ideas are appropriate. If you have absolutely no ideas, I will make suggestions and in extreme circumstances I will allocate projects.

2. Methods that are able to address the question(s).

3. An industry based host supervisor ​(please note that a select few projects may be supervised by an academic member of staff)

We will formally meet at Weeks 1, 3, 5 and 13, and your group will give formal presentations at Weeks 3, 5 and 13. The presentations on Weeks 3 and 5 are opportunities for feedback, when your peers have an opportunity to have input into your project design. Additional meetings will be available for all other weeks with Prof Taylor / Dr Isley (tutor) to assist with project management and design issues (see details below). Please invite your host supervisor to the final presentation.

The Week 1 meeting is informal. At this meeting, I will overview past projects, expected standards, get groups together if they aren’t already sorted, approve projects for those who already have their ideas resolved. I will be looking for who knows what they are doing, who doesn’t, and to have initial quality control on the projects.

The presentations in Week 3, 5,13 are more formal, and will be assessed.

By Week 3 you should have your project defined, methods outlined, internal and external supervisors known, a preliminary visit to the field site (if appropriate), and the whole concept described clearly and illustrated. If your group is prevaricating about a project at Week 3 stage, I may assign a project and internal supervisor to you. Be aware that if I do this at this stage in the session, it is compulsory due to time constraints.

For the presentations, aim for ~10 minutes plus ~2 minutes of questions. This is a serious presentation; we will have an electronic lectern and a data projector available. Everyone in the group must take a turn talking; this is part of the assessment.

Week 13 will also requiring handing on your final report - details are provided above in this Unit guide about expectations. Additional information is also provided in the lecture in week 1.

The template for the individual peer review assignments are provided on the Unit website.

Students are required to use SPARK. Log in at https://mq.sparkplus.com.au/login.php

The assessment criteria ALSO requires all students in all groups to turn up and present at the three sessions in weeks 3, 5 and 13. Not turning up means the task is incomplete and cannot be marked i.e. if an individual does not turn up or provide a bona fide medical certificate, the result for that assignment will be zero (0), irrespective of the comments and marks provided by the peer review assessment. In summary, turning up and participating in the presentations is integral to the assessment tasks and MUST be completed to achieve marks greater than zero for that task.

Peer review overview 

Group projects enable students to develop different skills to those acquired via individual study. These can include team building, communication, negotiation and respect, acceptance for different perspectives. Effective teamwork involves developing a process within the group to facilitate communication for all parties so that all group members can contribute to the task and end product. The reality of the work place is such that you will have to work with and for others who may not be aligned entirely with your view of the world. Moreover, individuals will have different skills sets, expectations, standards, goals and work ethics. It is a learnt skill to be able to navigate project personnel with such differences to reach the end goal of your project.

Peer evaluation is one way to evaluate team processes. Group members should know how well their group has functioned and be across the relative contribution of each member of the group. Contribution to a group dynamic and outcome is multifaceted: it involves generating ideas and processes for project success; undertaking research and finding resources; completing agreed tasks on schedule; taking notes and supporting group processes; turning up on time to meetings and contributing positively; and adopting leadership and responsibility. The end goal (e.g. class presentation, summary report, final report) requires persistent and consistent effort across the semester in order to achieve a good group outcome.

Instructions

To arrive at a fair assessment for group tasks, students should reflect on the relative contribution of themselves and each group member in their project group using the peer evaluation guide and the University grading system set out below.

Also consider attitudes, such as willingness to perform tasks, dedication, enthusiasm, and use of initiative. For the assessment of themselves and each group member, use the template on SPARK to:

1. provide a grade out of 5 for the contribution of the individual to the group. Note that a grade of '3' means that the group member participated equally with others in the group; a grade of '1' denotes a poor contribution (below average) and a grade of '5'  would be a much higher participation than others in the group.
2. justify your mark with brief comments. 

Quantity and quality of individual contributions

1. attended and contributed to field work/data analysis/group discussions
2. completed tasks – bearing in mind their size and importance
3. completed tasks on time, efficiently and correctly as agreed
4. completed tasks in professional manner – i.e. useful and error free
5. used initiative to complete tasks
6. articulated gaps, opportunities and relevant issues to the group

Contribution to group

1. provided useful and relevant suggestions; had good ideas; active in discussions; enthusiastic, participated actively and effectively
2. used clear communication – verbal and written
3. negotiated and respected opinions and contributions of others
4. showed leadership and carriage of tasks; reliable and trustworthy
5. demonstrated problem-solving skills
6. assisted in collective decision-making
7. worked well with others

Grading (as per the University schedule for grades)

Each group member will be given weighting (from SPARK) for their contribution to each of the assessment tasks, which will be multiplied by the assessment weighting (eg. 10% for Presentation 1) to add toward their final mark. For example, if all group members contributed equally to Presentation 1, they would each receive full marks (10% of total assessment) for this presentation. In addition, individuals will be asked to mark themselves as part of the assessment. All of the marks per individual from across the group will then be evaluated and compiled into a single final mark for each assessment task.

Answers to be provided by group members as part of the assessment

Log in at https://mq.sparkplus.com.au/login.php

We require your responses to the above assessment by 1700 hours the day after the presentation using the software for this purpose (to be detailed in class). If responses are not in on time then zero will be allocated.The above evaluation requires allocation a mark out of 5 for the assessment task, supported by brief justifying comments.

Please note that because all work is group for this Unit, University policy dictates that students will only receive a Pass (listed as an 'S' grade (Satisfactory) on your transcript or Fail for this unit, irrespective of the cumulative marks for the various components of the Unit. 

Week 12 summary and Week 13 Final Report:

•    Addressing the question that is asked by you with a well-developed discussion of the topic, and its implications, that place the topic in a broader context.

•    Using and citing a wide range of literature, including texts, research papers, and grey literature.

•    Demonstrating good planning with a clear structure, headings, and a logical argument based firmly on the literature cited.

•    Presenting a legible paper (where appropriate) with correct grammar and spelling, and correct use of professional terminology as appropriate (note that I expect word processing of the Final Report).

•     Using correct SI units, and correct abbreviations.

•     Referring to figures and tables in the text, with full and appropriate titles on each figure and table, irrelevant material is omitted, sources are given.

•    Citing references acceptably, correctly and consistently in the text as well as in the reference list, no abbreviations, and correct citation of chapters in edited books.

•     Being concise is a virtue; if you can make your point/s with fewer words, please do so.

•    Handing in on time.

•    Completing a report with adequate detail that represents the time for this unit for EACH student. 

•     Each FINAL report must include the contribution of each individual student (clearly identified in the report) i.e.  

          -  a chapter / section clearly identifying which student is the author for that section in a written format report, OR  

          -  an on screen presentation or narration of the students contribution (clearly identified) to the FINAL report.

The individual contribution component of the assessment for ENVS363 is 70% and the group mark (based on the final report) is 30%.

• There is no exam for this unit – it is 100% course work i.e. your project and the final mark is satisfactory/fail - no SNG (standard numerical grade) is assigned to the final grade the unit).

If you experience difficulty achieving a good standard in your written presentation, please talk to me. The University offers a variety of writing courses and sources of advice that may help you.

Assignment extensions and penalties

Failure to attend the presentations without justification means that your personal mark will be zero for that piece of assessment. The rest of the group will not be penalised for non-attendance of a group member. The final report must be completed and submitted, on time and in full, in order to receive credit. Late assignments must be handed personally to me, and they will be penalised 10% of the assignment grade per day or part thereof, beginning at 0900 hours, not at some time later in the day. Late days include weekends. This penalty will be imposed if required. Allowing a group to hand the final report in late is unfair to those who meet the deadlines.

Attendance at the presentations and the deadline for the final report are not negotiable. Only a medical certificate or a letter with appropriate supporting documents outlining other serious extenuating circumstances can be used to avoid penalties associated with non-attendance or late/non-submissions of the report. Let me know of problems in advance or as soon as possible, not after the event. I am likely to be more sympathetic and flexible in my requirements if you follow this advice.  

Grading approach and policy

As noted elsewhere in this Unit guide, assessment will comply with the standard University grading policy and its descriptors:

https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment-in-effect-from-session-2-2016

• Fieldwork/laboratory skills
• Chemical analysis skills
• Data analysis skills
• Project design and management skills
• Writing a major report to a professional standard
• Learning to make presentations (via Powerpoint or similar) to a professional standard
• Learning to give presentations, articulated clearly and professionally

The assessment in ENVS363 leads to a raw percentage mark, which I use to then assign a grade of either Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. This is required by the University Policy on group work (see the Handbook of Undergraduate Studies). This result does not contribute to your grade point average. Feedback will also come in the form of comments given to you verbally at the meetings or emailed directly to you, as well as general commentaries directed to the entire class (either in class or via an email list).

Addressing others appropriately is an important component of engagement. With respect to emailing or speaking to internal staff and external clients it would be good professional practice to refer to them by their title at least in the first instance - e.g.: "Dear Dr Smith". It is not appropriate to consult with a senior person/colleague/mentor who you are not familiar with by not using their name. The use of a generic introduction e.g. "Hey" or "Hi" is not appropriate and nor is "SMS style" writing in emails. If you want to elicit a response to your questions please address the person/organisation appropriately and respectfully. This is good practice for your professional career.  Other generic skills:

• Planning and executing research
• Group management and cooperation
• Developing industry linkages
• Oral presentation skills
• Report preparation
• Synthesis of literature

You are required to keep at least one backup copy of the final version of your Final Report.

Please submit two bound copies of your Final Report to me in the classroom.

Please also e-mail a PDF copy of the final report to cynthia.isley@mq.edu.au

The supervisors full contact details must be included. If your Report is late and without a formal extension granted, it must be handed to me (not left under the office door). It is in your interest to hand in your work on time. If you wish to hand in your summary or Final Report late and you have a medical certificate, you must give it to me. If you know or suspect that you are going to hand in your work late, please talk with me. Unless there is the appropriate documentation, late submissions will be penalised or not marked. The final reports will not be returned – I keep one and I will give the other to your internal supervisor. Note that you may wish to give one to your external supervisor as well.

There are two ways of sourcing an Environmental Management Project:

1. Expressing interest in a pre-approved project sourced by FSE PACE. FSE PACE will email instructions on how to do this in iParticipate by Week 1. Project allocations will be confirmed by Week 2.
2. Design your own project in collaboration with the ENVS363 Unit Convenor. To formalise your project,  you are required to submit an ENVS363 Environmental Management Project Student Group Activity Proposal by Week 2. To do this, please click on the ENVS363 link Bring Your Own Activity (The link is also available on the ENVS363 iLearn page).

Group work can be fun and rewarding, and can build very strong relationships for future collaboration in the workplace. I really believe that a strength of this unit is the generic skills you will learn in group project management. Most importantly though, you can use individual strengths of the different team members to enhance project outcomes.

I expect all group members to contribute equally, although it is up to each group to determine what the individual contributions should be. I know that it is sometimes difficult to work in groups. However, the workplace offers little flexibility as to who your colleagues are, and at some stage in the future you will have to work alongside someone you don’t really like. My advice is to try to respect them even if you do not like them, and make place for their opinions and efforts in the team. In a team situation, like ENVS363, it best to allocate tasks according to individual skills, interests and abilities. Taking notes at group meetings and emailing out the agreed tasks and timeframes is a good way to keep track of what has been agreed, who is to what tasks and by what date those task have been agreed to be completed. This information maybe useful for resolving any disagreements of who is / is not contributing. In all cases, communication is the key to success in this program. In ENVS363, if I even catch a hint that a group is excluding someone from group activities, I shall respond. Please talk with the Tutor (Dr Cynthia Isley) or the Unit convenor (Prof M Taylor) if there are issues.

ENVS363 has been accredited as a PACE unit from 2013. PACE stands for Professional and Community Engagement and it is a key component of the University's strategic direction, emphasising the University's commitment to excellence in research, learning and teaching and community engagement. PACE units provide an academic framework through which students can engage with the community, learn through participation, develop their capabilities and build on the skills that employers value. By connecting students with partner organisations, PACE gives Macquarie students the chance to contribute their academic learning, enthusiasm and fresh perspective to the professional workplace. Through PACE units, students undertake a PACE activity – the experiential component of a PACE unit whereby students engage with the community through participation. The activity can be carried out in a variety of modes such as block (a concentrated period) or over the course of the whole session (i.e. limited hours per week).  Similarly, the timing of the PACE activity for each student may be different depending on arrangements with the community-based partner. While the Unit Convenor and PACE team will collaborate in establishing certain partners and activities, students of ENVS363 may also have the opportunity to identify partner organisations.  All projects proposed must be approved by the Unit Convenor to ensure that students will achieve learning that suits the objectives of this unit. Further, all projects must be formalised including the assessment of Work, Health, and Safety and insurance arrangements.  The PACE team in the Faculty of Science and Engineering will advise and assist in regards to these matters. The website for PACE can be located here:  http://mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/professional_and_community_engagement/. The PACE webpages for the Faculty of Science and Engineering can be found here:  https://www.mq.edu.au/business_and_community/professional_and_community_engagement/contact_us/the_pace_team/.

Pace and Reflective Learning

In terms of reflective learning, the Final Report and presentation for this unit requires students to reflect on the successes and failures of their ENVS363 project. To help facilitate this process of reflection, students should access the Reflection module through iLearn during the period of the unit (in advance of students commencing the Final Report). This module consists of videos involving Macquarie students and staff on the subject of reflection, as well as readings and a practical exercise that can help prepare students for their own reflection. To complete this aspect we suggest you include no more than one page summarising "lessons learnt or reflections on ENVS363."

For the purposes of brevity in the Unit guide we have provided a short summary of the PACE requirements and information and full details will be provided on the Unit website.

Referencing and Citations

There are various types of referencing styles. They differ markedly between journals and journal types: medical science journals differ from law journals, which differ again from science journals.

The referencing style in Environmental Pollution is appropriate for this unit. It is simple and clear.

Please format ALL assignments using the method detailed in the published journal articles:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/02697491

Reference style

Name and year style in the text Text:

All citations in the text should refer to:

1. Single author: the author's name (without initials, unless there is ambiguity) and the year of publication;

2. Two authors: both authors' names and the year of publication;

3. Three or more authors: first author's name followed by 'et al.' and the year of publication. Citations may be made directly (or parenthetically). Groups of references should be listed first alphabetically, then chronologically. Examples: "as demonstrated (Allan, 1996a, 1996b, 1999; Allan and Jones, 1995). Kramer et al. (2000) have recently shown ..."

List:

References should be arranged first alphabetically and then further sorted chronologically if necessary. More than one reference from the same author(s) in the same year must be identified by the letters "a", "b", "c", etc., placed after the year of publication. Note that any (consistent) reference style and format may be used: the Publisher will ensure that the correct style for this journal will be introduced for the proof stages, the final print version and the PDF files for electronic distribution.

Examples:

Reference to a journal publication:

Van der Geer, J., Hanraads, J.A.J., Lupton, R.A., 2000. The art of writing a scientific article. Journal of Scientific Communications 163, 51-59.

Reference to a book:

Strunk Jr., W., White, E.B., 1979. The Elements of Style, third ed. Macmillan, New York.

Reference to a chapter in an edited book:Mettam, G.R., Adams, L.B., 1999. How to prepare an electronic version of your article, in: Jones, B.S., Smith, R.Z. (Eds.), Introduction to the Electronic Age. E-Publishing Inc., New York, pp. 281-304.

Reference to a URL:

NTP (National Toxicology Program), 2012. National Toxicology Program Monograph on Health Effects of Low-level Lead. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. June 13th, 2012. http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/NTP/ohat/Lead/Final/MonographHealthEffectsLowLevelLead_prepublication_508.pdf (accessed 19 June 2017).

Safety and Ethics

A PACE Activity is an experiential activity allocated to, and undertaken by, a student within a PACE unit which may take place in premises other than the University (usually the Partner Organisation’s premises). When working or studying in non-University premises, the primary responsibility for the health and safety of our students becomes that of the Partner Organisation hosting the student. However, as a student, you also have a legal responsibility under the Workplace Health & Safety Act 2011 and the Macquarie University Health & Safety Policy to ensure the health and safety of yourself and of others in the workplace. Each student has a moral and legal responsibility for ensuring that his or her work environment is conducive to good health and safety, by: 

• ensuring that their work and work area is without risk to the health and safety of themselves and others
• complying with the University’s and Partner Organisation’s Work Health & Safety Policy and Procedures
• reporting hazards and incidents as they occur in accordance with University and Partner Organisation’s policy
• actively participating in all health and safety activities and briefing sessions (eg emergency evacuation procedures, site inspections etc)

Each student is also required to advise their Unit Convenor or Faculty PACE Manager as soon as possible when:

• he/she feels unsafe at any stage during the PACE activity
• he/she did not receive a safety induction prior to the commencement of the activity covering: First aid, Fire and emergency evacuation; and Injury/incident reporting
• he/she did not receive any specialised instructions/training necessary to carry out the role
• an incident/accident happens (even when reported to the Partner Organisation/supervisor and managed by them) 

Non-compliance with the above may result in withdrawal of the student from the PACE Activity. Students in the Faculty of Science and Engineering should also be familiar with Faculty-specific practices as appropriate:

http://web.science.mq.edu.au/intranet/ohs/

Ethics issues apply to those whose projects involve:

• the care and use of animals
• human participants (including questionnaires, surveys and interviews)
• biosafety issues, such as recombinant DNA, or
• potentially infectious and/or hazardous agents

If applicable, you must check the ethics committee websites (Animal Ethics, Biosafety, Ethics Review and Ethical Research) at:  http://www.research.mq.edu.au/current_research_staff/human_research_ethics   and if in doubt, consult your internal supervisor, the University Research Ethics Officer or me as the Unit convenor.

Students should note the information below in case they find themselves in any emergency situations.

1. Remove yourself from any danger.

2. Call 000, if necessary.

3. Speak to your partner-based supervisor, if possible. The Organisation may have emergency procedures to follow.

THEN - if the emergency occurs in office hours (i.e. Monday - Friday 9am-5pm)

4. Contact your Unit Convenor by phone/email as soon as you can.

5. If you cannot reach your Unit Convenor, contact your Faculty PACE Manager by phone/email.

OR - if the emergency occurs outside of office hours (i.e. outside of Monday - Friday 9am-5pm)

6. Phone Campus Security Office on (02) 9850-9999 as soon as you can. This is a 24 hour, 7 days a week service and it does not matter where in Australia you are when you call. Please identify yourself as a PACE student when you call.

N.B. For any minor issues with your participation activity, please speak to your partner-based Supervisor. If the problem is more serious, please contact your Unit Convenor or your Faculty PACE Manager.

If you are experiencing difficulties and need to speak to a counsellor:

Contact the MQ Counselling Service at Campus Wellbeing on 9850-7497 (Monday - Friday, 8am-6pm)

1800 MQ CARELINE (1800-227-367) - information and referral service (24 hours, 7 days a week)

If you would like to speak to a counsellor outside of office hours, you can also contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24 hours, 7 days a week).

http://web.science.mq.edu.au/intranet/ohs/

Ethics issues apply to those whose projects involve:

• the care and use of animals
• human participants (including questionnaires, surveys and interviews)
• biosafety issues, such as recombinant DNA, or
• potentially infectious and/or hazardous agents

If applicable, you must check the ethics committee websites (Animal Ethics, Biosafety, Ethics Review and Ethical Research) at http://www.research.mq.edu.au/for/researchers/how_to_obtain_ethics_approval and if in doubt, consult your internal supervisor, the University Research Ethics Officer or me.

No matter whether you trained as an environmental scientist or an environmental manager, in all likelihood you will be managing the environment in some way in your professional career. Society's ability to prevent environmental degradation and / or remediate environments that are already degraded is crucial to the quality of life our children and we will lead. 

Your ability to manage the environment wisely and appropriately will depend upon a sound training in some aspect of science or society - but no one person can be an expert in all fields. You might be best placed to manage people, training schemes, galvanise the community through volunteer programs or fund raising. You might be an environmental atmosphericist, biologist, chemist, geologist or geomorphologist who can monitor and engineer environmental health outcomes, or you might use your skills in other ways. However, what is clear, is that there is a need to be able to identify and research specific problems that exist (or may occur in the future), and liaise with others in the course of solving those problems. That's what this unit is mainly about.

Another aspect of this unit is forging links with industry and future colleagues. We hope that in the course of this unit you may make contacts that will lead to your employment. At the very least, you will make links with your peers. Look around you in the classroom. In coming years, your classmates might be prominent scientists in the community, or they might be directors of companies or other organisations. They might be councillors or members of parliament. You might need the contacts they provide, for information exchange, collaboration or employment. Don't waste this opportunity to forge links with your peers!

ENVS363 builds on the principles, too numerous to name here, contained within a whole range of units you will already have taken as part of the 39 cp pre-requisite. I hope that ENVS363 will be a learning experience that will hold you in very good stead during the transition from student to employee. Good luck with your chosen projects and leave no stone unturned in your efforts to find out and report on the facts, which in turn should lead to your recommendations / conclusions.