COMS1000 Science Communications Semester 2, 2016

Acknowledgement of Country We respectfully acknowledge the Indigenous Elders, custodians, their descendants and kin of this land past and present.

Syllabus This unit will focus on developing the capacity of students to effectively communicate scientific information and arguments to a range of audiences. Awareness of the nature of science and scientific behaviours, the role and relevance of science in society and methods of scientific inquiry will be introduced to students and used to influence the way in which students communicate in science. Students will learn to effectively communicate key scientific messages by developing argumentative skills. Emphasis will be placed on the elements of communication that are specific to the scientific context - language that is accurate, objective, formal, cautious, clear and concise, and often involves tabular and graphical representation of data. The way in which evidence is presented in the sciences is reflected in referencing, and will also be considered.

Introduction Effective communication is the key to success at university, and one of the most important skills that employers look for. This unit aims to develop your communications skills in scientific contexts. The learning activities and assessments revolve around the ability to synthesise scientific argumentation, a form of rhetoric that employs systematic reasoning and supportive evidence generated through scientific methods to present science in visual and verbal formats. The main purpose of this unit is to prepare you to communicate outcomes of science in a scientific manner for an academic audience. In short, you will learn why it is important for scientists to communicate effectively, how to structure and critique written science, and how to deliver a science product via multiple modes.

This Unit Outline contains information about the unit's goals and methods, including the learning design, topics to be covered, assessments tasks required and their due dates, and the overall program calendar. Please read it carefully at the start of semester and refer to it throughout the semester for clarification. Key information will be kept updated on Blackboard through Announcement, amendments to the Program Calendar, and email correspondence from the teaching staff.

Unit Learning Outcomes

Unit study package code: COMS1000

Mode of study: Internal

Tuition pattern summary: Note: For any specific variations to this tuition pattern and for precise information refer to the Learning Activities section.

Workshop: 1 x 2 Hours Weekly

This unit does not have a fieldwork component.

Credit Value: 12.5

Pre-requisite units: Nil

Co-requisite units: Nil

Anti-requisite units: Nil

Result type: Grade/Mark

Approved incidental fees: Information about approved incidental fees can be obtained from our website. Visit fees.curtin.edu.au/incidental_fees.cfm for details.

Unit coordinator: Title: MsName: Lauren GilsonPhone: 9266 7510 Judy WadeEmail: [email protected]: Building: 220 - Room: 212Consultation times: By request via email

Teaching Staff: Name: Ranjna KapoorPhone: 08 9266 3836Email: [email protected]: Building: 209 - Room: 305

Administrative contact: Name: Carmel IannoloPhone: +618 9266 4613Email: [email protected]: Building: 220 - Room: 209

Learning Management System: Blackboard (lms.curtin.edu.au)

Unit Outline

COMS1000 Science Communications Semester 2, 2016

Faculty of Science and EngineeringSchool of Science

COMS1000 Science Communications Bentley Campus 27 Jul 2016 School of Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering

Page: 1 of 10CRICOS Provider Code 00301J

The only authoritative version of this Unit Outline is to be found online in OASIS

http://fees.curtin.edu.au/incidental_fees.cfm

http://lms.curtin.edu.au/

All graduates of Curtin University achieve a set of nine graduate attributes during their course of study. These tell an employer that, through your studies, you have acquired discipline knowledge and a range of other skills and attributes which employers say would be useful in a professional setting. Each unit in your course addresses the graduate attributes through a clearly identified set of learning outcomes. They form a vital part in the process referred to as assurance of learning. The learning outcomes tell you what you are expected to know, understand or be able to do in order to be successful in this unit. Each assessment for this unit is carefully designed to test your achievement of one or more of the unit learning outcomes. On successfully completing all of the assessments you will have achieved all of these learning outcomes.

Your course has been designed so that on graduating we can say you will have achieved all of Curtin's Graduate Attributes through the assurance of learning process in each unit.

Curtin's Graduate Attributes

Learning Activities

The learning activities in this unit introduce and develop your ability to present science through multiple forms of communication. Three integrated tasks, described below, will to help you excel in this unit and in your future science studies. We refer to these tasks as "the three Ps":

A pictogram describing the learning design of this unit: the "three Ps" approach

1. PREPARE: Before the workshop, prepare by watching short snapshot lectures that cover the key points and highlight important

concepts or resources that are focal to each workshop session. Content in the pre-workshop videos will appear in five pop quizzes throughout

the semester. Instructions to download and print activity guidelines or worksheet, to collect some information, or bring a draft of

independent work to use in workshops will be delivered through the weekly workshop folders in Blackboard.

2. PARTICIPATE: The 2-hour workshop each week is interactive and involves student-centred learning time. Workshops are facilitated by a

teaching team with science and communication expertise. Facilitators will guide you through collaborative communication

activities that involve both teamwork and individual work. Facilitators may provide verbal feedback in workshop, and written feedback on

submitted assessment items; you are encouraged to ask for additional feedback on your work at any time.

3. PRODUCE: The face-to-face workshops and online learning tasks are structured to be delivered ‘just-in-time' around assessment

milestones in this and other units. A substantial component of the assessment in this unit is dedicated to tasks designed to help you master

the skills that are to be subsequently demonstrated in the final unit assessment product: structuring argumentation effectively, referencing

properly and appropriately, and paraphrasing efficiently. The purpose of the early assessment tasks (weeks 1-8) is to provide feedback to you

on your comprehension and application of these concepts, and to ensure that you have received instruction in the technical aspects of

scientific communication that you will employ throughout your science course at Curtin. The final assessment, the presentation of a well-

structured scientific argument through multimodal means, is achieved through verbal presentation of an academic research poster.

On successful completion of this unit students can: Graduate Attributes addressed

1 Select, evaluate, paraphrase and synthesise existing scientific knowledge from a range of sources to develop coherent and logical scientific arguments

2 Demonstrate academic integrity and referencing conventions to acknowledge the original source of information required to construct scientific arguments for tertiary study

3 Communicate scientific information to an academic audience in a manner that is upheld and practised by the scientific community

Apply discipline knowledge Thinking skills (use analytical skills to solve problems)

Information skills (confidence to investigate new ideas)

Communication skills Technology skillsLearning how to learn (apply principles learnt to new situations) (confidence to tackle unfamiliar problems)

International perspective (value the perspectives of others)

Cultural understanding (value the perspectives of others)

Professional Skills (work independently and as a team) (plan own work)

Find out more about Curtin's Graduate attributes at the Office of Teaching & Learning website: ctl.curtin.edu.au

Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Science




http://ctl.curtin.edu.au/

The argumentation is first articulated in a written project proposal supported by a critique of the evidence that you will use in support of your

argument (assessment 2). Peer review of content and style will be the focus in the final two teaching weeks.

PLAN AHEAD: There is an expectation that this unit requires a time commitment of 60 hours over the whole semester (including tuition free

periods). This equates to approximately 4 to 5 hours each week of the semester, comprising time spent participating in workshops,

completing assessment (in-class and online), and private study (preparation and reflection). Maximise your potential for success by

scheduling ample time for preparation and reflection before and after each activity. Preparing ahead of time is good scientific behaviour.

Learning Resources Recommended texts

You do not have to purchase the following textbooks but you may like to refer to them.

l Grellier, J., and V. Goerke. 2010. Communication skills toolkit: Unlocking the secrets of tertiary success. 3rd ed. Melbourne: Cengage Learning Australia. (Available on the shelves of The Robertson Library)

(ISBN/ISSN: ISBN/ISSN: 978-0170243612)

Online resources

l Lindsay, D. 2011. Scientific writing = thinking in words. 2nd ed. Victoria: CSIRO Publishing.

(Available as an eBook through The Robertson Library)

(https://ap01-

a.alma.exlibrisgroup.com/view/action/uresolver.do;jsessionid=CC2B89FAAB35FC204EDD6074CB10BE76.app01.ap01.prod.alma.dc05.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com:1801?operation=resolveService&package_service_id=5014540160001951&institutionId=1951&customerId=1940)

(ISBN/ISSN: ISBN/ISSN:978 -064310466)

Other resources

Complementary to this unit, the Faculty of Science and Engineering offers students a four-module academic language development program. The Science and Engineering Language and Literacy (SELL) program offers discipline-specific examples of how to use language effectively in the sciences. This program consists of 4 two-hour workshops that run each teaching week from Week 2 to Week 8 of this semester. The SELL workshop involve small-group learning activities designed to complement the work you do in this and other units. It is possible for you to complete the SELL program in any one week if you are inclined to do so. You are welcome to attend these workshops even if you have not been identified as requiring further language and literacy development. The SELL workshops cover a range of academic skills within the four modules described below:

• Module 1: The Art of Academic Writing

• Module 2: Cohesion, Coherence, and Structure

• Module 3: Referencing and Paraphrasing

• Module 4: Common Language Errors, Proofreading and Editing Your Work Details of the SELL workshops will be available on Blackboard.





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Assessment Assessment schedule

Detailed information on assessment tasks

1. In-class assessment: Learning Tasks

Weight: 40%

To practice the key concepts of this unit, the learning tasks described below comprise a series of small tasks that you will complete during or immediately after workshops. These tasks are designed to give you timely feedback on your academic language ability and scientific researching skills in preparation for larger individual assessment tasks dealing with scientific argumentation. In-class tasks will be performed either individually (I), in groups of three (G), or in teams of six (T), and evaluated as individual or team efforts.

Task Value % Date Due Unit Learning Outcome(s) Assessed

1In class assessment 30 percent Week: Refer to table

Day: Varies per focal item Time: Varies per focal item

1,2,3

2

Draft of scientific argument 10 percent Week: Teaching Week 8 (semester week 10) Day: 04 October 2016 Time: 11:59 p.m.

1,2,3

3

Scientific argument 30 percent Week: Teaching Week 12 (semester week 14) Day: 30 October 2016 Time: 11:59 p.m.

1,2,3

4

Scientific argument poster 30 percent Week: Teaching Week 12 (semester week 14) Day: 30 October 2016 online, in workshops, 2-4 November Time: 11:59 p.m. for poster submission;

1,2,3

Short Title Description Weight% I/G/T Due date and submission

Post-Entry Language Assessment

(PELA)

All students who are enrolled in this unit are required to undertake a Post-Entry Language Assessment task, or PELA. The PELA is a diagnostic instrument that informs us and you about your academic language ability; it is not an English competency test or an assessment of essay-writing skills. You will be asked to write an academic response to a question about text on a science issue. Your response must be written in the form of an extended answer comprised of well-organized paragraphs, using clear sentences that demonstrate comprehension and paraphrasing of the source material. Your writing will be marked using four criteria:

l task comprehension and fulfilment; l use of grammar and vocabulary; l organisation, coherence, and cohesion; and l mechanical accuracy (punctuation, spelling, sentence structuring).

You will need to complete PELA by the end of week 1, regardless of your workshop session time. The task is available through Blackboard now and can be completed on campus or at home.

PELA submissions will be evaluated by qualified language experts who will return a mark out of 10. Students who score 5 or lower must complete the four external Science and Engineering Literacy and Language (SELL) workshops to pass this unit. Completing the SELL programme is also recommended for students who receive a score between 5 and 6.5 for PELA, and workshops are open to all Science Communication students. Details about SELL will be made available on Blackboard. You must submit the PELA to be eligible to pass this unit.

0 I Online via Blackboard; 01-07 August 2016

Pop Quizzes There will be five pop quizzes offered in your workshops throughout the semester. Each pop quiz is based on the online learning material. The pop quizzes will be administered at the start of the workshops and answers will be discussed in the workshop. To receive your final mark in the unit, you will need to submit a portfolio in Week 13 consisting of your scanned quiz sheets with your answers and peer marks. It is your responsibility to make electronic copies and submit your portfolio following instructions proivded on Blackboard.

0% I In workshops; portfolio to be submitted online in 23 October 2016 @ 11:59 p.m..

Thinking as a Scientist (TAS) worksheet

This learning task is a group activity with individual submission. This worksheet captures individual contributions to the collaborative thinking and writing involved in a group and team project, the Group Lab Report completed in week 4. The worksheet follows the organizational structure of a scientific research paper, and will be combined with data collection from an in-class experiment to complete the lab report in week 4.

Student groups will draft hypotheses, predictions, materials and methods sections; student teams will later summarise experimental results and present their conclusions from the data gathered. Groups divide the work of drafting sections of the paper amongst members; each student will be individually responsible for developing and writing up their section for the

5% G/I Worksheet completed in workshops; submitted as an appendix to the team lab report, 04 September 2016 @ 11:59 p.m..





2. Draft of scientific argumentation: the Project Proposal draft and bibliographic list (Individual assessment)

Weight: 10%

This draft text version of your scientific argumentation is designed to help you structure the key message that you intend to present as your scientific argument, which will be encapsulated in your peer-reviewed research poster. Your argumentation may be constructed around a scientific issue selected from the list provided in your assessment brief. You will be required to submit a proposal of not more than 1500 words with the following sections:

1. Introduction with thesis statement: one paragraph with a brief introduction to the scientific issue being addressed and a working hypothesis (thesis statement).

2. Review of research literature: provide your readers facilitators and peers with an overview about the current state of research that is relevant to your topic of inquiry. You will have to source peer-reviewed primary literature on your topic. Present this information in several orderly paragraphs.

3. Significance of your research: your proposal needs to show why your argument is important to justify the significance of your intended research on the topic. Summarise in a single concluding paragraph.

4. Sources of evidence that you have located in peer-reviewed publications: This evidence may support or refute your argument; provide a list of 3-6 sources of evidence.

3. Project Proposal with Annotated Bibliography

Weight: 30%

In this component of the final assessment task, you will incorporate facilitator and peer feedback to refine your key message and use of supportive evidence. In addition to your introduction, claims, and citation of evidence, this final argumentation text will include an annotated bibliography that documents, summarises, and critiques your sources, and indicates how they are be presented in argumentation structure on your poster.

1. Introduction with thesis statement: one paragraph with a brief introduction to the scientific issue being addressed and a working hypothesis (thesis statement).

2. Review of research literature: provide your readers facilitators and peers with an overview about the current state of research that is relevant to your topic of inquiry. You will have to source peer reviewed literature on your topic. This revised text should incorporate responses to feedback from peers and facilitators.

3. Annotated Bibliography: a summarizing paragraph describing each referenced source and how it serves your argumentation in your poster format. An instructional worksheet will provide guidance and examples.

You will need to submit both the draft and revision of this writing assignment to be eligible to pass this unit.

4. Scientific argumentation Research poster (Individual Assessment) and peer review (Group Assessment)

Weight: Facilitator mark (25%) + Peer mark (5%) = 25%

In this component of the final assessment task, you will deliver your argumentation in the form of an academic poster that illustrates your key message and is substantiated by supporting evidence that is both properly paraphrased and appropriately referenced. The poster presentation employs visual and verbal means to deliver your key message directly to an audience.

To further practice your scientific behaviour, all posters will be peer-assessed by you and your colleagues in addition to being assessed by your science and communication facilitators. You will briefly present your argumentation to your peers during the poster seminar sessions that will be held in the final teaching week. Your facilitators will assess your poster for its ability to communicate the key message of your scientific argument; your peers will assess your presentation style and effectiveness based on a rubric of criteria collated from suggestions formulated by workshop participants in the preceding week.

You must complete and pass this assessment task to be eligible to pass this unit.

Pass requirements

Pass requirements

In addition to gaining a total mark of 50% (5), to pass this unit you must also:

l Complete the Post-Entry Language Assessment (PELA); l If given a mark for the PELA of 5 or below, successfully complete the Science and Engineering Language and Literature (SELL) program by the end of semester; l Pass the scientific argumentation assessment (Assessment 3); l Submit all assessment products required as indicated in the program calendar.

Group Lab Report is due. Teams will combine individuals’ text sections, and present results from team experiments, and articulate conclusions in workshop 4. Each individual’s worksheet with their raw notes and initial ideas will be submitted as an appendix to the Group Lab Report.

Writing as a scientist: team writing task

This learning task is a team activity with a group submission. As a group, combine the individual sections of writing allocated in Week 1 to create two preliminary reports drafts per team. As a team, collect data, consolidate report sections, and formulate a unified discussion of the subject of handedness with reference to the experimental outcomes. This exercise will be done in class and submitted at the end of the workshop in Week 4.

10% T/G Online submission 04 September 2016 @ 11:59 p.m.. TAS worksheets need to be attached.

Evaluating, using and integrating evidence quiz

This multiple-choice quiz will test your ability to recognise, evaluate, and integrate textual evidence in written science texts. This task follows the Robertson Library Science Team’s in-house training on database searching and evaluating evidence. You are allowed multiple attempts in this quiz.

15% I Online completion by 09 October 2016 @ 11:59 p.m..

Total 30%





Fair assessment through moderation

Moderation describes a quality assurance process to ensure that assessments are appropriate to the learning outcomes, and that student work is evaluated consistently by assessors. Minimum standards for the moderation of assessment are described in the Assessment and Student Progression Manual, available from policies.curtin.edu.au/policies/teachingandlearning.cfm

Late assessment policy

This ensures that the requirements for submission of assignments and other work to be assessed are fair, transparent, equitable, and that penalties are consistently applied.

1. All assessments students are required to submit will have a due date and time specified on this Unit Outline. 2. Students will be penalised by a deduction of ten percent per calendar day for a late assessment submission (eg a mark equivalent to 10% of the total allocated

for the assessment will be deducted from the marked value for every day that the assessment is late). This means that an assessment worth 20 marks will have two marks deducted per calendar day late. Hence if it was handed in three calendar days late and given a mark of 16/20, the student would receive 10/20. An assessment more than seven calendar days overdue will not be marked and will receive a mark of 0.

Assessment extension

A student unable to complete an assessment task by/on the original published date/time (eg examinations, tests) or due date/time (eg assignments) must apply for an assessment extension using the Assessment Extension form (available from the Forms page at students.curtin.edu.au/administration/) as prescribed by the Academic Registrar. It is the responsibility of the student to demonstrate and provide evidence for exceptional circumstances beyond the student's control that prevent them from completing/submitting the assessment task.

The student will be expected to lodge the form and supporting documentation with the unit coordinator before the assessment date/time or due date/time. An application may be accepted up to five working days after the date or due date of the assessment task where the student is able to provide an acceptable explanation as to why he or she was not able to submit the application prior to the assessment date. An application for an assessment extension will not be accepted after the date of the Board of Examiners' meeting.

Deferred assessments

Supplementary assessments

Supplementary assessments, if granted by the Board of Examiners, will have a due date or be held between 13/02/2017 and 17/02/2017 . Notification to students will be made after the Board of Examiners’ meeting via the Official Communications Channel (OCC) in OASIS.

It is the responsibility of students to be available to complete the requirements of a supplementary assessment. If your results show that you have been granted a supplementary assessment you should immediately check OASIS for details.

Reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities/health circumstances likely to impact on studies

A Curtin Access Plan (CAP) is a document that outlines the type and level of support required by a student with a disability or health condition to have equitable access to their studies at Curtin. This support can include alternative exam or test arrangements, study materials in accessible formats, access to Curtin’s facilities and services or other support as discussed with an advisor from Disability Services (disability.curtin.edu.au). Documentation is required from your treating Health Professional to confirm your health circumstances.

If you think you may be eligible for a CAP, please contact Disability Services. If you already have a CAP please provide it to the Unit Coordinator at the beginning of each semester.

Referencing style

The referencing style for this unit is APA 6th Ed.

More information can be found on this style from the Library web site: http://libguides.library.curtin.edu.au/referencing.

Copyright © Curtin University. The course material for this unit is provided to you for your own research and study only. It is subject to copyright. It is a copyright infringement to make this material available on third party websites.

Academic Integrity (including plagiarism and cheating) Any conduct by a student that is dishonest or unfair in connection with any academic work is considered to be academic misconduct. Plagiarism and cheating are serious offences that will be investigated and may result in penalties such as reduced or zero grades, annulled units or even termination from the course.

Plagiarism occurs when work or property of another person is presented as one's own, without appropriate acknowledgement or referencing. Submitting work which has been produced by someone else (e.g. allowing or contracting another person to do the work for which you claim authorship) is also plagiarism. Submitted work is subjected to a plagiarism detection process, which may include the use of text matching systems or interviews with students to determine authorship.

Cheating includes (but is not limited to) asking or paying someone to complete an assessment task for you or any use of unauthorised materials or assistance during an examination or test.

From Semester 1, 2016, all incoming coursework students are required to complete Curtin’s Academic Integrity Program (AIP). If a student does not pass the program by the end of their first study period of enrolment at Curtin, their marks will be withheld until they pass. More information about the AIP can be found at: https://academicintegrity.curtin.edu.au/students/AIP.cfm

Refer to the Academic Integrity tab in Blackboard or academicintegrity.curtin.edu.au for more information, including student guidelines for avoiding plagiarism.

If your results show that you have been granted a deferred assessment you should immediately check OASIS for details.





http://policies.curtin.edu.au/policies/teachingandlearning.cfm

http://students.curtin.edu.au/administration/

http://life.curtin.edu.au/health-and-wellbeing/CAP.htm

http://life.curtin.edu.au/health-and-wellbeing/disability_services.htm

http://life.curtin.edu.au/health-and-wellbeing/disablity_services_eligibility.htm#/health-and-wellbeing/10126.htm

http://life.curtin.edu.au/health-and-wellbeing/contact_disability_services.htm

http://libguides.library.curtin.edu.au/referencing

https://academicintegrity.curtin.edu.au/students/AIP.cfm

http://academicintegrity.curtin.edu.au/

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Expectations Curtin students are expected to have reliable internet access in order to connect to OASIS email and learning systems such as Blackboard and Library Services.

You may also require a computer or mobile device for preparing and submitting your work.

Curtin students are expected to have reliable internet access in order to connect to OASIS email and learning systems such as Blackboard and Library Services.

You may also require a computer or mobile device for preparing and submitting your work.

Additional resources and software that may be used to complete the final assessment task will be made available via Blackboard. These recommended tools will be offered with limited support. If you choose to use other tools or software you must be aware that user support may not be available to you.

For general ICT assistance, in the first instance please contact OASIS Student Support:

oasisapps.curtin.edu.au/help/general/support.cfm

For specific assistance with any of the items listed below, please contact The Learning Centre:

life.curtin.edu.au/learning-support/learning_centre.htm

l Using Blackboard, the I Drive and Back-Up files l Introduction to PowerPoint, Word and Excel

For general ICT assistance, in the first instance please contact OASIS Student Support: oasisapps.curtin.edu.au/help/general/support.cfm

For specific assistance with any of the items listed below, please contact The Learning Centre: life.curtin.edu.au/learning-support/learning_centre.htm

l Using Blackboard, the I Drive and Back-Up files l Introduction to PowerPoint, Word and Excel

Additional information Enrolment

It is your responsibility to ensure that your enrolment is correct - you can check your enrolment through the eStudent option on OASIS, where you can also print an Enrolment Advice. IF you initially enrol in one workshop session but need to change to a different section, please ensure that you officially change your workshop enrolment. Facilitators mark assessments from a class roster generated from workshop enrolment data.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of every student to be aware of all relevant legislation, policies, and procedures relating to their rights and responsibilities as a student. These include:

l the Student Charter l the University's Guiding Ethical Principles l the University's policy and statements on plagiarism and academic integrity l copyright principles and responsibilities l the University's policies on appropriate use of software and computer facilities

Information on all these things is available through the University's "Student Rights and Responsibilities" website at: students.curtin.edu.au/rights.

Student Equity

There are a number of factors that might disadvantage some students from participating in their studies or assessments to the best of their ability, under standard conditions. These factors may include a disability or medical condition (e.g. mental illness, chronic illness, physical or sensory disability, learning disability), significant family responsibilities, pregnancy, religious practices, living in a remote location or another reason. If you believe you may be unfairly disadvantaged on these or other grounds please contact Student Equity at [email protected] or go to http://eesj.curtin.edu.au/student_equity/index.cfm for more information

You can also contact Counselling and Disability services: http://www.disability.curtin.edu.au or the Multi-faith services:

http://life.curtin.edu.au/health-and-wellbeing/about_multifaith_services.htm for further information.

It is important to note that the staff of the university may not be able to meet your needs if they are not informed of your individual circumstances. Please contact the appropriate service if you require assistance. For general wellbeing concerns or advice, please contact Curtin's Student Wellbeing Advisory Service at:

http://life.curtin.edu.au/health-and-wellbeing/student_wellbeing_service.htm

Enrolment

It is your responsibility to ensure that your enrolment is correct - you can check your enrolment through the eStudent option on OASIS, where you can also print an Enrolment Advice.





http://oasisapps.curtin.edu.au/help/general/support.cfm

http://life.curtin.edu.au/learning-support/learning_centre.htm

https://oasisapps.curtin.edu.au/help/general/support.cfm

http://life.curtin.edu.au/learning-support/learning_centre.htm

http://students.curtin.edu.au/rights

http://www.disability.curtin.edu.au/

http://life.curtin.edu.au/health-and-wellbeing/about_multifaith_services.htm


Student Rights and Responsibilities It is the responsibility of every student to be aware of all relevant legislation, policies and procedures relating to their rights and responsibilities as a student. These include:

l the Student Charter l the University's Guiding Ethical Principles l the University's policy and statements on plagiarism and academic integrity l copyright principles and responsibilities l the University's policies on appropriate use of software and computer facilities

Information on all these things is available through the University's "Student Rights and Responsibilities" website at: students.curtin.edu.au/rights.

Student Equity There are a number of factors that might disadvantage some students from participating in their studies or assessments to the best of their ability, under standard conditions. These factors may include a disability or medical condition (e.g. mental illness, chronic illness, physical or sensory disability, learning disability), significant family responsibilities, pregnancy, religious practices, living in a remote location or another reason. If you believe you may be unfairly disadvantaged on these or other grounds please contact Student Equity at [email protected] or go to http://eesj.curtin.edu.au/student_equity/index.cfm for more information

You can also contact Counselling and Disability services: http://www.disability.curtin.edu.au or the Multi-faith services: http://life.curtin.edu.au/health-and-wellbeing/about_multifaith_services.htm for further information.

It is important to note that the staff of the university may not be able to meet your needs if they are not informed of your individual circumstances so please get in touch with the appropriate service if you require assistance. For general wellbeing concerns or advice please contact Curtin's Student Wellbeing Advisory Service at: http://life.curtin.edu.au/health-and-wellbeing/student_wellbeing_service.htm

Recent unit changes Students are encouraged to provide unit feedback through eVALUate, Curtin's online student feedback system. For more information about eVALUate, please refer to evaluate.curtin.edu.au/info/.

Recent changes to this unit include:

Students are encouraged to provide unit feedback through eVALUate, Curtin's online student feedback system. For more information about eVALUate, please refer to evaluate.curtin.edu.au/info/.

Recent changes to this unit include:

1. The Unit Learning outcomes have now been reduced to three.

2. The Assessment structure gives more weight to the written argumentation task, now split into a draft and final text.

3. The written scientific argument and the poster assesment tasks are weighted to reflect the expected effort required to complete each assessment.

To view previous student feedback about this unit, search for the Unit Summary Report at https://evaluate.curtin.edu.au/student/unit_search.cfm. See https://evaluate.curtin.edu.au/info/dates.cfm to find out when you can eVALUate this unit.





http://students.curtin.edu.au/rights/

mailto:[email protected]

http://eesj.curtin.edu.au/student_equity/index.cfm

http://www.disability.curtin.edu.au/




http://evaluate.curtin.edu.au/info/index.cfm

https://evaluate.curtin.edu.au/student/unit_search.cfm

https://evaluate.curtin.edu.au/info/dates.cfm

Program calendar

Teaching Week

Begin Date Online Learning Face-to-Face Learning Assessment Task Assessment Due / Weight

0 25-29 July: Orientation Week;

‘Welcome to Science Communication’ video;

Post-Entry Language Assessment (PELA) through Blackboard;

01-07 August; 0%

1 01-05 August: Communication as scientific behaviour

‘Communicating as a scientific behaviour’ video; ‘Making tracks into scientific communication’ video;

Welcome and ice-breaker activities; Handedness exploration exercise; Thinking As Scientists (TAS) worksheet

Post-Entry Language Assessment (PELA) online through Blackboard;

01-07 August; 0%

2 08-12 August: Characteristics of scientific writing

‘Characteristics of scientific writing’ video; ‘Paraphrasing and synthesising’ video;

Identifying characteristics of scientific writing; paraphrasing practice activities; discussion of subjects for argumentation posters

3 15-19 August: Construction of key messages

‘Backtrack to 'Making tracks'’ video; Identifying delivery tactics for key messages; deconstruction of a scientific text; formulating preliminary key messages for scientific argumentation

4 22-26 August: Communicating your science

‘Understanding scientific argumentation’ video; ‘APA in Minutes’ video

Collaborative writing as scientists; preliminary assembly of team lab reports; refining key messages for scientific argumentation

Group Lab Report (per team) + TAS Worksheet (per individual)

04 September @ 11:59 p.m.; 10% collaborative work; 5% for individual TAS worksheet;

29 August - 02 September:

Tuition Free Week

5 05-09 September: Finding and evaluating sources of evidence

‘Evaluating resources’ video;

Robertson Library resources online;

Finding and evaluating evidence for your scientific argumentation topic; the Robertson Library’s Science Team teaches database searching techniques

Evaluating evidence quiz (individual)

09 October @ 11:59 p.m.; 15%

6 12-16 September: The art of scientific referencing

‘Scientific Referencing 1: what and why’ video; ‘Scientific Referencing 2: terms and conditions’ video;

Combined referencing and paraphrasing activities; referencing practice worksheet

Argumentation draft + list of sources

04 October 11:59 p.m.; 10%

7 19-23 September: Writing the project proposal and annotating the bibliography

‘Mastering the mechanics of written evidence’ video; refresher of ‘Understanding scientific argumentation’ video;

Structuring a convincing argument; Putting the Pieces Together worksheet

26-30 September Tuition Free Week

8 03-07 October: The process of peer review

‘Peer Review: What is Peer Review’ video; ‘Peer Review: Commenting Strategies’ video;

Understanding and applying feedback- Feedback "Flashes" activity; “No one writes alone: peer review in the classroom- a guide for students" video; peer review of argumentation poster proposals

9 10-14 October: Visual messaging- layout and effective use of visuals

‘Mastering the mechanics of written evidence’ video; “How to create a poster in PowerPoint” video;

Create/critique of a mock poster layout; define evaluation criteria for peer-evaluation rubric

10 17-21 October:

Integrating evidence

‘Scientific Referencing 3: where is the evidence?’ video; 'Mastering the mechanics of written evidence’ video refresher; ‘Mastering the mechanics of visual evidence’ video;

Finalising posters; peer review and consultation with workshop facilitators

Portfolio of scanned quizzes; submitted online

24 October @ 11:59 p.m.; 10%

11 24-28 October: Seminar planning session; final Feedback Clinic

Seminar planning and poster “pitching” session; final opportunity for peer review

Planning presentation of your poster; articulating criteria for peer revie rubric

Proposal with Annotated Bibliography and Scientific Argumentation Poster

30 October @ 11:59 p.m.;

12 31 October - 04 November:

Presentation of Scientific Arguments

(no online resources) Poster Presentation Seminar Final Argumentation text with annotation: 30%; Poster presentation: 5% peer review and 25% Facilitator review;





COMS1000 Science Communications Semester 2, 2016

Documents

Transcript of COMS1000 Science Communications Semester 2, 2016