Requirements to Pass this Unit

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

Engagement – please read, as this is very important

As a Graduate Diploma of Research student you are becoming part of our community of researchers. You need to be an active participant in the unit activities. You will be expected to be an active particpant in discussions, ask questions and engage with you cohort, and proactively work to find your place in our diverse research community. 

Academic Honesty

Presenting the work of another person as one’s own is a serious breach of the University’s rules and carries significant penalties. In this unit, we will be checking written work for plagiarism using TURNITIN. Penalties for plagiarism may include a zero mark for the assignment or in more extreme cases, failure of the unit. Plagiarism WILL be noted on your academic record. (link: Academic Integrity Policy)

Due dates and assessement topics

This unit is flexible by design. Each student will be undertaking two unique projects with different academic mentors. Each student may have very different project deliverables. See iLearn for more information about placement plans. The due dates listed in the Unit Guide are recommended due dates, but your placement plan will specify the actual due date for your project and the content for each of your placement deliverables.

Late Submission Policy

• 5% penalty per day: If you submit your assessment late, 5% of the total possible marks will be deducted for each day (including weekends), up to 7 days.

  • Example 1 (out of 100): If you score 85/100 but submit 20 hours late, you will lose 5 marks and receive 80/100.

  • Example 2 (out of 30): If you score 27/30 but submit 1 day late, you will lose 1.5 marks and receive 25.5/30.

• After 7 days: Submissions more than 7 days late will receive a mark of 0.

• Extensions:

  • Automatic short extension: Some assessments are eligible for automatic short extension. You can only apply for an automatic short extension before the due date.

  • Special Consideration: If you need more time due to serious issues and for any assessments that are not eligible for Short Extension, you must apply for Special Consideration.

Need help? Review the Special Consideration page HERE

Finding research mentors:

You are encouraged to be proactive in seeking potential mentors, but your discipline advisor and the unit convenor are here to help. In addition there are a some resources that are worth looking at:

• Macquarie University Research Portal 
• Macquarie University Supervsor Database
• Previous / current students

You are expected to try out a couple different research mentors / research groups / research topics. We specifically use the term "mentor" rather than "supervisor" to make a clear distinction between an MRes supervisor, and the placement mentors who you will work with in this unit. Working with a particular mentor during a placement does not obligate you (or your mentor) to supervise you in an MRes project. We want you to use this opportunity to help find the best possible supervisor / topic match for you.

Unit Schedule

You are expected to be present for the meetings scheduled in the official timetable.

As such most of this unit will take place in consultation with your mentor / outside of the time tabled locations & times. The unit convenor is available to help you navigate the transition to an active participant in your research group, but the goal is to let you and your mentor opperate as independently as possible!