Outline

Overview

In this unit the second part of the research project initiated in PHYS5035 is undertaken. Processes involved in conducting various forms of research, basic data analysis and interpretation, research writing and presentation skills are covered.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	PHYS5036
Academic unit	Physics Academic Operations
Credit points	12
Prohibitions ?	PHYS5019
Prerequisites ?	PHYS5002 and PHYS5029 and PHYS5011 and PHYS5012 and PHYS5005 and PHYS5006 and PHYS5018 and PHYS5020
Corequisites ?	PHYS5035
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Annette Haworth, annette.haworth@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Presentation	Oral presentation Oral presentation	10%	Week 12	25 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Research Report Research Report	90%	Week 13 Due date: 04 Jun 2021 at 23:59	40 pages
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

Oral presentation: This will be a 25-minute talk on the work to be included in the report, including on the project proposal and plan. It will be presented at a research group seminar in the School of Physics, to be given one week before the report submission. The student should be prepared to answer questions following the 25-minute presentation. The talk will be assessed by academic staff and external supervisors who are expected to attend.
Report: The report will be read and assessed by an external expert and by the primary supervisor, who may also seek input from co-supervisors. Assessment criteria and marking guidelines will be provided in Canvas.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found in the Canvas site for this unit.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	The project is rated highly on all the assessment criteria and is of exceptional quality overall.
Distinction	75 - 84	The project presents a detailed and thorough treatment of all aspects of the problem and has no flaws in knowledge or comprehension. The project is rated at least well on all assessment criteria. There is clear evidence of understanding and evidence of originality, independence and critical thinking in the conduct and reporting of the project.
Credit	65 - 74	The project presents a sound and thorough treatment of the problem and has no serious flaws in knowledge or comprehension. The project is rated at least moderately well on all assessment criteria. There is clear evidence of understanding of the work and evidence of originality, or independence, or critical thinking in the conduct or reporting of the project, but less than required for a DI, or evidence of originality or independence is undermined by some other flaw.
Pass	50 - 64	The project addresses the problem adequately, meeting the basic requirements for the conduct and reporting of research, but there may be one or more problems; eg omissions, inconsistencies, poor organization; misinterpretation of results, etc. There is evidence of understanding of the work and some evidence of independent or critical thinking around the topic, either in planning, conduct, analysis or reporting of the work. The project is rated adequate on most or all criteria.
Fail	0 - 49	The project may demonstrate some competence but contains significant or critical omissions, misconceptions, lack of understanding, inconsistencies, or unrecognised deficiencies or limitations in methodology, or misinterpreted analysis, or lack of integration with the framework. The literature review may be simplistic or limited. It may be written in a way that it is difficult for the marker to ascertain the nature or significance of the problem. There may be little or no evidence of independent thought or performance. The project may be rated poorly on most or all of the assessment criteria.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity	Learning outcomes
Weekly	Research project supervised by a supervisor	Individual study (20 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Due to the exceptional circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, attendance requirements for this unit of study have been amended. Where online tutorials/workshops/virtual laboratories have been scheduled, students are expected to attend and participate at the scheduled time. Penalties will not be applied if technical issues, etc. prevent attendance at a specific online class. In that case, students should discuss the problem with the coordinator.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 12 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 240-300 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. demonstrate proficiency in research methods
LO2. analyse, present and discuss results of measurements and/or calculations
LO3. review and cite relevant literature
LO4. complete literature review tasks
LO5. develop skills in presentation methods
LO6. develop communication skills
LO7. develop scientific management skills.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered.

Additional information

More information can be found on Canvas

Equity Access and Diversity Statement in Unit Outlines

Current Version – 17/1/20

The School of Physics recognises that biases and discrimination, including but not limited to those based on gender, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion and age, continue to impact parts of our community disproportionately. Consequently, the School is strongly committed to taking effective steps to make our environment supportive and inclusive and one that provides equity of access and opportunity for everyone.

The School has three Equity Officers as a point of contact for students and staff who may have a query or concern about any issues relating to equity, access and diversity. If you feel you have been treated unfairly, bullied, discriminated against or disadvantaged in any way, you are encouraged to talk to one of the Equity Officers or any member of the Physics staff.

More information can be found at https://sydney.edu.au/science/schools/school-of-physics/equity-access-diversity.html

Any student who feels they may need a special accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact Disability Services: http://sydney.edu.au/current_students/disability/ who can help arrange support.

Additional costs

There are no additional costs for this unit.

Site visit guidelines

Please check the Canvas site for this unit for any information.

Work, health and safety

We are governed by the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and Codes of Practice. Penalties for non-compliance have increased. Everyone has a responsibility for health and safety at work. The University’s Work Health and Safety policy explains the responsibilities and expectations of workers and others, and the procedures for managing WHS risks associated with University activities.

General Laboratory Safety Rules

No eating or drinking is allowed in any laboratory under any circumstances
A laboratory coat and closed-toe shoes are mandatory
Follow safety instructions in your manual and posted in laboratories
In case of fire, follow instructions posted outside the laboratory door
First aid kits, eye wash and fire extinguishers are located in or immediately outside each laboratory
As a precautionary measure, it is recommended that you have a current tetanus immunisation. This can be obtained from University Health Service: unihealth.usyd.edu.au/

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Additional costs

Site visit guidelines

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

PHYS5036: Research Methodology and Project B

Semester 1, 2021 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Additional costs

Site visit guidelines

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect