Students

COGS3250 – Advanced Research Experience and Training

2024 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-infrequent, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Bianca De Wit
bianca.dewit@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
130cp and admission to BCogBrainSc and permission by special approval
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit will provide students with the opportunity to participate in an independent research project under a supervisor from the Department of Cognitive Science. Students will have the opportunity to participate in multiple stages of research which may include developing research plans, writing proposals, conducting experiments, analysing data, and reporting results. Especially ambitious and productive students may earn the opportunity to present their findings at a scientific conference, and in rare cases, may even earn authorship on a peer reviewed paper. Admission to the unit is subject to supervisor availability and approval.

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: Formulate an original research question and develop an appropriate experimental design.
  • ULO2: Develop and competently use practical laboratory skills and appropriate research methods to investigate a research question.
  • ULO3: Critically evaluate and synthesise the primary scientific literature relevant to their research topic.
  • ULO4: Communicate research in written form.
  • ULO5: Interact with research group members and develop peer networking skills.

General Assessment Information

This is a non-graded unit, as the learning outcomes are best achieved through a satisfactory/ unsatisfactory assessment.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Research group participation 15% No Throughout the session
Research log book 20% No Week 13
Research report 45% No Week 13
Research presentation 20% No Week 13

Research group participation

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Throughout the session
Weighting: 15%

 

Attendance at, and active engagement with, the relevant research group meetings and seminars. You will also have to participate in at least 3 student group meetings and/or seminars throughout the session.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Interact with research group members and develop peer networking skills.

Research log book

Assessment Type 1: Log book
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 20%

 

Create and maintain a research log book documenting supervisory meetings, research group meetings, as well as the development and conduct of your research. You will have to include an annotated bibliography of relevant readings.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Develop and competently use practical laboratory skills and appropriate research methods to investigate a research question.
  • Critically evaluate and synthesise the primary scientific literature relevant to their research topic.
  • Communicate research in written form.

Research report

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 28 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 45%

 

Research report similar to a short journal article to document your research. This report will include a description of the relevant literature, as well as the the methods and results of your research.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Formulate an original research question and develop an appropriate experimental design.
  • Develop and competently use practical laboratory skills and appropriate research methods to investigate a research question.
  • Critically evaluate and synthesise the primary scientific literature relevant to their research topic.
  • Communicate research in written form.

Research presentation

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 14 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 20%

 

Presentation of your research, including your plan and results.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Formulate an original research question and develop an appropriate experimental design.
  • Develop and competently use practical laboratory skills and appropriate research methods to investigate a research question.
  • Critically evaluate and synthesise the primary scientific literature relevant to their research topic.
  • Interact with research group members and develop peer networking skills.

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

Each student will work with an individual supervisor, and the details of participation and relevant meetings will be arranged individually. In addition, the students will participate in three group meetings with the convenor & other supervisors.

There will be an iLearn site for shared resources and discussions. The group meetings will be scheduled to be at a time convenient to the students - the dates for this will be organised through iLearn in Week 1.

The convenor is available for additional support if needed - please email (bianca.dewit@mq.edu.au) for an appointment.

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.

Unit information based on version 2024.01R of the Handbook