Case Study

Assessment Type ¹: Case study/analysis Indicative Time on Task ²: 30 hours Due: March 27, 11:59pm Weighting: 30%

Students will explore the analytical themes of the course through the lens of a specific intelligence/policy case. Students are free to choose any relevant case from any time period, provided it is reasonably well-documented.

On successful completion you will be able to:

• Demonstrate critical understanding of the concepts of intelligence.
• Demonstrate higher order communication skills including the ability to formulate sustained, persuasive and original written and oral arguments.
• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate, select and synthesise knowledge from different sources.

Take Home Exam

Assessment Type ¹: Examination Indicative Time on Task ²: 20 hours Due: May 29, 11:59pm Weighting: 25%

Students will be asked to complete essays on a range of topics, requiring students to employ materials from the classroom discussions as well as the assigned readings.

On successful completion you will be able to:

• Demonstrate critical understanding of the concepts of intelligence.
• Demonstrate higher order communication skills including the ability to formulate sustained, persuasive and original written and oral arguments.
• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate, select and synthesise knowledge from different sources.
• Evaluate how the intelligence function fits within the dynamic national security context.

Intelligence Report

Assessment Type ¹: Professional writing Indicative Time on Task ²: 30 hours Due: May 8, 11:59pm Weighting: 30%

By the end of the unit, students will have a better understanding of the relationship between intelligence and policy. To demonstrate this knowledge, students will write an intelligence report, ostensibly to an appropriate policymaker, about a current intelligence issue.

On successful completion you will be able to:

• Demonstrate critical understanding of the concepts of intelligence.
• Demonstrate higher order communication skills including the ability to formulate sustained, persuasive and original written and oral arguments.
• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate, select and synthesise knowledge from different sources.
• Critically analyse a case study, demonstrating professional judgment and assessment.

Active Engagement

Assessment Type ¹: Participatory task Indicative Time on Task ²: 26 hours Due: Ongoing Weighting: 15%

Internal students will demonstrate active engagement in seminars; external students will demonstrate it by contributing to online activities.

On successful completion you will be able to:

• Demonstrate critical understanding of the concepts of intelligence.
• Demonstrate higher order communication skills including the ability to formulate sustained, persuasive and original written and oral arguments.
• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate, select and synthesise knowledge from different sources.
• Evaluate how the intelligence function fits within the dynamic national security context.

¹ If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

• the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
• the Learning Skills Unit for academic skills support.

² Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

UNIT REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS

• You should spend an average of 12 hours per week on this unit. This includes listening to lectures prior to seminar or tutorial, reading weekly required materials as detailed in iLearn, participating in Ilearn discussion forums and preparing assessments.
• Internal students are expected to attend all seminar or tutorial sessions, and external students are expected to make significant contributions to on-line activities.
• In most cases students are required to attempt and submit all major assessment tasks in order to pass the unit.

REQUIRED READINGS

• The citations for all the required readings for this unit are available to enrolled students through the unit iLearn site, and at Macquarie University's library site.  Electronic copies of required readings may be accessed through the library or will be made available by other means.

TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED

• Computer and internet access are essential for this unit. Basic computer skills and skills in word processing are also a requirement.
• This unit has an online presence. Login is via: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/
• Students are required to have regular access to a computer and the internet. Mobile devices alone are not sufficient.
• Information about IT used at Macquarie University is available at  http://students.mq.edu.au/it_services/

SUBMITTING ASSESSMENT TASKS

• All text-based assessment tasks are to be submitted, marked and returned electronically.  This will only happen through the unit iLearn site. 
• Assessment tasks must be submitted as a MS word document by the due date.
• Most assessment tasks will be subject to a 'TurnitIn' review as an automatic part of the submission process.
• The granting of extensions is subject to the university’s Special Consideration Policy. Extensions will not be granted by unit conveners or tutors, but must be lodged through Special Consideration: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration

LATE SUBMISSION OF ASSESSMENT TASKS

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – 10 marks out of 100 credit will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted seven days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments - e.g. quizzes, online test

WORD LIMITS FOR ASSESSMENT TASKS

• Stated word limits include footnotes and footnoted references, but not bibliography, or title page.
• Word limits can generally deviate by 10% either over or under the stated figure.
• If the number of words exceeds the limit by more than 10%, then penalties will apply. These penalties are 5% of the awarded mark for every 100 words over the word limit. If a paper is 300 words over, for instance, it will lose 3 x 5% = 15% of the total mark awarded for the assignment. This percentage is taken off the total mark, i.e. if a paper was graded at a credit (65%) and was 300 words over, it would be reduced by 15 marks to a pass (50%).
• The application of this penalty is at the discretion of the course convener.

REASSESSMENT OF ASSIGNMENTS DURING THE SEMESTER

• Macquarie University operates a Grade Appeal Policy in cases where students feel their work was graded inappropriately: http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
• In accordance with the Grade Appeal Policy, individual works are not subject to regrading.

STAFF AVAILABILITY

• Department staff will endeavour to answer student enquiries in a timely manner. However, emails or iLearn messages will not usually be answered over the weekend or public holiday period.
• Students are encouraged to read the Unit Guide and look at instructions posted on the iLearn site before sending email requests to staff.

Increased late penatly from 2% per day to 10% per day in line with faculty changes.