Essay

Topics for the essay will be provided via iLearn on Tuesday 3^rd March or students may choose their own topic following approval from the convenors.

Submitting your essay

Please submit a copy or your essay (Microsoft word format only) via the turnitin link in iLearn. Essays will be returned by the end of Week 8.

A copy of the assignment must be kept as proof that the assignment was completed and submitted. Assignments will not be accepted after the return of marked assignments.

Assignments submitted by post will not be accepted.

You will be required to submit your assignment to Turnitin plagiarism detection software via the Internet.  Your assignment will be automatically compared to work of other students in this unit, previous students in this unit and at other universities, as well as material available on the Internet in subscription-based journal format or otherwise freely accessible information.  The results of the analysis will be sent only to the unit chairs, who will analyse the results in reference to the University’s standard policy on plagiarism http://www.student.mq.edu.au/plagiarism/.

Penalties will be levied for late submission of assignment and for exceeding word limits:

Penalties for late submission: The penalty for late submission is 5% of the maximum mark per day overdue. For this assignment, worth 50%, this means that every day late will result in the loss of 5% (0.05) x 50 = 2.5 marks from the total mark (50) for the assignment.

Penalty for exceeding word limit: For each 100 words over the word limit a penalty of 5% will be applied. This means that for this assignment that is worth 50%, a 5% penalty will result in the loss of 5% (0.05) x 50 = 2.5 marks from the total mark (50) for the assignment. This means that you have 99 words on page 9 before penalty.

Request for Extensions for Assignments are granted by the Faculty Office:

Ordinarily, no extensions of time for submission of written work will be granted since ample time for preparation will have been given.  If an extension is required for medical or other extenuating circumstances, students may request this in writing through ask.mq.edu.au with supporting documentary evidence (such as medical certificate, counsellor note, or similar).   Ms Donna Keeley will make all decisions regarding extensions.  The course convenor will not grant extensions. 

All requests for extensions must be made prior to the due date for the assignment.

If an extension is granted, the approval must be uploaded with the online submission of your essay to avoid any late penalty.

Research Presentation

Given weekly throughout the session (allocation to topic in week 1). You are to individually select a relevant neuroscience article and present your arguments in a 30 minute powerpoint presentation. You will be assessed on oral communication, clarity and presentation of information (rubric available on iLearn). Please email a copy of this paper to sarah.baracz@mq.edu.au prior to your presentation so that it can be made available to other students via iLearn.  All articles must be approved by the course convenor.

On successful completion you will be able to:

• To gain a greater understanding of the physiology and pharmacology of brain function.
• To apply this knowledge of brain function to understanding the underpinnings of mental illness, neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases.
• To critically analyse journal articles on mental illness, neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases based on their methodological design, reasoning and data.
• To clearly and efficiently communicate the reasoning, methodological design, and outcome of a research paper.

Student participation

You are to ask one question during each weekly student presentation based on discussion and/or article.

On successful completion you will be able to:

• To critically analyse journal articles on mental illness, neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases based on their methodological design, reasoning and data.
• To clearly and efficiently communicate the reasoning, methodological design, and outcome of a research paper.

Unit is delivered as a 3 hour workshop each week. Information for the class is available on iLearn.