| Semester 2, 2020 Online | |
| Short Description: | Postgraduate Study Skills |
| Units : | 1 |
| Faculty or Section : | USQ College |
| School or Department : | USQ College |
| Student contribution band : | Band 1 |
| ASCED code : | 091501 - English Language |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
Staffing
Examiner:
Other requisites
Pre-requisite: Completion of a Bachelor degree or work experience equivalent to a Bachelor's degree plus IELTS or equivalent 5.5 or pass in EAP1, EAP7307 and EAP7308
Co-requisite: none
Students will require access to e-mail and have internet access to UConnect for this course.
Rationale
It is important for students seeking to pursue postgraduate degrees in Australian universities to gain proficiency in the language of their postgraduate study. They must critically analyse academic publications well, which includes not only or understanding of postgraduate study specific vocabulary, but also strategies for attending to subtle nuances of expression. Postgraduate students must to be able to communicate their own study clearly and effectively in both written and oral communication. This course also introduces students to university postgraduate level study skills in general. It is a comprehensive guide to developing effective study strategies in order to complete a successful postgraduate level programme.
Synopsis
This course will develop students' proficiency in using the English language for essays and research projects. Students will also engage in structural learning activities in their own academic disciplines in order to develop their discipline-specific English language competency. By focusing student's attention on the study and learning processes involved at university, individuals will be made aware of their competencies and of the learning strategies needed to succeed. Regular feedback on written work and in class discussion will help students form an understanding of their own resources and purposeful, organised approach to learning. Students will learn and practice the different writing, class discussions and oral presentation styles common to postgraduate studies in Australian higher education.
Objectives
On successful completion of this course students should be able to:
- employ study skills effectively in achieving sound academic performance at the postgraduate level.
- utilise knowledge of postgraduate academic culture to successfully interact with colleagues and academics.
- demonstrate a sound understanding of the meaning and use of general terminology used in essays and research projects in postgraduate study.
- understand the structures of different writing and speaking styles and their use its competence in postgraduate study.
- critically evaluate written journal publications.
- competence in appropriate academic literacy in the four macro-skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | What is postgraduate study? | 5.00 |
| 2. | Independent learner | 15.00 |
| 3. | Academic conventions | 10.00 |
| 4. | Critical thinking and questioning | 10.00 |
| 5. | Cross cultural communication and learning styles | 10.00 |
| 6. | Ethics and researcher's roles | 10.00 |
| 7. | Research project topics and questions | 10.00 |
| 8. | Literature review for research projects | 20.00 |
| 9. | Research method, data collection and analysis | 10.00 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from (unless otherwise stated). (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/textbooks/?year=2020&sem=02&subject1=EAP7360)
Please for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/info/contact/)
Reference materials
Student workload expectations
| Activity | Hours |
|---|---|
| Assessments | 4.00 |
| Directed Study | 54.00 |
| Private Study | 107.00 |
Assessment details
| Description | Marks out of | Wtg (%) | Due Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critical reflection | 20 | 20 | 14 Aug 2020 | |
| Critical review of articles | 30 | 30 | 11 Sep 2020 | |
| Final Exam | 100 | 50 | End S2 |
Important assessment information
-
Attendance requirements:
There are no attendance requirements for this course. However, it is the students' responsibility to to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration. -
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks for that item. -
Penalties for late submission of required work:
Students should refer to the Assessment Procedure (point 4.2.4). -
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must obtain at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course (i.e. the Primary Hurdle), and have satisfied the Secondary Hurdle (Supervised), i.e. the end of semester examination by achieving at least 50% of the marks available for that assessment item.
Supplementary assessment may be offered where a student has undertaken all of the required summative assessment items and has passed the Primary Hurdle but failed to satisfy the Secondary Hurdle (Supervised), or has satisfied the Secondary Hurdle (Supervised) but failed to achieve a passing Final Grade by 5% or less of the total weighted Marks.
To be awarded a passing grade for a supplementary assessment item (if applicable), a student must achieve at least 50% of the available marks for the supplementary assessment item as per the Assessment Procedure (point 4.4.2). -
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative items for the course. -
Examination information:
CLOSED: Candidates are allowed to bring only writing and drawing instruments into a closed examination. -
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
Any Deferred or Supplementary examinations for this course will be held during the next examination period. A supplementary exam may be awarded, at the discretion of the Examiner, to students who do not pass the final exam. It is expected that such students have gained at least 45% of the total weighted marks available for the course. -
University Student Policies:
Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene University policies and practices. These policies can be found at .
Assessment notes
-
Referencing in assignments must comply with the Harvard (AGPS) referencing system. This system should be used by students to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. The Harvard (APGS) style to be used is defined by the USQ library's referencing guide. This guide can be found at .
Evaluation and benchmarking
In meeting the University's aims to establish quality learning and teaching for all programs, this course monitors and ensures quality assurance and improvements in at least two ways. This course:
1. conforms to the USQ Policy on Evaluation of Teaching, Courses and Programs to ensure ongoing monitoring and systematic improvement.
2. forms part of the English for Academic Purposes Program and is benchmarked against the
internal USQ accreditation/reaccreditation processes which include (i) stringent standards in the independent accreditation of its academic programs, (ii) close integration between business and academic planning, and (iii) regular and rigorous review.
Other requirements
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Computer, e-mail and Internet access:
Students are required to have access to a personal computer, e-mail capabilities and Internet access to UConnect. Current details of computer requirements can be found at . -
Students can expect that questions in assessment items in this course may draw upon knowledge and skills that they can reasonably be expected to have acquired before enrolling in this course. This includes knowledge contained in pre-requisite courses and appropriate communication, information literacy, analytical, critical thinking, problem solving or numeracy skills. Students who do not possess such knowledge and skills should not expect the same grades as those students who do possess them.