Study Plan

Due: 09/03/2020 Weighting: 0% This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

Complete Study Plan with your chosen supervisor and submit to iLearn by the start of week 3. This is a hurdle assessment, i.e. pass/fail.

Annotated Bibliography

Due: Week 5 Weighting: 15%

The student will provide a bibliography including at least 10 relevant papers. For each paper you should include a short description (up to 300 words) of the main points and relevance of the paper to the aims of your reading project.

Seminar

Due: Week 12 Weighting: 25%

The student will give a 15-minute seminar outlining their reading topic and then answer questions. The format should be as per a conference presentation. On successful completion you will be able to:

Report or Literature Review

Due: Week 13 Weighting: 60%

Students are to complete report or literature review (around 2500 words) on their chosen topic. Students are to engage with their supervisor through regular meetings to define the the structure and content of the report.

 

Assessment Criteria Assessment at Macquarie University is standards-based, as outlined in the Assessment Policy. This means that your work will be assessed against clear criteria, and these criteria will be made available when the assessment tasks are released to you on iLearn.

Submission of two of your assessments 2 and 4 must be submitted online through Turnitin. Links for the submission of each assignment will be available on iLearn. The due dates for all four assessment tasks are not negotiable. If you have commitments that will significantly impact your study during the session then you must plan for this in advance as part of an effective individual study plan and you may need to contact the unit convenor for advice.

Hurdle Requirement

A hurdle requirement is an activity for which a minimum level of performance or participation is a condition of passing the unit (see the Assessment Policy). In this unit, the hurdle requirement is that the study plan is submitted by 09-3-2020. Failure to meet the hurdle requirement will result in failure of the unit.

Marking of Assessments

Your two major assignments will be marked through Turnitin and feedback will be noted on the assignment. Do not submit your assignments via email or in hard copy. Your grades will be returned using the Grades Report on iLearn. Grades from your quizzes and the exam will also be made available on iLearn.

Penalties for Late Assessments

The penalty for late submission of assessments in this unit is ten percent (10 %) of the assessment value per day, calculated from the due time and date. This means that if the assignment is worth a total of 30 marks (or 30 % of the unit) you will lose 3 marks for each day late. This is a hefty penalty designed to make you aware of the importance of organising yourself around assessment due dates. The penalty will be applied over weekdays and weekends unless you have been granted an extension by the lecturer responsible for the assignment prior to the due date.

Extensions for Assessments

To obtain an extension for an assessment task, you will need to follow the formal process as outlined in the Special Consideration Policy, and you must provide appropriate supporting documentation (e.g. medical certificate - see advice for Special Consideration requests). The final decision regarding the granting of an extension and/or a late penalty lies with the unit convenor/lecturer responsible for the assignment. Permission for extension must be sought well before the due date unless this is absolutely impossible. Let us know of problems in advance or as soon as possible, not after the event: we are likely to be much more sympathetic and flexible in our requirements if you follow this advice.

This is a unit designed to provide students with reading projects in advanced topics from an area of earth and environmental sciences. There are no lectures or practicals. Students are expected to scope out a suitable reading project with their Academic Supervisor, and complete a Study Plan accordingly. Student will arrange a meeting schedule with their Academic Supervisors as part of this process. Academic Supervisors provide guidance and feedback on progress at these meetings.

Example study plans and a proforma are provided on the unit iLearn site.

Web pages and electronic resources:

The main unit web page will be on iLearn:  https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MQ/

iLearn is Macquarie's learning management system. Assignments, hand-outs, and reading material will be available from this site - please ensure you have a valid login in

This unit was previously only a geosciences unit but it has been expanded during the departmental merger to incorporate both earth and environmental sciences