Special Consideration

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – 5 marks out of 100 credit will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted seven days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. Extensions for the submission for assessed work need to be submitted online (convenors and tutors are not permitted to grant you an extension). The link to locate relevant information and to request Special Consideration can be found via this link Special Consideration - Eligibility | MQ Sydney. 

Word Limit Penalty

As noted under each assessment description above, a penalty of 5% will be applied to written and recorded assessment submissions that are under or over the stated length by more than 10%.

Assessment Descriptions

1. Annotated Bibliography

Assessment Type ¹: Annotated bibliography Indicative Time on Task ²: 40 hours Word length: 1500 words +/- 10% = 1350-1650 words Weighting: 30%

You will create an annotated bibliography of modern works on the subject of your research together with a plan outlining your proposed project. Your plan will not be assessed: the annotated bibliography is the only assessible element of this task. A marking rubric, task outline, and word limit will be provided on the unit homepage. 

On successful completion you will be able to:

• acquire knowledge of historical developments and historiography relevant to chosen topic
• evaluate ancient source material and modern interpretations of that source material at an advanced level
• formulate arguments and express ideas at an advanced level
• manage an extended research and writing project
• reflect upon the process of research and on scholarly debates

2. Podcast

Assessment Type ¹: Media presentation Indicative Time on Task ²: 30 hours Duration: 5-7 minutes +/- 10% = 4min 30sec to 7min 42sec. Weighting: 30%

This task asks you to create an oral presentation on your research topic & question, context, design & method, and preliminary results. A marking rubric, task outline, and time/word limit will be provided on the unit homepage. 

On successful completion you will be able to:

• evaluate ancient source material and modern interpretations of that source material at an advanced level
• formulate arguments and express ideas at an advanced level
• manage an extended research and writing project
• reflect upon the process of research and on scholarly debates

3. Research Paper

Assessment Type ¹: Essay Indicative Time on Task ²: 56 hours Word length: 2500 words +/- 10% = 2250-2750 words Weighting: 40%

You will present disciplinary knowledge in support of a thesis or proposition relating to your chosen research focus using structured written communication. A marking rubric, task outline, and word limit will be provided on the unit homepage. 

On successful completion you will be able to:

• acquire knowledge of historical developments and historiography relevant to chosen topic
• evaluate ancient source material and modern interpretations of that source material at an advanced level
• formulate arguments and express ideas at an advanced level
• manage an extended research and writing project
• reflect upon the process of research and on scholarly debates

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

Research Supervisor

You will undertake research on a topic arising from an Ancient History or Archaeology unit which you have previously undertaken. A member of academic staff from the department of History and Archaeology OR the Unit Convener will be allocated to provide you with guidance and support. Unless otherwise negotiated, you will meet with your allocated supervisor in Weeks 4 and 8. It is your responsibility to contact your supervisor and arrange meeting days/times.

Your supervisor will be allocated on the basis of your research proposal (submitted during Week 1). If you wish to secure the supervision of a particular member of staff before the teaching session begins, then you are strongly advised to make contact with the relevant member of staff a week before teaching commences (week commencing 21 July 2024) to gain a staff member's approval to act in a supervisory capacity and to discuss a potential topic. NB: Names of staff who are unavailable to act as supervisors will be provided on the AHIS/AHIX3000 iLearn site. 

The general rule is that staff members should not supervise more than four AHIS/AHIX3000 students at a time. You must submit your research proposal (topic and abstract) and the names of any preferred (or pre-arranged) supervisor(s) by the end of Week 1. Detailed instructions will be provided on the unit homepage.

You should consult with your supervisor about your research if you have any questions about your research topic that you cannot resolve using your own knowledge or skills. It is also essential for you to have met at least twice with your supervisor and obtain feedback on your developing research project by the end of Week 8.

Seminars

There will be FOUR cohort meetings in this unit: Week 1, Week 3, Week 8, and Week 12. NB: External/OUA students can audit the recording of the meeting on ECHO360.

1. Week 1: This meeting will consider how the Capstone will help you to consolidate your learning from previous units of study in Ancient History and Archaeology, rather than learning new content; reflect on the knowledge, skills and capabilities you have acquired and how to demonstrate these in your transition from final year to workplace or further study; stimulate thinking about realistic and feasible topics for your Research Paper; and explain how you will develop and capture both your learning process during the unit (campus and online discussion) and your final learning products (annotated bibliography; podcast presentation; research paper)
2. Week 4: This meeting will consider how your Weeks 1-3 Capstone activities have helped you to consolidate your learning from previous units of study in Ancient History and Archaeology; reflect on the knowledge, skills and capabilities you have acquired in your degree and how you will demonstrate these in your Week 4 Assessment 1; prepare for your first meeting with your Research Supervisor; and review how you have developed and captured your learning process in the online Research Forum and your future learning products (podcast presentation; research paper).
3. Week 8: This meeting will consider how your Weeks 4-7 Capstone activities have helped you to consolidate your learning from previous units of study in Ancient History and Archaeology; reflect on the knowledge, skills and capabilities you have acquired in your degree and how you will demonstrate these in your Week 9 Assessment 2; prepare for your second meeting with your Research Supervisor; and review how you have developed and captured your learning process in the online Research Forum and your future learning products (podcast presentation; research paper).
4. Week 12: This meeting will consider how your Weeks 8-11 Capstone activities have helped you to consolidate your learning from previous units of study in Ancient History and Archaeology; reflect on the knowledge, skills and capabilities you have acquired in your degree and how you will demonstrate these in your Week 13 Assessment 3; and review how you have developed and captured your learning process in the online Research Forum and your future learning products (research paper).

Technology Used and Required

The unit has an iLearn page which can be accessed at: http://ilearn.mq.edu.au/. PC and internet access are therefore required. Basic computer skills (e.g., internet browsing) and skills in word processing are also a requirement. You will also use a digital software application (Adobe Express, Audacity, or similar) to create your podcast presentation. Please consult teaching staff for any further, more specific, requirements.

Week 1: Welcome and Choosing Your Research Topic (Cohort Meeting #1)

Week 2: Literature Review and Note-Taking

Week 3: Writing Your Research Plan | (Cohort Meeting #2)

Week 4: Writing Your Annotated Bibliography (Supervisor Meeting #1) – Assessment 1 Due

Week 5: Primary Evidence

Week 6: Data Organisation

Week 7: Outline Ideas and Reading

Week 8: Podcast Preparation (Cohort Meeting #3 and Supervisor Meeting #2)

Week 9: Producing Your Podcast – Assessment 2 Due

Week 10: First Draft

Week 11: Second Draft

Week 12: Final Draft and Conclusions (Cohort Meeting #4)

Week 13: Producing your Final Research Paper – Assessment 2 Due

This unit is intended for all students, including those with mental or physical disabilities, illness, injuries, impairments, or any other condition that tends to negatively affect one’s equal access to education. If, at any point in the session, you find yourself not able to fully access the space, content, and experience of this course, you are welcome (but not required) to contact me. It is never too late to request accommodations – our bodies and circumstances are diverse and continuously changing. 

For students with accessibility requirements, I encourage you to contact Accessibility Services to ensure that we, as an institution, are supporting your learning. By making a plan through Accessibility Services, you can ensure accommodation without disclosing any information to your course convenors.

There are also a range of resources on campus that serve to support and improve student learning and wellbeing, including the Learning Skills Unit, Peer Support programs, resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, English Language support, and Student Wellbeing support and resources. Please reach out to these programs or contact me directly for further information.