Students

NSCI7920 – Advanced Literature Project

2024 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-infrequent, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Ken Cheng
ken.cheng@mq.edu.au
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 provides opportunities to search, read and critically review scientific literature in your sub-discipline at an advanced level. The topics are to be decided by the student in consultation with an approved mentor. All students undertake independent literature research, with regular mentoring from their topic mentor. Students will need to take responsibility for organising their workload throughout the session. This unit encourages students to directly interact with research active academic staff, postdoctoral researchers and PhD students and to explore the most current and controversial issues in the natural sciences. An oral seminar and written report are required on completion of this research.

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: Evaluate and synthesise the current state of knowledge in an area of active research
  • ULO2: Identify a knowledge gap in the field, explain its importance and present a case for addressing it
  • ULO3: Demonstrate mastery of bibliographic database software
  • ULO4: Critically review the written work of others to a professional standard
  • ULO5: Work with a mentor to identify a relevant research topic, plan and conduct literature based research, and reflect on the implementation of the research plan
  • ULO6: Present ideas from your synthesis clearly with supporting evidence

General Assessment Information

Requirements to Pass this Unit

To pass this unit you must achieve a total mark equal to or greater than 50%.

 

Lateness penalty

5% per day or part thereof, as a percentage of the 100 marks assigned for grading each assessment.

Special considerations may be applied for extensions to due dates for work. Macquarie University’s special considerations policy is here: Special Consideration Policy

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Literature review - annotated bibliography 5% No Week 2 or as agreed
Literature review - outline 10% No Week 4 or as agreed
Peer review of professional work 10% No Week 6 or as agreed
Literature review - presentation 20% No Week 9
Literature review 40% No Draft Week 10, final Week 12
Literature review - peer review 10% No Week 11
Time on task diary 5% No Week 13

Literature review - annotated bibliography

Assessment Type 1: Annotated bibliography
Indicative Time on Task 2: 14 hours
Due: Week 2 or as agreed
Weighting: 5%

 

You will create an annotated bibliography using a referencing database program such as Mendeley or Endnote. For each reference you should include a short description of the relevance of the paper to your literature review. This allows for formative feedback from your supervisor and unit convenor on your planned literature review.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate and synthesise the current state of knowledge in an area of active research
  • Demonstrate mastery of bibliographic database software

Literature review - outline

Assessment Type 1: Professional writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 14 hours
Due: Week 4 or as agreed
Weighting: 10%

 

Your will prepare an outline for your literature review that builds on your annotated bibliography. Your outline should clearly present the structure of your proposed review including the key points you plan to make and references you plan to use in support. A detailed outline allows for more formative feedback from your supervisor and unit convenor on your planned literature review.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify a knowledge gap in the field, explain its importance and present a case for addressing it
  • Work with a mentor to identify a relevant research topic, plan and conduct literature based research, and reflect on the implementation of the research plan
  • Present ideas from your synthesis clearly with supporting evidence

Peer review of professional work

Assessment Type 1: Professional writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 14 hours
Due: Week 6 or as agreed
Weighting: 10%

 

Your supervisor will provide a relevant piece of scientific writing (approved by the unit convenor), and you will provide a detailed written peer review of the work. The work should be a final draft / submission ready - grant, paper, PhD thesis chapter, or MRes thesis relevant to the student's area of research interest. The authors, supervisor, and/or convenor must provide you with the evaluation criteria and any special focus area prior review.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically review the written work of others to a professional standard

Literature review - presentation

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 21 hours
Due: Week 9
Weighting: 20%

 

You will present of the results of your literature review.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate and synthesise the current state of knowledge in an area of active research
  • Identify a knowledge gap in the field, explain its importance and present a case for addressing it
  • Present ideas from your synthesis clearly with supporting evidence

Literature review

Assessment Type 1: Literature review
Indicative Time on Task 2: 54 hours
Due: Draft Week 10, final Week 12
Weighting: 40%

 

You will complete a literature review based that identifies knowledge gaps that could be addressed in the context of MRes research. You will need to engage with a supervisor through regular meetings to explore the structure and content of the review. The literature review builds on the annotated bibliography and outline assessments. It should incorporate relevant suggestions from your peer review.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate and synthesise the current state of knowledge in an area of active research
  • Identify a knowledge gap in the field, explain its importance and present a case for addressing it
  • Demonstrate mastery of bibliographic database software
  • Work with a mentor to identify a relevant research topic, plan and conduct literature based research, and reflect on the implementation of the research plan
  • Present ideas from your synthesis clearly with supporting evidence

Literature review - peer review

Assessment Type 1: Professional writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 14 hours
Due: Week 11
Weighting: 10%

 

You will provide detailed and constructive written feedback on one of your peer's literature review. In return you will receive detailed and constructive written feedback on your draft literature review from one of your peers.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically review the written work of others to a professional standard

Time on task diary

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:
  • Work with a mentor to identify a relevant research topic, plan and conduct literature based research, and reflect on the implementation of the research plan

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

We meet this year Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m. in 25 Wally's Walk GA05.

The textbook is Expository Scientific Writing: A Short Guide, by Ken Cheng. You can download it from his lab web site.

Methods of communication

For communication regarding this unit, students should email the unit convenor.

Covid-safe practices

  • Macquarie University's statement on Covid-19 is found here: MQ Covid-19 response.
  • If unwell, please do not come to campus. Join on zoom. If you are too unwell to join on zoom, email the convenor and apply for a Special Consideration. Staff have the discretion to request that students presenting COVID-19 like symptoms leave campus.
  • For more information, please see NSW Health.

Unit Schedule

Week 1: general introduction to unit

Week 2: workshop on writing a review paper

Week 6: workshop on other aspects of the unit

Week 9: presentations, at a time and location to be announced. With the expected number of students, 3 hours are anticipated.

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 connect.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 the Service Connect Portal, 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.

Changes from Previous Offering

The unit has a different convenor from before, Ken Cheng, so that the workshops will be different.

Unit information based on version 2024.02 of the Handbook