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 (e.g. in a rubric) will be made available when the assessment tasks are released to you on iLearn.

Submission of Assessments

All assessments must be submitted online through Turnitin unless otherwise indicated. Links for the submission of each assessment will be available on iLearn.

You should always check that you have uploaded the correct file. If you have a problem, please email the Unit Convenor with your correct file. You must also keep a copy of your assessments until the end of semester in case there is a problem with your submission. It is your responsibility to ensure that you can provide a copy of your assessment if requested.

Marking of Assessments

Assignments will usually be marked through Turnitin with grades provided through Gradebook on iLearn. Please do not submit your assessments via email or in hard copy unless requested (e.g. a sketch or drawing).

We aim to return your assessment grades and feedback within two to three weeks of the date that you submitted it. We appreciate your patience and will advise you through iLearn when your marked assessments and feedback are available for viewing.

Late Assessment Submission Penalty

From 1 July 2022, Students enrolled in Session based units with written assessments will have the following university standard late penalty applied. Please see https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/assessments for more information.

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7^th day (including weekends). After the 7^th day, a grade of '0' will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11:55 pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical concern.

For any late submission of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, and/or scheduled practical assessments/labs, students need to submit an application for Special Consideration.  

Unit iLearn

This unit has an iLearn page that can be accessed through ilearn.mq.edu.au. It contains important information and other materials relating to the unit, including details and links for assessments.

Communication

The unit iLearn is the primary way that we communicate with you. Please check it regularly for announcements and posts. You are encouraged to use the Discussion Board on iLearn to post questions and generate discussion with other students. Please only email the convenor with private matters – all other questions should be posted on iLearn.

Unit Organisation This unit is delivered in modules/weekly topics. The organisation of these is outlined in a detailed unit schedule which is available on iLearn.

Classes

The class timetable for this unit can be found through the Timetable portal. You should also check the unit schedule as some weeks may have other instructions or locations.

Workload

The expected workload for this 10-credit point unit is 150 hours of activity, comprising 80 hours on learning activities and 70 hours on assessment tasks.

Requirements to complete this unit satisfactorily

To complete this unit satisfactorily, you must:

1. Participate in all scheduled classes;

2. Complete all assessments; and

3. Achieve a pass grade or higher.

The descriptions for grades common to all coursework units offered by Macquarie University are outlined in Schedule 1 of the Assessment Policy.

Recommended Texts and/or Materials

There is no set text for this unit. The following lists some useful references. A. Specialist texts

Harrison RM 1999 Understanding our Environment: An Introduction to Environmental Chemistry and Pollution (3rd ed.) Royal Society of Chemistry, London.

Stoker HS & Seager SL Environmental Chemistry: Air and Water Pollution, (2nd ed).

vanLoon GW and Duffy SJ 2000 Environmental Chemistry - a global perspective.

B. Reports

Goedkoop, M. et al. ReCiPe A life cycle impact assessment method which comprises harmonised category indicators at the midpoint and the endpoint level, 2009.

State of the Environment Reports 1996, 2001, 2006 & 2011 published by the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities are key resources which summarise many of the important issues which will be treated in this course, and also contains a comprehensive bibliography in many of the areas. Web site http://soe.environment.nsw.gov.au/

Simpson, S.L. et al. Handbook for Sediment Quality Assessment, CSIRO, Lucas Heights, Australia, 2005.

C. Books Boyd CE, 2000 Water Quality: An Introduction, Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Connell DW 1993 Water Pollution: Causes and Effects in Australia and New Zealand 3rd ed. Uni Qld Press, Brisbane.

Laws E.A 1993 Aquatic Pollution: An Introductory Text 2nd edition John Wiley.

Stensel D, Tchobanoglous G & Burton FL 2002 Wastewater Engineering: Treatment and Reuse, Metcalf & Eddy McGraw Hill, New York.

Williams W.D. (ed.) An Ecological Basis for Water Resource Management. American Public

Health Association 1995 Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater (19 ed.) APHA, AWWA, WPCF, Washington.

Technology Used and Required

This unit will use iLearn and Echo360. See the Instructions on how to log in to iLearn and the iLe arn quick guides for students which will help you:

• Getting started - Find out how to navigate and familiarise yourself with the iLearn environment

• Activities - Learn how to effectively complete the activities required of you in iLearn

• Assignments and Gradebook - Find out how to submit assessments and view your grades using iLearn

• Online study tips - Studying online is a unique experience, learn how to navigate it here

• Discussion forums - Explore the different types, and features of discussion forums in iLearn

• Lecture recordings - Find out how to access lectures online, as well as the features available to you.