An overall pass grade is required to pass this unit.

1. Marking rubric for the oral presentation

Content (60%) Important: Pitch your presentation to an audience of your peers, that is, to your classmates. This implies that anyone intelligent with a background in physics or astronomy should be able to follow your story without getting lost.

• Introduction makes the topic clear.
• Accurately explains the background, methodology and results for the project.
• Presents information in a logical sequence.
• Gives a conclusion summarising the main points of the presentation.

Presentation - visual aids (20%)

• Slides are informative with a well-balanced amount of text and visuals.
• Well polished slides with correct spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Presentation - delivery (20%)

• Speaks clearly and at an appropriate pace.
• Maintains good eye contact with audience.
• Responsive to audience questions.
• Keeps to time limits.

 

2. Marking rubric for the written report

Note, the "background report" and the "final report" are meant to represent a single submission, due at the same time. You are expected to compose a combined final report of up to 20 pages (maximum) that resembles a peer-reviewed article. Intermediate deadlines for report sections are provided on the iLearn pages. They are optional but will help you keep track of your progress and you will receive feedback from the unit convener.

Literature review (25%)

• Clearly reports key relevant achievements in the field
• Shows appropriate depth of understanding of relevance and interconnections 
• Uses appropriate referencing (throughout)

Introduction and theory (25%)

• Clearly introduces the project goal/hypothesis
• Explains theoretical aspects and their relation to project work

Methods, results and analysis (40%)

• Clearly explains experimental plan/methods/approach
• Presents raw results with an appropriate recording of conditions/assumptions
• Analyses raw results to address project hypothesis/goal
• Presents results logically and in appropriate forms

Conclusions and outlook (10%)

• Draws clear conclusions drawn from the results and analysis
• Puts outcomes in context of past results
• Outlines future work

 

Late Assessment Submission Penalty 

From 1 July 2022, Students enrolled in Session based units with written assessments will have the following 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.  

In this unit, late submissions will accepted as follows: 

• Final project report (which combines the project background report and the project report) – YES, Standard Late Penalty applies 

• Oral presentation – NO, unless a Special Consideration is granted 

Project report

Assessment Type ¹: Project

Indicative Time on Task ²: 21 hours

Due: 10/11/2023

Weighting: 35%

 

Formal report documenting their project work, including, data generated, analysis, and outcomes.

 

On successful completion you will be able to:

• apply advanced research skills in an authentic context.
• use sophisticated instrumentation and/or software tools effectively.
• demonstrate an understanding of concepts and theory that underpin advanced devices and/or techniques.
• analyse, interpret and present new research results correctly and coherently, in accordance with discipline standards.

Oral presentation

Assessment Type ¹: Presentation

Indicative Time on Task ²: 10 hours

Due: 06/10/2023

Weighting: 25%

 

Oral presentation to the cohort, describing the project aims, background, and progress so far.

 

On successful completion you will be able to:

• identify and articulate how a research project fits within the context of, and contributes to, a wider field of research.
• demonstrate an understanding of concepts and theory that underpin advanced devices and/or techniques.

Project background report

Assessment Type ¹: Report

Indicative Time on Task ²: 14 hours

Due: 10/11/2023

Weighting: 40%

 

Formal report documenting relevant background literature and supporting theory for the student project.

 

On successful completion you will be able to:

• identify and articulate how a research project fits within the context of, and contributes to, a wider field of research.
• demonstrate an understanding of concepts and theory that underpin advanced devices and/or techniques.

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

Students will need to liaise with their staff supervisors as regards the requirements for them to carry out their research projects successfully.

Project reports are expected to be written in LaTeX (although Word will be accepted); oral presentations are expected to use powerpoint slides or equivalent as supporting materials.

Both the oral presentations and written reports are now marked by multiple assessors.