Requirements to Pass this Unit

To pass this unit you must:

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

All written (uploaded) assessments must be submitted by 11.55 pm on their due date. Should these assessments be missed due to illness or misadventure, students should apply for Special Consideration. If you anticipate not being able to meet the deadline ahead of time then also apply for Special Consideration and/or a deadline extension.

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark of the task) will be applied for each day a written report or presentation 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. 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.

Late submissions will be accepted (with penalty) for the practicals and field reports.  Late submissions are not possible for the weekly quizzes.

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.

PRACTICALS (10%, four practicals must be submitted from which two will be chosen randomly to mark)

These should be clearly presented (as opposed to beautiful) but short and not over-produced.  The main objective is to see that you have understood the content of each practical and are competent in the required skills so that we can monitor your progress.  The remaining pre and post fieldwork practicals will be used for preparation of maps or data analysis which will be used in the fieldwork reports.

WEEKLY CONTENT QUIZZES (5%)

Each week a short quiz (iLearn) will test your knowledge and understanding of each week’s lecture content.

FIELD REPORT 1 (20%)

This report is based on the first fieldtrip, the preparatory practical sessions, post-fieldwork data analysis and your own reading and research on the topic.  You will be given a question which you must address in your report.  The research and thought which go into each report are an important part of your learning in this unit.  We expect that you will deepen your understanding of the topic and your field experience by discovering the links between your observations and previous published research in the scientific literature.  The report should be presented with a high standard of presentation (clarity and accuracy, not necessarily ‘pretty’), with diagrams, maps, graphs and tables (as appropriate) and standard scientific citation and referencing.  You will be provided with some essential and useful readings for these reports but you should also undertake your own research of the primary scientific literature.

FIELD REPORT 2 (30%)

This report is based on the second fieldtrip, the preparatory practical sessions, post-fieldwork data analysis and your own reading and research on the topic.  You will develop your own question which you must address in your report, tailoring the presentation and discussion of your results to answer the question and placing them within a context revealed by your readings.  The report should be presented in the format of scientific report, with a high standard of presentation (clarity and accuracy, not necessarily ‘pretty’), with diagrams, maps, graphs and tables (as appropriate) and standard scientific citation and referencing.  You will be provided with some essential and useful readings for these reports but you should also undertake your own research of the primary scientific literature.  See guidelines (below) for report writing style.

EXAMINATION (35%)

The exam will be scheduled in the regular University examination period.  The exam is 2 hours in length and will cover all subjects covered in the lectures, practicals and fieldtrips.  There is a combination of short answer and longer (short essay) style questions.  Past exam papers can be found on the library web site.

• You must attend one of five weekly, 3 hour practical sessions, usually held in 11WW 220
• Lectures will be live on zoom (Monday), and recorded, unless pre-recorded (to be advised)
• There are two compulsory fieldtrips for all students: 24-25 March or 25-26 March (1.5 days, overnight), and 12, 13 or 14 May (1 day)

COVID Information and on-campus classes

On-campus teaching continues to be scheduled for Session 1, 2023. Masks are not compulsory for classes in indoor spaces but please consider the safety of others and do not attend classes if you are experiencing symptoms.

 Students are requested to minimise the risk of spreading COVID to themselves and others in accordance with the university and NSW Health guidelines: 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.

PRACTICAL CLASSES comprise a practical exercise, including map and air photo interpretation, numerical analysis, examination of rocks and sediments or local fieldwork.  Practicals provide hands-on experience of the topics in each module and are designed to assist learning by encouraging your active participation. The week 1 practical is held in 11WW 220 and some other practicals will be held in the field within a short distance from the university. Each student must bring the appropriate equipment to the practical session and pre-read the practical description.  Equipment may include; pencils, ruler, calculator, field note book.  You should also wear appropriate clothes for the laboratory (week 1) and field: closed shoes, sun protection etc.

LECTURES are designed to give depth and background to the practical learning. They provide you with a framework with which to focus your study of the subject and are an essential and important component of the course.  They are by no means exhaustive on each and every topic, and you are expected to supplement them by reading especially from the textbook but also from the current journals, where the most up-to-date information can be found.  There is a reading list for you to use as a starting point later in this document, and additional material will be referred to during the workshop/lecture program. Slides will be available on-line through https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/ for viewing and/or printing but they are not a replacement for attending classes.  

FIELD WORK There are two compulsory weekend fieldtrips in this unit during which a range of natural and human-modified landscape features are examined. Each of these fieldtrips reinforces and extends the content of the Soils and Coasts modules (first fieldtrip) or Catchment and Fluvial Processes module (second fieldtrip). The major assignments are based on these field trips.  In addition, three of the weekly practicals (Pracs 2, 3 and 7) will be conducted in the field within the normal practical class times. Equipment and safety issues for field work are described below.

Scaffolding of workshops, practicals, fieldwork and assessment

All modules will ‘lead’ with practical experiences and will be followed by large group teaching (lectures or zoom meetings) to back up and provide depth to the practical experience.

The fieldtrips build on knowledge, concepts and skills developed in the workshops/lectures and practicals.  You should prepare for each fieldtrip by reading the recommended papers, attending the workshops/lectures and practicals.

Four practicals (two out of four submissions will be marked) and the fieldtrips (field reports) are directly assessable.  Knowledge and understanding of lecture content is assessed in the mid-year examination.

TEXTBOOKS and ESSENTIAL READINGS

The following texts are suggested as being valuable reading. You are not required to purchase them, but may find them useful.  There are some copies in the library.

·       Paton TR, Humphreys GS and Mitchell PB, 1995.  Soils: A New Global View. UCL Press.

• National Committee on Soil and Terrain, 2009. Australian Soil and Land Survey Handbook, 3^rd edition. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.

·       Fryirs, K.A. and Brierley, G.J., 2013. Geomorphic Analysis of River Systems: An Approach to Reading the Landscape. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-1-4051-9274-3. 

For a full list of suggested readings see the Leganto block on the iLearn page (right hand side), as well as the PDF version in the unit information folder.

Methods of Communication

We will communicate with you via your university email or through announcements on iLearn. Queries to convenors can either be placed on the iLearn discussion board (for general questions of relevance and interest to the class) or sent to the lecturer/convenor (firstname.lastname@mq.edu.au) for any individual questions.  We only have access to your university email address and all iLearn announcements are sent to that address.  Please add your university email address to your mail app and check regularly.

TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED

You will require access to a computer for parts of this unit. You can gain access to powerpoint slides used for each lecture by visiting the iLearn page for ENVS2266 (https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/). iLearn may be used by staff to send reminders and notices concerning fieldtrips, practical classes and lectures. You should check the site regularly, especially the day before lectures/pracs. There is also the space for a bulletin board discussion between students; please feel free to use this to discuss issues relating to any aspect of the unit and geomorphology in general.  For specific questions of the lecturers, email them directly (see front cover).  For practical 4 you should use ArcMap GIS software.  You will be able to access this on University laptops in the pracs, in the 11WW computer labs after hours. You may also be able to install a copy on your own computer (not on Macs), requiring a licence code issued by the University.

The major assignments must also be submitted electronically through Turnitin, via the iLearn page for this unit. This software provides a means of gauging the timing of submission, an originality checker to test for potential plagiarism and a paperless grading system, more information on this program can be found at (http://turnitin.com/) and (http://mq.edu.au/iLearn/student_info/assignments.htm) and a ‘quick guide’ in ilearn next to the Turnitin link. Many of the readings (scientific papers) are available on-line from the library.

See iLearn page and laboratory manual (to be issued in week 1)

There are lectures and a practical in week 1 (see the iLearn page for details)

We always tinker a little to try and make things better. Lecture timeslots will be for either recorded lectures or live zoom meetings.  Practical classes and fieldwork will be face-to-face as long as Covid health and safety provisions do not change.

FIELDWORK

Weather: We never cancel fieldtrips for bad weather!  You must be prepared to work in the rain with the appropriate clothing.  Likewise you should always protect yourself from the sun and dehydration.

Transport: You will need to arrange your own transport for these fieldtrips.  Ideally you should arrange to drive to each site with several other students from your practical class. There are usually a limited number of spaces available in staff vehicles.

Arrival: See the prac book for the arrival time for your fieldtrip.  For Seal Rocks there are two options (1) 8 am Friday morning, (2) midday Saturday.  For Macdonald River there will be three day-trip options (details to be confirmed).

Cost: You must cover your own food and transport costs and pay for accommodation.  We book accommodation on behalf of the group and you must pay your money using the form to be provided on the iLearn page BEFORE THE TRIP.

Food: We will advise you of plans depending on which fieldtrip option you choose. You will need lunches to eat in the field and to provide your own breakfast.  Depending on which fieldtrip option you choose you may need to bring one or two dinners. There are no shops nearby so you must bring everything with you for the duration of the fieldtrip.

Accommodation: Field accommodation is in bunk rooms with communal kitchens, dining, bathroom/toilet and work areas.  You should bring (apart from the gear listed below) a sleeping bag, pillow and towel. 

Departure: We aim to leave the field by: Seal Rocks -  midday Saturday (first option) or 5pm on the Sunday afternoon (second option), Macdonald River: by 5pm, after all field equipment is returned and the accommodation cleaned.  You must sign off before returning home.

Personal Field Equipment: Each student should bring the following aids/comforts on each field trip:

·       sturdy shoes - no sandals, thongs, or high heels! (no visible skin below the ankles)

·       water bottle (at least 1 litre)

·       wet weather gear - we go whatever the weather!!!  Cheap plastic ponchos will not survive walking through scrub.

·       hat (with a wide brim, front and back), insect repellent and sunscreen

·       field note book and pencils (see note below)

·       calculator, hand lens, small pocket knife

·       camera

·       your lunch, drinks & snacks for the day - we do not stop at shops!!!

·       a back pack to store it all in

FIELD EQUIPMENT YOU SHOULD PURCHASE

• Field notebook

·       Hand lens

Each student MUST purchase a small hardcover notebook for use in the field.  It should be bound down the spine on the left side, or across the top (but NOT spiral bound). The notebook does not necessarily have to be used only for this unit (you may have used it on previous trips) but it should be good quality and able to withstand a week in the field – in what may be wet conditions.  The best, and most expensive, option is a waterproof Rite-in-the-Rain, Markrite or Chartwell notebook. There are several versions but the best options are 1. Geological (Rite in the Rain 540F), with columns, lines and grids (good for sketching and data), included classifications; 2. Small Rite in the Rain notebook (200T) which can be inserted in a hard cover (200C).  The first will last you several fieldtrips (and units), the second will probably last you this Unit. 

These items can be bought online, for example, Prospectors Supplies.  They can be used in many ENVS, BIOL and EESC units.

SAFETY IN THE FIELD AND LABORATORY

Any student who has a disability that may limit their participation in field work or that could result in a medical emergency in the field should notify the unit convenor immediately.  As a general guide to the level of physical fitness required, you should be able to walk 10 km over open undulating terrain in 3 hours.

Each student must ensure his/her own safety at all times during field excursions.

• Do not undertake fieldwork alone.  You must work with at least one other person.
• You must be adequately equipped to undertake fieldwork, including wet weather clothing, warm clothing, hat and sun protection, protective footware (closed toe boots or shoes).
• You should bring a first aid kit if you have one (they will be provided to each group but do not include any drugs/creams etc).
• Do not undertake any activity you feel to be unsafe.  Discuss with the fieldtrip leader any concerns you have about particular tasks.
• Be watchful of the safety of your fellow students, if they become separated from the group or are at some other risk.  Tell the fieldtrip leader as soon as you notice a potentially dangerous situation.
• If you have any medical condition (including allergies) that require medication then you should bring medication with you.  We do not have and cannot provide any medication (including non-prescription).

Laboratory work in this unit does not involve hazardous chemicals.  Nevertheless, in the laboratory you must wear safe (closed) footwear and generally follow safe practice.  Where items of equipment are to be used, do not use them until you have received adequate training.