| Full Year 2, 2023 Toowoomba On-campus | |
| Units : | 1 |
| School or Department : | USQ College |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
| Course fee schedule : | /current-students/administration/fees/fee-schedules |
Staffing
Course Coordinator:
Overview
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.
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.
Course learning outcomes
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
Student workload expectations
To do well in this subject, students are expected to commit approximately 10 hours per week including class contact hours, independent study, and all assessment tasks. If you are undertaking additional activities, which may include placements and residential schools, the weekly workload hours may vary.
Assessment details
| Description | Group Assessment |
Weighting (%) | Course learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reflection (personal/clinical) | No | 20 | 1,2,3,4,5,6 |
| Annotated bibliography | No | 30 | 1,2,3,4,5,6 |
| Literature review | No | 50 | 1,2,3,4,5,6 |