Requirements to Pass

To successfully complete this unit, a student must obtain a numerical overall mark of 50 or more for the unit.

For further details about grading, please refer to Part F of the Assessment Procedure.

Students must also pass any hurdle assessments as stipulated in the Assessment Section of this Unit Guide.

Grading

Students will be awarded common result grades as specified in the Assessment Policy.

Students will receive criteria and standards for specific assessment tasks, which will be aligned with the grading descriptors given in Part F of the Assessment Procedure.

Note – Other grades, such as I, IS, UD, UJ may be allocated and these grades are outlined in Appendix A of the Assessment Policy.

Where to find information about assessments

General assessment information, such as the number and nature of assessments, due dates and weightings, has been provided in this unit guide.

Specific assessment information including assignment instructions, questions, marking criteria and rubrics as well as examples of relevant and related assessment tasks and responses will be available in the Assessment section on iLearn.

Submission of Assessment Tasks 

Assessments must be submitted in accordance with instructions provided in this Unit Guide and via iLearn. Any tasks that are not submitted as per the assessment instructions may be considered a non-submission and a zero mark may be awarded for the task.

Late Submissions and Penalties (applicable to non-time limited assessment tasks)

Late submissions are allowed but they will attract a late submission penalty unless the student has an approved special consideration application (see the Special Consideration Policy).

Late penalties are calculated based on the total possible marks allocated to the specific assessment task. The penalty for late submission is as follows:

• 5% of the total possible marks will be deducted if it is late by up to 24 hours.
• A further 5% of the total possible marks will be deducted for each 24-hour period up to 3 days (including weekends).
• 100% of the marks will be deducted after 3 days and zero marks will be awarded.

Please note that online submissions are time stamped and this is used to determine late penalties which means that submitting an assessment even a few seconds after the deadline results in a late submission penalty as noted above. There is no flexibility regarding the application of the late submission penalties. It is students’ responsibility to allow sufficient time for submission of their work and uploading any documents.

Examples:

If the assessment task is due on a Friday at 11.55pm

If the assessment task is due on a Wednesday at 11.55pm

Please see “In-class assessments” section for further information on assessments that take place during class time.

The above late submission penalties do not apply to time-limited assessment tasks. A time-limited assessment task must be submitted by its deadline. Any time-limited task that is not submitted as required will be considered a non-submission and a zero mark will be awarded for the task.

Extensions (applicable to non-time limited assessment tasks)

Extensions are allowed only if the student is granted a special consideration. To apply for an extension, students must submit their application via ask.mq.edu.au.

An approved extension will not incur late penalties. However, where a student has been granted an extension and then submits late, i.e., after the stipulated new due date following extension, late penalties will be applied.

Resubmissions (applicable to non-time limited assessment tasks)

It is students’ responsibility to upload their assessments as per the instructions provided on iLearn. Following an initial submission, students may resubmit their work up to 3 days after the due date* if, for example, they have submitted the incorrect document or forgotten to include information.

*If you make a resubmission after the due date, your submission will be counted as late, and penalties will be applied.

Retention of Originals

It is students’ responsibility to retain a copy of any work submitted. Students may be required to produce these documents upon request.

Requests for original documentation will be sent to the student’s Macquarie University email address. Students must retain all original documentation for a six (6) month period and must supply original documents to the University within ten (10) working days of such a request being made.

In-Class Assessments (time-limited assessments)

Assessments could be administered during scheduled lessons and students may be asked to produce their Macquarie University Student ID Card or any other official photo ID if required. Students may not be allowed sit an in-class assessment task if they cannot produce a valid photo ID.

Students are expected to be in class for the whole duration of their scheduled lesson to take the assessment task. No additional time or adjustment will be made for late arriving students or students not ready to submit an assessment at the start of the lesson. Any time-limited task that is not submitted as per assessment instructions will be considered a non-submission and a zero mark will be awarded for the task.

For example, if a one-hour test or quiz is due to take place in a 2-hour lesson, the test or quiz may start at any time in the first hour or at the start of the second hour, so students must be ready to take the test at the beginning of the lesson. No additional time will be given, or adjustment made for students who arrive late. While they may still be permitted to take the assessment, depending on the task, the student will only have the remaining time to complete the task.

Final Examinations

The final examinations will be held during the Macquarie University College Final Examination period. Students must be available to sit final exams or submit assessments throughout this period.

Final Examination Timetable

The University will publish the Final Examination Timetable before the commencement of the final examination period.

Final Examination Requirements

Details of the structure and format of the final examination will be made available to students via iLearn prior to the start of the final examination period.

For additional information regarding examination requirements refer to the Assessment Policy, Assessment Procedures, Section 3, Part E - Examinations.

Missed assessments and examinations

For any missed assessment tasks, please refer to the Special Consideration Policy.

Supplementary Tests and Examinations

When a student is granted a supplementary test or examination, they will be advised of the time, date and location for the supplementary task.

Supplementary interim assessments, i.e., assessments held during the Term, will be held throughout the Term and students who are to sit a supplementary exam will be informed of times and dates via ask.mq.edu.au.

Supplementary final examination period for formal, end-of-term examinations will be the fortnight following Week 7. Students who need to sit a supplementary final examination are required to be available to undertake examinations during the supplementary examination period.

No more than one (1) supplementary assessment will be offered to a student in each affected unit, so it is essential that students make themselves available for alternative assessment activities. Please refer to the Special Consideration Policy for further details.

Results for supplementary final examinations may not be available for up to two weeks following the supplementary examination.

Due to the timing and administration of the supplementary final exams, students in their final Term of study should note that formal completion of their studies at the College may not be possible until supplementary results are released. Similarly, students who are enrolled in a unit which is a prerequisite to another unit should note that they may not be able to enrol in subsequent unit/courses/program of study on time.

Hurdle Assessments

A hurdle assessment mandates a minimum level of academic performance as a condition of successful completion of a unit. A student who has obtained a numerical mark of at least 50 yet failed all available attempts of a hurdle, fails the unit and receives a FH grade.

Accessing your Results

Students will be able to view their results for interim assessments via the Grades section in iLearn.

Marks for all assessment tasks will be released to students once marking and all relevant checks are concluded.

Students will be able to view their overall result of a unit via eStudent when results are ratified.

Calculating your WAM

Weighted Average Mark (WAM) will be the average of the actual marks students achieved in all units of their program/course and is a mark out of 100. WAM also incorporates ALL marks, including those from a fail grade. For more information, please refer to the Understanding your WAM page.

Obtaining Feedback

Feedback is an important part of student development and opportunities for feedback are built into the curriculum at key points throughout the Term. Students who complete the homework and classwork assigned to them will receive constructive feedback from teaching staff about their academic progress and performance in assessment tasks or a unit of study. When relevant, other staff such as Senior Teachers, Program Managers and members of the Student Administration and Services Team will provide feedback and advice to students about their academic performance in a course/program of study. Feedback may be provided to individual students, a group of students or a whole class and it may be written or verbal in nature.

Some examples of feedback include:

• A teaching staff member reviewing a draft submission and giving a student advice on how to improve their work before making a final submission
• A teaching staff member telling a class that they need to improve their editing of grammar in their recently submitted assignment
• A teaching staff member discussing progress of an individual student before census date to allow the student to decide whether they should remain enrolled in the unit
• Online feedback via announcements or forums, an online marking rubric or various iLearn activities employed in a unit. Please note that feedback on written assessments is usually provided via Feedback Studio in iLearn
• Written marks and comments on a marking sheet or essay
• Recorded voice comment in iLearn provided in response to an essay submitted online
• A student receiving advice that they should consider withdrawing from a unit because they have missed too many classes / too much work to be able to catch up or for other reasons

It is a student’s responsibility to:

• attend sessions, be present and actively engaged during times when feedback is provided in scheduled class times
• organise an alternative time with the teacher so that they can receive their feedback if absent from an in-class feedback session due to unavoidable circumstances
• ensure that they have received sufficient feedback prior to their next assessment task and/or final assessment in the unit
• act promptly on feedback provided, e.g., incorporate advice provided into their work and study habits)

Students who are unsure how or when feedback was or will be provided, or feel that feedback provided is not sufficient, should approach relevant teaching or administrative staff and request additional feedback in a timely manner during the Term and prior to any subsequent assessment task or the final assessment task. Claims that not enough feedback was provided are not grounds for a grade appeal, especially when a student did not make any effort to approach staff about obtaining additional feedback in a timely manner. Students may seek general feedback about performance in a unit up to 6 months following results release.

If a student has any problems contacting their teacher, they should seek help from a member of the Student Administration and Services team.

Contacting Teaching Staff to Obtain Help

For all University-related correspondence, students must use their official Macquarie University student email account. Students may contact teaching staff at any time during the Term by using the teacher contact details provided in this Guide. Students should expect a response within 1-2 business days.

Term Dates & Calendar

Details of key dates during the term can be found on the Important Dates calendar.

Enrolment and Timetables

General timetable information is available via Macquarie University's Timetable page.

Students will be able to enrol and register for classes via eStudent and view their personal timetable. It is a student’s responsibility to ensure that classes they have registered for do not clash.

Students are only permitted to attend classes in which they have registered via eStudent unless they have written approval. To seek approval, students must contact Macquarie University College Student Services, or speak to a member of the Student Administration and Services Team at The College Student Desk (Ground Floor, 8 Sir Christopher Ondaatje Avenue). Approval will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.

The last day to enrol, add or change units is the Sunday, 9.00pm (AEST) before the start of the term. Changing groups is not possible after the enrolment period has concluded.

Attendance Requirements – All Students

Attendance will be monitored in each lesson and students are able to see their current attendance percentage to date and potential attendance percentage for each unit they have enrolled in via iLearn.

• Current Attendance Percentage will reflect the percentage of classes a student has attended so far (based only on the lessons held to date).
• Potential Attendance Percentage will reflect the percentage of classes a student can potentially attend by the end of the term, taking into consideration lessons attended and assuming the student also attends all future lessons scheduled (based only on the total number of lessons in the Term).

When a student is present for a part of a lesson (for example arrives late, leaves early, leaves the class frequently, particularly for lengthy periods), the teacher reserves the right to mark a student absent for that part of the lesson.

Public Holidays and Make-up Lessons

If any scheduled class falls on a public holiday, a make-up lesson may be scheduled. Please check the iLearn announcements and your emails for details of the make-up lessons.

In Term 5, 2023 there is one public holiday:

• 2 October, Monday: Labour Day

Technology Used and Required

• Access to internet
• AppStream is a fully managed application streaming service that provides MQ users both staff and students with instant access to their applications from anywhere enabling students to use Microsoft Windows applications they require to do their university work from anywhere, anytime, on any device (BYODs).
• Access to iLearn.
• Access to Macquarie University Library catalogue (MultiSearch); and
• Macquarie students can download Microsoft Office Suite software from MS Office portal. For instructions, please visit IT Service Desk - Microsoft.

Using your Own Device

Macquarie University students are entitled to free access to the Microsoft Office Suite, which can be accessed here. For any problems related to this link and Microsoft Office Suite please contact OneHelp.

Students are required to use Windows or Mac devices to study. They will need to have access to Office applications (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and Internet browsers.

iLearn

iLearn is Macquarie's online learning management system and a principal teaching and learning resource which will be used throughout the term.

For any resource related iLearn questions contact your teacher. For any technical or support issues using iLearn, please contact the IT helpdesk (Ph. 02 9850 4357) or lodge a ticket using OneHelp.

Useful Study Resources

StudyWise is an iLearn resource created by the Academic Literacies Unit. This resource is specifically designed to help you to manage your studies, strengthen your study techniques, write effective assignments and improve your English language proficiency. Once you enrol in StudyWise, you can access it from your iLearn course list under the category "Student Support".

Lib Guides provide students with links to electronic sources and websites that are good starting points for research in different fields or disciplines.

MultiSearch will connect you to Macquarie University Library and allow you to search library resources, databases, unit readings and past exam papers.

Macquarie University Library has released a mobile device app called libMQ. The app allows students to easily access MyLibrary (be notified about loans, renewals, holds and fees owing), book a computer, Library floor maps, see new books lists and search MultiSearch.

It can be downloaded from either Google Play or the App store.

Assignment and Study Support provide information about:

• Researching for your assignments
• How to manage your references
• Referencing style guides
• Subject and research guides

Numeracy Support is provided by the Numeracy Centre. Students can attend these support classes on a drop-in basis as required.

Studiosity is a one-to-one personal study support service which may be made available via iLearn. If available, students may use this service to get online study help and/or feedback on an assignment usually within 24 hours. Students who are unsure whether this service is available in their unit or how to use this service should check with their teacher. Please note that this is an external service and feedback provided is generic in nature (for example comments on grammar and cohesion) and may not be specific to the requirements of the task. If students require specific feedback on how their work aligns with the expectations of the unit or marking criteria, they should consult their teacher.

Laboratory Work

The laboratory component is considered an essential component of learning and so counts for an appreciable fraction of the final assessment (20%).

The laboratory work is designed to introduce students to some of the basic skills and techniques that are used in experimental physical sciences. Laboratory experiments are designed to be carried out independently of the textbook material - although some of the topics will be discussed in class; therefore, some of the activities in the laboratory may not relate directly to the textbook material. This is because the laboratory activities are intended not only to illustrate physical concepts but also to introduce students to some techniques of measurement and laboratory skill work. In the laboratory, students will be aided by laboratory demonstrators and instructional material in the form of online Laboratory Notes and slides. All the information students need for each experiment is contained in the online material.

Laboratory Attendance Requirements

The first physics lab session will consist of an introduction to the laboratory work, and a work health and safety learning experience. It is compulsory for all students. No student will be allowed to start lab work until they have completed an introduction and work heath and safety lab session.  Students also need to check computer access in the physics lab during this time.

Laboratory assessment is a hurdle assessment task. In order to pass this unit, students must attend and successfully complete ALL units of work and experiments.

Students must attend the laboratory session in which they are enrolled. The schedule of labs is posted in the lab and on the WPHY1510 iLearn unit page. Students must attend their scheduled laboratory lessons on time. Students who arrive late will be denied entry to the lab.

If students arrive late by more than 15 minutes, they will not be allowed to join into the lab activities. They will need to submit an application for Special Consideration and if successful, will need to attend the make up labs offered in weeks 5, 6 or 7. There will only be two make-up lab sessions.

If a student miss a laboratory class this student will need to submit an application for Special Consideration and if successful, will need to attend the make up labs offered in week 6 or week 7 and submit the corresponding physics lab reports. There will only be two make-up lab sessions.

Students are expected to attend all scheduled laboratory lessons.

Because the laboratory work is a hurdle assessment, if a student misses a scheduled lab work without a valid reason, then he or she will not be considered to have satisfactorily completed the laboratory component of the unit.

If students miss a laboratory session, they must lodge a Special Consideration request. They can start this process at ask.mq.edu.au. If the Special Consideration is granted, the students will need to attend the supplementary lab sessions available during weeks 5, 6 or 7; note that no more than two make-up labs will be offered each term.

Laboratory Assessment

Before each lab session students must complete a pre-lab work exercise. The pre-lab work is an essential part of students’ laboratory assessment because it reviews some of the topics covered in experiments. Pre-lab work is due at the beginning of each lab session.

Students will receive instructions from teacher(s) during the term on how to construct, write up, and submit their laboratory work.

Students must submit a laboratory report for each skill work and experiment in this unit. This report should show the students' collected data, the calculations and graphs resulting from the data, and (if applicable) data interpretation and conclusion. At the end of each section students must summarise the findings and answer any questions posed in the guiding notes.

At the completion of each laboratory lesson students must show their books to the laboratory supervisor who will check them and collect them for marking. The marker, i.e., the laboratory demonstrator(s) will be checking their books to see whether students have kept a satisfactory record of what they have done and what they have concluded. The marked notebooks will be available at the start of the next scheduled laboratory. Students must check their books for comments from the markers as this will help them to refine the laboratory technique and increase the laboratory mark. The notebook will be kept in the laboratory and must not be removed from the laboratory at any time which is also valid for any previously filled notebook.

To be deemed to have successfully completed an experiment, students  must obtain a mark of at least 40% for each of the laboratory sessions in order to pass the unit.

For a lab activity completion to be considered a serious attempt, the student must get a mark between 30 and 39%. A student whose work falls into this category will be given a second attempt at this lab activity later in the Term.

Students who do not meet this hurdle requirement will not pass the unit. Students are responsible for ensuring that they complete experiments as required during their registered laboratory sessions.

All laboratory work must be recorded directly into a laboratory notebook. More detailed instructions and advice will be provided in iLearn.

For late submissions, please refer to late submissions section above.

Details of the laboratory assessment will be outlined in the laboratory introduction lesson.

Feedback on laboratory work will be provided in class.

Lessons

Lessons will include a mixture of activities. New content and topics will be presented during lessons, and students will be given problems, practice questions and other interactive activities to apply the knowledge and the skills gained in the lesson. Students will be required to take notes, complete set tasks and engage in discussions and individual and group activities.

In class, specific time may be dedicated to work on assessment tasks and students will be given guidance and feedback to complete these. Certain lessons may be dedicated to independent research and reading related to the unit whether in the classroom or a computer lab.

Active Participation

In the workplace, at university and in the surrounding community, a person’s contributions are important. Students will be required to not only attend but also actively participate in lessons.

Active participation entails:

• active engagement in class activities;
• contribution to class discussions by asking and answering questions;
• coming to class prepared and having completed required pre-readings and activities;
• completion of set class and homework activities;
• collaboration with other students; and
• adhering to Macquarie University’s Student Code of Conduct.

Weekly face-to-face contact for this unit will be 16 hours (96 hours per term).

There will be 7 lessons per week consisting of 2 hour lessons and 3 hour lab sessions. 

The following texts have been recommended for this unit.

Required Textbook:

Halliday, Resnick, and Walker, 2014, Fundamentals of Physics, extended 10th edition (with Wiley Plus).

All students should ensure that they have access to the recommended text(s) from the start of the Term as failure to do so could jeopardise their academic progress in this unit.

Other editions or formats of the above resource(s) may be acceptable, but students must consult teaching staff prior to purchasing these.

Required Resources

A copy of the WPHY1510 Laboratory Manual is available on iLearn.