Requirements to Pass this Unit

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

Hurdle assessments – Assessment 1: Training & Inductions (0%)

It is important that all students are prepared to undertake their research projects in compliance with the prevailing ethical, professional and health and safety standards. Training and induction components are, to some extent, discipline-specific; please check with the unit convener or your mentor. In all cases, students must undertake the relevant discipline-specific training and induction, and provide evidence to the unit convener. This is a hurdle assessment meaning that failure to meet this requirement may result in a fail grade for the unit.

Engagement – please read, as this is very important

As a BPhil / MRes Yr 1 student you are becoming part of our community of researchers. You need to be an active participant in the unit's activities. You will be expected to be an active particpant in discussions, ask questions and engage with your 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 a unique project with different academic mentors. See iLearn for more information about placement plans, but your placement plan will specify the due date and the content for each of your unit deliverables. It will also need to identify 2 or 3 suitable assessors from within your School who could be asked to second-mark your final written report. These assessors cannot be involved in your research or the research group you will be part of for the duration of your project.

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

Assessments where Late Submissions will be accepted 

In this unit, late submissions will accepted for written work, but: 

• All training and inductions MUST be completed prior to starting work. 
• See marking guidance on iLearn or consult the convenor(s) for additional information. 

Training & inductions

Assessment Type ¹: Portfolio; Indicative Time on Task ²: 3 hours; Due: Week 1; Weighting: 0%. This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks).

Complete required WHS, ethics and other required training and induction prior to starting research work. (AI use is not feasible here.)

On successful completion you will be able to:

• Apply knowledge of your WHS, ethical and other legal obligations to create a risk assessment and management plan for your research.
• Identify, apply and evaluate research methods.
• Work professionally with a research mentor, and other research collaborators as required, to plan and undertake research.

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Hurdle	Due
Placement plan	15%	No	06/03/2026
Oral presentation	20%	No	Weeks 11, 12 or 13 (pending scheduling)
Professional reflection	15%	No	05/06/2026
Placement deliverable	50%	No	05/06/2026

Placement plan

Assessment Type ¹: Plan Indicative Time on Task ²: 12 hours Due: 06/03/2026 Weighting: 15%

Complete a placement plan outlining the research to be done and outlining any required WHS, ethics or other required training or inductions that need to be completed prior to starting your research placement. AI may be used if desired, but the plan is ultimately the result of discussions between student and supervisor.

On successful completion you will be able to:

• Apply knowledge of your WHS, ethical and other legal obligations to create a risk assessment and management plan for your research.
• Identify, apply, evaluate and communicate your research activities and findings in oral and written form.
• Maintain appropriate records of your research activities and utilise these records to reflect on your initial project plan.
• Work professionally with a research mentor, and other research collaborators as required, to plan and undertake research.

Oral presentation

Assessment Type ¹: Presentation Indicative Time on Task ²: 10 hours Due: Weeks 11, 12 or 13 (pending scheduling) Weighting: 20%

Oral presentation in relation to your research placement. As this is an in-person assessment, AI use is not feasible beyond possibly support of the preparation of slides/the narrative.

On successful completion you will be able to:

• Identify, apply, evaluate and communicate your research activities and findings in oral and written form.
• Demonstrate competence in the skills and techniques required to undertake your research.
• Maintain appropriate records of your research activities and utilise these records to reflect on your initial project plan.
• Work professionally with a research mentor, and other research collaborators as required, to plan and undertake research.

Professional reflection

Assessment Type ¹: Reflective Writing Indicative Time on Task ²: 10 hours Due: 05/06/2026 Weighting: 15%

A reflection on your research placement in the context of your:

1. project plan: including the proposed activities and timeline.
2. research and career goals.  

AI may be used if desired, but we will be looking for genuine reflection based on the actual work undertaken.

On successful completion you will be able to:

• Identify, apply, evaluate and communicate your research activities and findings in oral and written form.
• Demonstrate competence in the skills and techniques required to undertake your research.
• Maintain appropriate records of your research activities and utilise these records to reflect on your initial project plan.
• Work professionally with a research mentor, and other research collaborators as required, to plan and undertake research.

Placement deliverable

Assessment Type ¹: Report Indicative Time on Task ²: 23 hours Due: 05/06/2026 Weighting: 50%

A report on your research placement. The content and format of this report should be as presented in your placement plan. AI may be used if desired, but the portfolio is ultimately a report of the work undertaken as part of this placement, so opportunities for AI use will be limited.

On successful completion you will be able to:

• Apply knowledge of your WHS, ethical and other legal obligations to create a risk assessment and management plan for your research.
• Identify, apply, evaluate and communicate your research activities and findings in oral and written form.
• Demonstrate competence in the skills and techniques required to undertake your research.
• Maintain appropriate records of your research activities and utilise these records to reflect on your initial project plan.
• Work professionally with a research mentor, and other research collaborators as required, to plan and undertake research.

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

Finding research mentors:

You are encouraged to be proactive in seeking potential mentors, but school advisor and the unit convenor are here to help. Prior to or at the start of Week 1, and if necessary, the unit convenor will distribute a limited list of potential projects. In addition there are a some resources that are worth looking at:

• Macquarie University Research Portal 
• Macquarie University Supervisor Database (note this links the above)
• Previous / current students

We specifically use the term "mentor" rather than "supervisor" to make a clear distinction between a year 2 supervisor, and the year 1 mentors who you will work with in this unit. Working with a particular mentor during a year 1 placement does not obligate you (or your mentor) to supervise you in a year 2 project. We want you to use this opportunity to help find the best possible supervisor / topic match for you.

Methods of Communication 

We will communicate with you via your university email and through announcements on iLearn. Queries to convenors should be sent to the unit convenor via the contact email on iLearn. 

Most of this unit will take place in consultation with your mentor / outside of time-tabled locations and 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!

In principle, students are expected to work one day a week throughout the semester on their projects. Most often this will be the Friday, but this can be negotiated individually with your mentor. Students will additionally be expected to spend one full week during the mid-semester break on their projects.

Formal class sessions will be held every second week, some in conjunction with the FOSE7901 cohort. Please see the unit's iLearn pages for practical details.

This is a relatively new Faculty-wide unit, so we are still ironing out some wrinkles. 

This will be the fifth session we run this unit. Student feedback from the previous offerings of this unit was very positive overall, with students pleased with the clarity around assessment requirements and the level of support from teaching staff. As such, no change to the delivery of the unit is planned, however we will continue to strive to improve the level of support and the level of student engagement.

The unit will  run as during previous semesters, with the teaching staff assigned to the unit having reverted to the team that was responsible in S1 2025 (the lead convener was on sabbatical in S2 2025).

For S1 2026 we have indicated where AI might be used and whether it would make sense to do so. We also updated the university's policy on late submissions.