Assignments are the means used to assess if you have reached the learning outcomes for the unit. The criteria by which the assignment will be marked are made clear in each case. As a rough guide, 10 marks is equivalent to about 10 hours of quality work.

Evidence of wide and comprehensive reading is required, drawing on journals, international examples, thought pieces, and reports. All ideas must be cited inclusive of the source/author. See notes on academic honesty in the Unit Guide. Unless otherwise stated in the detailed assessment guide, any recognised referencing style may be used so long as it is consistent and accurate.

Detailed information on the assessment’s tasks, marking criteria, and supporting resources will be provided via the iLearn site.  Assessment marks and feedback will generally be provided within 3 weeks after submission. 

Submitting assignments

All assignments must be submitted electronically on the iLearn site.

Each assignment has a separate upload site. The assignment site will usually be a ‘Turnitin’, where your work is reviewed for similarity to websites, articles or other students’ work. If you have not given credit for ideas used to the author or source you will be penalised (failure of the assignment and reporting to a disciplinary committee to determine whether you have breached the University’s Academic Integrity Policy: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/academic-integrity). See information on academic honesty on the iLearn site and techniques on how to avoid common plagiarism errors (https://www.students.mq.edu.au/public/download.jsp?id=201272).

 You do not need an assignment cover sheet for electronic submission to ENVS8229, it is understood that you are signing a declaration of honesty. Be sure to add your name, title of work and unit to your work.

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. 

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 four 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.

Penalties for Late Assessments

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 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th 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.

Assessments where Late Submissions will be accepted

In this unit, late submissions will be accepted as follows:

• Assessment 1,2,4 YES Standard Late Penalty applies ·
• Assessment 3 (Quiz) - NO, unless Special Consideration is Granted

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 evidence (e.g. medical certificate - see advice for Special Consideration requests). The final decision regarding the granting of an extension lies with the unit convenor. Permission for extensions must be sought before the due date unless there are exceptional circumstances. Please 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 able to accommodate your circumstance if you follow this advice.

The unit is delivered by face to face mode. The content is based on a weekly lecture program and workshop activities. Supporting this content, students are required to complete core reading/s or other activities (e.g. listen to podcasts or watch videos) identified on the iLearn site.

There is a field trip mid-semester to offer interactive and authentic learning linked to the unit’s content and assessment tasks.

There is a mandatory field trip scheduled for 3th September, 2021. This will be a full day and will be based within the Sydney area and accessible by public transport. An exemption for attendance may be granted to students due to COVID or other exceptional reasons. Approval must be sought and is to be granted in advance of the 29 August via the Special Considerations portal on the Student website.

The teaching process includes:

• Background reading or view of other materials by students
• Lectures and short presentations to introduce concepts, theories and practice
• Practical workshop sessions to provide opportunities for experiential learning on tasks and through discussion with other class members (preparation is essential)
• Student presentations of tasks to be either prepared in advance or given as part of a summary of your tutorial discussions
• Talks from guest lecturers that convey the practice of environmental planning and its challenges and opportunities
• A field trip to appreciate the practical, technical and socio-political aspects of environmental planning.
• Assignments that require students to apply their theoretical understanding to practice
• Assignments provide opportunities for presenting in different formats, working with people of different skills and cultural perspectives.

Students are expected to:

• Actively participate in workshop activities in small groups
• Read set readings or review other materials as set in advance of classes
• Follow current developments with regard to environmental planning locally and internationally.