Graduate School of The Environment
GSE899 Research Communication (for MPhil and PhD Students)
About this Unit
Full year 2012
No credit point value
All students who are enrolled in research degree programs in the Department of Environment and Geography are also required to be enrolled in GSE899 for their entire period of candidature.
The aim of this unit is to achieve excellence in communication.
Research which is not effectively communicated is wasted research. By the end of the course, participants will be able to present the results of a research program to a variety of audiences ranging from informal departmental seminars and conference presentations, to a general audience, including the media, in a concise, well-constructed seminar on their research, and to respond effectively to questions from the audience.
Communication is an essential part of environmental studies, including science, planning, management, geography education and sustainability. Communicating our ideas, research results, aspirations, plans, policies or procedures as part of the PhD or MPhil is an essential part of the degree.
A key part of the Unit is listening critically to seminars presented by your fellow students. By doing this, you become more aware of the elements of good presentation, and the reasons why some are better than others. Thus we expect all students to attend all seminars, to participate in the audience, and to assess each seminar as a piece of communication. A side benefit of participating is that you learn more of what your fellow students are doing, and begin to appreciate the enormous breadth of environmental research undertaken in the department. Also, with your background and experience, you may be able to make some contribution to another student's research project.
From a personal view point it is important that we make a good impression. We never know when a potential employer may be in the audience, or reading our report or paper. Plus there is considerable satisfaction in knowing that we have done our best, and we have effectively communicated with the audience.
In this unit, we consider some of the key elements of good communication, both oral and written.
Teaching Staff
Convenor: Dr Marco Amati
Room: E8B 319
Phone: 9850 6975
Email: marco.amati@mq.edu.au
Presenters:
Mrs Donrita Reefman, ATM (oral communication workshops)
Email: donrita@iprimus.com.au
Classes
Every student enrolled in a MPhil or PhD research program in the Department must present one seminar during every year that they are enrolled. As soon as students have submitted their theses, they are no longer assessed in this Unit. Thus, they do not have to present a seminar AFTER they have submitted their thesis. Seminar sessions will be in May/June and November each year. You will present your annual seminar at one of those session. You will have time for practice, and everyone is encouraged to practice in small groups. Many students feel more comfortable practicing with the group of students supervised by their own supervisor. You are strongly encouraged to do this.
In addition, there will be compulsory formal workshops in speaking for ALL currently newly enrolled research students for 2012. If you haven't attended these classes before it is strongly recommended you do so and they are open to all students. The classes comprise six3 hour workshops on preparing oral presentations and public speaking, preparing and presenting posters, and writing abstracts and papers and getting your research published.
- This is a “mouth on”, fully interactive course. The six week serious commitment is critical in order to:
- Fully benefit from the complete interactive package of the integrated components of the course
- Enable your fellow students to also fully benefit - as each student relies on the committed participation of each member of the whole group
- The course will include:
- Preparation of participants’ own “Speaker’s CV” and own introductions
- Delivery of short, prepared speeches, utilising skills learned in the course
- Chairing meetings and introducing other speakers
- Peer evaluation through active listening
- Impromptu speaking sessions
- A practice seminar on participants’ own research, using visual aids, followed by question time
Comments from previous participants:
Unit web page
There is no web page for this unit.
Technology Used and Required
Microsoft Powerpoint or equivalent.
Learning Outcomes
- Educational:
- To achieve excellence in oral communication through participation in skill-building exercises
- To emphasise the importance of these skills in both professional and personal interactions with colleagues, employers and family/friends
- Professional:
- To encourage students to form professional networks with other research students and academic staff
- To expose students to the wide range of subject matter covered by environmental research.
Graduate Capabilities Developed
- Effective communication
- Creativity and innovation
Teaching and Learning Strategy
Schedule of Workshops
| Week | Date | Workshop Theme |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 April | Communicating your research - what the GSE expects Importance of oral communication Introductions - the beginning of the beginning... Active listening and evaluating other speakers |
| 2 | 1 May |
Impromptu speaking Overcoming nervousness 4-6 minute oral presentation |
| 3 | 8 May |
Speech construction Using notes |
| 4 | 15 May | Vocal variety Components of a good seminar |
| 6 | 22 May |
Bringing it all together - 4-6 minute oral presentation Question time: how to make the most of it. |
| 7 | 29 May | Practice seminars |
| 8 | Tuesday 12th June | Abstracts for GSE899 Research Communication seminars due |
| 9 | Tues and Wednesday 19-20th June | Research Communication seminars all day |
|
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| All workshops will be held in E8A360A from 10 am to 1 pm unless otherwise advised. Venue for seminar presentations in May/June November to be advised. | ||
Participation
ALL students enrolled in GSE 899 must present one seminar each year, regardless of whether you are enrolled full-time or part-time for your research degree.
ALL students are required to attend ALL of the seminar sessions:
- to present their own seminar,
- to participate as a member of the audience, and
- to provide feedback on the seminars of fellow students.
Exemptions from attendance at any of the workshops, or from any of the seminar sessions must be made in writing by email to the unit convenor at least two weeks prior to the session, and must be endorsed by your supervisor. Failure to comply will result in a Fail (F) for the unit. Failure to present a seminar when required will result in a statement of Unsatisfactory Progress being recorded on your Progress Report Form.
Assessment Requirements
Assessment is based on
- satisfactory participation in the workshops (if applicable)
- the annual seminar and an associated abstract - all students must attempt both components. Failing to submit any one component will lead to an overall failing grade in the Unit.
Only the seminar and abstract marks will determine whether you pass the unit.
Abstract of seminar (20%) due as per timetable
The abstract is a one page summary of the seminar that will be presented approximately 1 week later.
2. Submission
An online form will be made available for submitting the seminar in due course
3. Late abstracts
As the abstracts must be collated and copied for distribution before the presentations, no extension will be given. Failure to submit an abstract on time will result in a Fail (F) for the whole unit and you will not be permitted to present your seminar.
4. Criteria for assessment
Each abstract will be assessed for a Pass/Fail grade using the following criteria:
| Clear statement of the research and the findings or implications | 30% |
| Clear structure | 20% |
| Language/topic suitable for general environmental audience | 20% |
| Standard of literary presentation | 30% |
This is set out on the Assessment Sheet which will be attached to each marked Abstract.
How to write an abstract will be discussed in the writing workshop (see Timetable). Continuing students: if you are unsure of the requirements, please attend the workshop. New students: attendance is compulsory.
Seminar presentation (80%)
- Students are assessed on their presentation of a single seminar every year that they are enrolled.
- First seminar: This will also form part of the requirements for satisfactory completion of GSE898 Research Management, and will be required at the completion of the student's first full-time or second part-time semester. It will be a presentation of the student's research plan, and include an outline of the conceptual framework, design, methods and proposed timeline for completing the project.
- Second and subsequent seminars: The seminar will be on a topic of the student's choosing and will be related to or derive from the research topic being investigated by the student. However, it should not take the form of a progress report, encompassing the whole of the research. It should be essentially identical to a paper presented at a conference for environmental professionals (not just professionals in your field or discipline).
- The month of presenting seminars in previous years is irrelevant. You will be notified approximately one month in advance of the seminar dates by email of your expected inclusion in the forthcoming program. Please confirm by reply email.
- Each seminar session will be chaired by an HDR student. You will be expected to check that all the presentaions for your session are loaded on to the computer, to introduce each presenter, to time the presenations, and to manage question time. Session chairing is something many people do, but not very well, so this is an opportunity to gain some valuable experience is a 'friendly' environment.
- Some important points:
- The seminar is a formal examination - treat it as such
- Each seminar will last 25 minutes: 15 minutes for the presentation, 10 minutes for questions. At the end of 15 minutes, the student will stop presenting the seminar whether finished or not
- It is the responsibility of each student to time themselves during their presentation.
- All presentations may be supported by a PowerPoint slide show and a computer and data projector will be available for your use
- Presentations must be loaded and checked on the morning of the seminars no later than 15 minutes prior to commencement of the session: it is your responsiblity to ensure that your presentation works on the equipment in the seminar room
- Powerpoint files MUST have your family name as the first word in the filename. If you are using Microsoft Office 2007, please save your ppt file in the earlier version format (an option under Save As) as the equipment may not have the latest software on it and your presentation may not work.
- Pre-recorded performances are not acceptable, each student must give a "live" seminar
- Marks will be deducted for seminars which repeat a substantial portion of earlier seminars
- Assessment will be by the Unit Convenor, with advice from other academics in the GSE.
- As part of the learning exercise, students in the audience are also required to complete Assessment Forms on each seminar. The objective is to sharpen your skills of listening to seminars and to focus your attention on the key components of seminar presentations and contents. The completed assessments will be read by the Unit Convenor and then passed to the presenter of each seminar. These assessments will not form part of the formal assessment and allocation of grades. This form is designed to help both the presenter and the listener. It is based on evaluation guides used by Toastmasters International. The objective is to make listeners more aware of the key elements of a good presentation, and for listeners to advise presenters of their reactions to the seminar. Be honest! The key is to be positively critical: offer helpful suggestions.
- Assessment criteria cover content, presentation technique and suitability for a general environmental audience. This is deliberate; we expect an appropriate level of expertise in presentation. Obvious lack of rehearsal, using poor visuals, droning, too many "ums" and "ers", etc. are not acceptable. Similarly, a highly professional presentation which is essentially devoid of any substantive content is not acceptable. We will accept a wide range of variations in style, but the key criterion is that the performance must be professional.
- Finally, your presentation must be intelligible to an educated audience of environmental professionals from a wide range of disciplines. Narrowly focussed seminars replete with jargon, and designed for professional conferences in your field will not attract high marks, regardless of presentation and content.
How to present a seminar will be discussed in the formal workshops (see Timetable). Continuing students: if you are unsure of the requirements, please attend the workshops. New students: attendance is compulsory.
When all else fails...
You can read about it, and listen to other people talking about it, but sooner or later you will have to actually do it yourself. There is no substitute for practicing. So, when all else fails, remember the three things that determine a good seminar performance:
Practice, practice, practice!
A link to an assessment form will be made available in due course.
How do I Request an Extension?
None.
Examination Conditions
None.
Requirements to Complete this Unit Satisfactorily
Required and Recommended Texts/Materials
None.
Academic Honesty
The nature of scholarly endeavour, dependent as it is on the work of others, binds all members of the University community to abide by the principles of academic honesty. Academic honesty is an integral part of the core values and principles contained in the Macquarie University Ethics Statement. Its fundamental principle is that all staff and students act with integrity in the creation, development, application and use of ideas and information. This means that:
- all academic work claimed as original is the work of the author making the claim
- all academic collaborations are acknowledged
- academic work is not falsified in any way
- when the ideas of others are used, these ideas are acknowledged appropriately.
All academic and professional staff involved in learning, teaching and research are expected to display leadership in this area.
One of the University's objectives is to produce ethically and socially aware graduates, capable of applying the skills and knowledge they have developed at University to all aspects of their lives, as well as to their academic work. Academic dishonesty undermines the integrity of the University's academic awards and assessment processes, and damages the University's reputation. It also reduces the effectiveness of a student's time at the University.
All students should familiarise themselves with Macquarie University's Academic Honesty Policy.
The GSE recommends that students familiarise themselves with the information contained on the Georgetown University Honor Council website which discusses plagiarism in an easy to understand and comprehensive manner.
All assignments will be screened with "Turnitin" anti-plagiarism software
University Policy on Assessment
Please visit Policy Central for an explanation of the University’s policy on assessment.
The rights and responsibilities of students with regard to assessment are outlined in the University’s assessment code of practice.
Grading System
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The Special Consideration Policy is instituted to support students who experience serious and unavoidable disruption such that they do not reach their usual demonstrated performance level.
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