Students

NSCI7900 – Research Frontiers in Natural Sciences

2023 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Matthew Kosnik
Contact via matthew.kosnik@mq.edu.au
14ER 330
prior to or after meetings or by appointment.
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MRes
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This foundation unit deeply engages students with the broad topics, big questions, strategies, new directions of scientific thought and break-through methods currently emerging in the biological, chemical, earth and environmental sciences. Activities undertaken include tailored workshops and presentations by research groups and academics, seminar attendance, directed reading of research literature, as well as the discussion and critique of wide-ranging research topics. Students will demonstrate their understanding of current research and develop their science communication skills based on the research frontiers explored; they will become embedded in our active research community, and reflect on their future goals in their chosen discipline.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Demonstrate an understanding of current scientific questions and methods
  • ULO2: Critically evaluate and discuss current research with other researchers
  • ULO3: Communicate current research questions, methods and results in multiple formats to a variety of audiences with supporting evidence
  • ULO4: Apply networking skills in a variety of contexts with peers and partners from industry and academia
  • ULO5: Critically reflect on your current knowledge and transferability of these in relation to your career aspirations inside and/or outside academia

General Assessment Information

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%

Engagement – please read, as this is very important

As a BPhil / MRes Yr 1 student you are becoming part of our community of researchers. You need to be an active participant in the unit activities. You will be expected to lead and particpate in discussions, ask questions and engage with seminar speakers, and proactively work to find your place in our diverse research community. 

Academic Honesty

Presenting the work of another person as one’s own is a serious breach of the University’s rules and carries significant penalties. In this unit, we will be checking written work for plagiarism using TURNITIN. Penalties for plagiarism may include a zero mark for the assignment or in more extreme cases, failure of the unit. Plagiarism WILL be noted on your academic record. (link: Academic Integrity Policy)

Due dates and assessement topics

For assessments where the topic is to be derived from a seminar / discussion - you must get the topic approved by the convenor prior to submission. Topics covered in leading discussions, summary paragraphs and general audience communicaiton piece need to be distinct and span the breadth of the research undertaken within the school with no more than one of those assessments from your anticipated area of focus. In the first two weeks of the session you will have the opportunity to adjust the due dates listed in the unit guide through agreement with the convenor. Once due dates are agreed they are final.

Late Assessment Submission Penalty

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 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 

In this unit, late submissions will accepted as follows: 

  • The summary paragraph, goals & needs assessment, communication plan, general audience science communication, and the time on task reflection are all subject to the standard late submission penalty.
  • Seminar and discussion particiation and discussion leadership must take place at the agreed / scheduled times unless a special consideration is granted.
  • See marking guidance on iLearn or consult the convenor for additional information. 

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 contact the convenor prior to submitting a Special Consideration request through ask.mq.edu.au

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Seminar and discussion participation 10% No Weekly through session
Discussion leadership 25% No As agreed
Summary paragraph 15% No Week 2 or as agreed
Goals and needs assessment 10% No Week 3 or as agreed
Communication plan 10% No Week 5 or as agreed
General audience science communication 25% No Week 10 or as agreed
Time on task reflection 5% No Week 13

Seminar and discussion participation

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 0 hours
Due: Weekly through session
Weighting: 10%

 

Seminars and discussion groups will expose you to a broad range of topics in the natural sciences from which you will select topics to explore in greater detail. Proactive participation in discussions following seminars is required. In addition to the seminars hosted by the school, you will also be required to attend seminars elsewhere (e.g. other departments / schools at Macquarie University, other universities, museums, botanical gardens or other research oriented institutions).

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of current scientific questions and methods
  • Critically evaluate and discuss current research with other researchers
  • Communicate current research questions, methods and results in multiple formats to a variety of audiences with supporting evidence
  • Apply networking skills in a variety of contexts with peers and partners from industry and academia

Discussion leadership

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 21 hours
Due: As agreed
Weighting: 25%

 

You will be expected to present on discussion topics and facilitate group discussions.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of current scientific questions and methods
  • Critically evaluate and discuss current research with other researchers
  • Communicate current research questions, methods and results in multiple formats to a variety of audiences with supporting evidence
  • Apply networking skills in a variety of contexts with peers and partners from industry and academia

Summary paragraph

Assessment Type 1: Professional writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Week 2 or as agreed
Weighting: 15%

 

Using a seminar or discussion group as inspiration, you will write a Nature summary paragraph.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of current scientific questions and methods
  • Communicate current research questions, methods and results in multiple formats to a variety of audiences with supporting evidence

Goals and needs assessment

Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 7 hours
Due: Week 3 or as agreed
Weighting: 10%

 

You will reflect on your professional aspirations and how you can most effectively use your BPhil/MRes to advance those goals. You will discuss research aspirations with potential supervisors and other researchers at various career stages to reflect on potentially mutual research interests, preferred methods and modes of work and future goals.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically evaluate and discuss current research with other researchers
  • Apply networking skills in a variety of contexts with peers and partners from industry and academia
  • Critically reflect on your current knowledge and transferability of these in relation to your career aspirations inside and/or outside academia

Communication plan

Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 7 hours
Due: Week 5 or as agreed
Weighting: 10%

 

You will develop a communication and professional networking plan based on the career goals and aspirations you have identified in the goals and needs assessment.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply networking skills in a variety of contexts with peers and partners from industry and academia
  • Critically reflect on your current knowledge and transferability of these in relation to your career aspirations inside and/or outside academia

General audience science communication

Assessment Type 1: Non-academic writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 28 hours
Due: Week 10 or as agreed
Weighting: 25%

 

Using a seminar or discussion group as inspiration, you will complete a science communication piece (blog, video, podcast, etc) aimed at a general audience.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of current scientific questions and methods
  • Critically evaluate and discuss current research with other researchers
  • Communicate current research questions, methods and results in multiple formats to a variety of audiences with supporting evidence

Time on task reflection

Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 7 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 5%

 

Through the session, you will keep a time on task diary. At the end of the session, you will reflect on the time required to perform various tasks, your time management, and identify ways to improve your time management, research planning, and ways to be more efficient in your work.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically reflect on your current knowledge and transferability of these in relation to your career aspirations inside and/or outside academia

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 Writing Centre 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

Delivery and Resources

Off-shore students 

Off-shore students must email the convenor as soon as possible to discuss study options.

Attendance at scheduled activities 

Should any activity be missed due to illness or misadventure please notifiy the convenor as soon as possible (ideally prior to the scheduled activity).

On-campus / in person is the preferred way to attend unit activities, but please do not attend class in person if you are unwell. See iLearn for details on attending unit activities online.

Weekly seminars and discussions will happen in person (if possible) and via Zoom link to be provided via iLearn.

One full day workshop in week one is provided in person (with online back up available for those unable to attend in person). It is preferred that students attend the workshop in person if it is possible and they are felling well, but no formal medical certificate is required. Please advise the convenor as soon as possible if you will not be attending in person so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

COVID

Students are requested to minimise the risk of spreading COVID to themselves and others in accordance with the university and NSW Health guidelines: https://www.mq.edu.au/about/coronavirus-faqs and https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/stay-safe. Students who feel unwell are requested to participate in the class using the online option (see iLearn). Any further requirements or changes to units in relation to COVID will be communicated to students via iLearn.

Unit Schedule

The school seminar schedule is still being finalised, but you will need to attend school seminars and the discussion session following.  You are expected to engage in weekly activities/discussions and at the start of the session you will be assigned / sign up for times to be the discussion leader. 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.


Unit information based on version 2023.03 of the Handbook