|
Honours Assessments
Breakdown of Honour's Assessments
| Literature Review | 10% |
| Introductory Seminar | 7.5% |
| Research Skills Test | 2.5% |
| Project Manuscript | 50% |
| Final Seminar/ Manuscript Defence/ Student Interview | 15% |
| Research Performance | 15% |
Summary of Assessments:
Literature Review
- 3,000 words
- Should give a detailed account of published scientific investigations which are relevant to the project being undertaken. It should contain an introduction, and aims, hypotheses and methods sections.
- The introduction should identify the limitations of the literature and/or areas of controversy and assess them critically.
- It should be adequately referenced with recent and appropriate studies and have clear and logical flow.
- The aims, hypotheses and methods sections should be between 250-300 words only (i.e. approximately a tenth of the literature review).
- The general and referencing style should follow the School of Medical Sciences Honours Manuscript - Instructions to Authors.
- Penalties will apply for an inability to observe the word limit.
Literature Review Assessment Form (pdf)
Due - 13th of April, 5pm (late penalties apply)
BSB Student Office (Room G27, Biological Sciences Building)
Length - Not more than 3,000 words
Copies - Three (comb bound)
Attachment - One assignment coversheet (pdf)
Introductory Seminar
- The introductory seminar is a 10 minute presentation with 5 minutes of questions.
- The presentation should cover the background and methods of the project and not contain any preliminary results.
- The introduction of the talk should include a critical analysis of strengths and limitations of the literature.
- The hypotheses and aims should be clearly stated and relate to the strengths and limitations of the literature identified.
- The methods should be explained clearly and concisely.
- The seminar should have clear and logical flow, good pace (i.e. neither hurried nor laboured) and use good visual quality slides.
- The student should demonstrate an understanding of the questions raised during question time by giving appropriate answers.
- All aspects of the seminar should be able to be understood by a non-expert audience.
Introductory Seminar Assessment Form (pdf)
Date - 7th to 10th of June (Note:- An abstract is requested by 30th May, i.e. one week prior to commencement of the Introductory Seminars.)
Venue - BioMed D
Length - 10 minute presentation, 5 minute question time
Timetable - TBA
Project Manuscript
- Guidelines set out in the School of Medical Sciences Honours Manuscript - Instructions to Authors.
- Abstract, Acknowledgments, Introduction, Materials & Methods, Results, Discussion & References.
- Word count 5,000 words. Excluding the abstract, acknowledgements and references sections, as well as supplementary data (if present), tables, figures and legends used in the text.
- Material needed for a complete understanding or evaluation of the work, but which does not fit well in the manuscript format, should be included as supplementary data.
- All work which is integral to the manuscript but was not performed by the honours student (i.e. was undertaken by another member of the supervisor's and/or co-supervisor's research group) is to be clearly disclosed in the Methods and/or Results sections of the Project Manuscript, where appropriate.
- The referencing style of the project manuscript should also comply with the guidelines set in the School of Medical Sciences Honours Manuscript - Instructions to Authors.
Project Manuscript Assessment Form (pdf)
Due - 31st of October, 5pm (late penalties apply)
BSB Student Office (Room G27, Biological Sciences Building)
Length- Not more than 5,000 words
Copies - Three (comb bound)
Attachment - One assignment coversheet (pdf)
Final Seminar/ Manuscript Defence
The final seminar is a 12 minute presentation with 8 minutes of questions. The presentation should largely cover the results of research project. A clear, concise and appropriate introduction should be provided which identifies the limitations of the literature and areas of controversy. Clear and valid aims and hypotheses should also be stated. The results should reflect a significant body of work including sufficient controls and replicates and analysis of data using appropriate statistical tests. Presentation of the results should be clear and logical and should use figures, tables, etc. The significance of any important findings should be addressed and appropriate conclusions made. The results of the study should be placed within a broader context and suggestions should be made for future experiments. The seminar should have clear and logical flow, good pace (i.e. neither hurried nor laboured) and use good visual quality slides and/or overheads. The student should demonstrate understanding of the questions raised during question time by giving appropriate answers. Each student’s final seminar presentation will be assessed by academics from the audience and the dedicated Examiners 1 and 2 (as stated on each student’s enrolment form) are required to attend. Dedicated Examiners 1 and 2 are expected to attend and mark the students they have agreed to examine.
Final Seminar Assessment Form (pdf)
Date - 7th to 18th of November (Note:- An abstract is requested by 31st October, i.e. one week prior to commencement of the Final Seminars.)
Venue - TBA
Length - 12 minute presentation, 8 minute question time
Timetable - TBA
Student Interview
To facilitate assessment and adjudication of the project manuscript, the two examiners will interview the student in the situation where there is a serious mark discrepancy between examiners. This interview will be chaired by a member of the Honours committee in the presence of the Supervisor(s). It will be not be more than 15 minutes in duration. Laboratory notebooks, or a (single) photocopy of all relevant sections thereof, must be available at the interview. During this interview the student should address all queries, clearly demonstrate that they understand the project's methods and can place the project's findings in the context of past studies, as well as make suggestions for future experiments. The student will then leave the interview and following a further 5 minutes of discussion between the supervisor(s) and the chair of the interview, the supervisor(s) will provide their mark for the student's research performance (see below). The supervisor will then leave the interview and the examiners will provide their final marks for the project manuscript and interview. In the unlikely event that the assessments are seriously and justifiably discrepant, the Course Coordinator will obtain assessments from additional staff members.
Interview Marking Sheet (pdf)
Date - 7th to 18th of November
Venue - BioMed D
Length - 15 minutes of examiner questions
Timetable - TBA
Research Skills Test
- Multiple choice & short answer (5min) questions
- Covering all the material presented in the Research Skills Seminars & Techniques Workshops
Date - 16th June
Venue - BioMed E
Length - 50 minutes
Research Performance
Supervisors will provide an assessment on the level research skill development that the student has attained at the completion of the Honours year. This assessment will be based on student’s research performance throughout the year including; motivation and organisational skills, research (laboratory) skills, note keeping, critical analysis and communication skills.
Supervisors will submit the “Research Performance” marking sheet at the Final Seminar.
Research Performance Assessment Form (pdf)
Honours Grades
| >85 (Hons 1): | Work of superior quality in all aspects of research, scientific writing, and oral presentation, demonstrating the ability to organise information in a clear and concise manner, the integration of information from a wide range of sources and containing clear examples of excellent critical evaluation. |
| 75-84 (Hons 2.1): | Work of very good quality in all aspects of research, scientific writing, and oral presentation, but showing lesser ability to organise information in a clear and concise manner, integrate information from range of sources and critically evaluate the literature and research data. |
| 65-74 (Hons 2.2): | Good quality in all aspects of research, scientific writing, and oral presentation but with inadequacies in understanding, critical skills, organisation and presentation. |
| 50-64 (Hons 3): | Adequate quality work with significant deficiencies in understanding, critical skills, organisation and presentation. |
Attendance Requirements
The course extends from early February to mid November (session 1 commencement) or early June to late July (session 2 commencement). Attendance requirements will be dictated by the nature of the work in relation to preparing and writing a literature review and subsequently a manuscript, preparing and delivering two seminars and by the nature of the research project. Attendance requirements will be agreed mutually between student and supervisor, depending on the nature of the work at the time. As with academic staff, the minimum time required is standard working hours on weekdays, i.e. 40-45h/week.
Penalties
A penalty of 1% of the total honours mark will be imposed per day for the late submission of the Literature Review and/or the Project Manuscript, except where an extension to the deadline has been applied for and granted. Application for an extension must be made to the course coordinator, and will only be granted in exceptional circumstances. In addition, a 1% penalty of the total Honours mark will be imposed if students fail to attend at least 80% of seminars. These include SoMS seminars, Departmental seminars and Research Institute/Lab Group seminars. You are expected to sign off your attendance at these events.
Grievance Resolution
If you have a grievance, in the first instance, you should consult the member of the Honours Committee who has been assigned as your mentor. If you are unable to reach an acceptable resolution of the issue, you should then contact the Honours Coordinator. If you are still unable to resolve any grievance, you should consult the School's nominated Grievance Resolution Officer, Dr Priti Pandey, ext. 52483.
|
Contact
Dr Patsie Polly
Honours Coordinator
Room 508
Wallace Wurth Building
T (02) 9385 2924
F (02) 9385 1389
E
Honours Committee |
|