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 

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 report or presentation 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. The submission time for all uploaded assessments is 11:55 pm. A 1-hour grace period will be 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, please apply for Special Consideration.  

Assessments where Late Submissions will be accepted

• Ocean processes report - YES, Standard Late Penalty applies
• Fieldtrip report - YES, Standard Late Penalty applies
• Practical tests - 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.

Special Consideration

The Special Consideration Policy aims to support students who have been impacted by short-term circumstances or events that are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive, and which may affect their performance in assessment. If you experience circumstances or events that affect your ability to complete the assessments in this unit on time, please inform the convenor and submit a Special Consideration request through ask.mq.edu.au.

Requirements to Pass this Unit

To pass this unit you must:

• Attempt all assessments, and
• Acheive a total mark equal to or greater than 50%

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.

Methods of 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 as several inter-related modules. The organisation of these is outlined in a detailed unit schedule which is available on iLearn. The class will be delivered through iLearn, workshops as well as recommended readings. In addition, you are encouraged to do your own research.

Classes

Workshops start in WEEK 1. 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. You will need to bring a laptop to every workshop and lab coats will be provided if necessary.

Workload 

The expected workload for this 10-credit point unit is 150 hours of activity, including workshops, readings, in-class practical tests and research and writing of assignments.

Requirements to complete this unit satisfactorily 

To complete this unit satisfactorily, you must:

1. Participate in all scheduled classes;

2. Complete all assessments and in-class practical tests; 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. 

Textbook 

We will be using Segar's "Introduction to Ocean Science (4th Edition)" - available via the authors website - as the primary textbook for EESC1160. Textbooks usually cost well over $100, but the author of this text has chosen to make it freely available. However, we do ask that you contribute a few dollars for the book through PayPal (info is on the book download page) to help the author cover costs of keeping this excellent resource up to date. We also highly recommend O'Connell & Gillander's "Marine Ecology". Additional readings will be made available via Leganto as required.

Please remember that the recommended readings are compulsory, you will have to keep on top of these to do well in EESC1160. 

Technology Used and Required

This unit will use iLearn and Echo360. See the Instructions on how to log in to iLearn and the iLearn 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

Covid Information

For the latest information on the University’s response to COVID-19, please refer to the Coronavirus infection page on the Macquarie website: https://www.mq.edu.au/about/coronavirus-faqs. Remember to check this page regularly in case the information and requirements change during semester. If there are any changes to this unit in relation to COVID, these will be communicated via iLearn.

We value student feedback to be able to continually improve the way we offer our units. As such we encourage students to provide constructive feedback via student surveys, to the teaching staff directly, or via the FSE Student Experience & Feedback link in the iLearn page.

Student feedback from the previous offering of this unit was very positive overall, with students pleased with the clarity around assessment requirements and the level of support from teaching staff. In response to student feedback we have replaced the final exam with multiple in-class practical tests and shifted delivery from lectures/practicals format to workshop to help improve the level of support and the level of student engagement.