Welcome to ISU103 Knowing Nature
Aims and Outcomes
Unit aims
Learning outcomes
Unit coordinator(s)
. Tutor
Academic learning support
Technical help
Welcome to your Foundation unit at Murdoch University.
Drawing on the perspectives of environmental science, and social sciences and humanities, and
with a particular emphasis on the Australian context, Knowing Nature explores practical,
theoretical and ethical questions about knowledge, nature, science and society.
Aims and Outcomes
Unit aims
The broad aims of this unit are to:
1. develop a range of generic learning skills;
2. develop an interdisciplinary conceptual understanding; and
3. provide a foundation for subsequent university study.
Learning outcomes
Murdoch University has nine Graduate Attributes, and eight of these provide the basis for the
learning outcomes of all Foundation units. See Appendix 1 for information on how these
Attributes are developed in all Foundation units. For the full list of Murdoch's Graduate
Attributes see: http://www.murdoch.edu.au/teach/studyat/attributes.html
Each Foundation unit will take a different approach to the outcomes of Interdisciplinarity, Social
Justice and Global Perspective. However, the Graduate Attributes of Communication, Critical
Thinking, Social Interaction, Independent and Life Long Learning, and Ethics are common to all
units.
Interdisciplinarity
A capacity to acquire knowledge and understanding of fields of study beyond a single discipline.
In Foundation units, Interdisciplinarity is defined as:
• understanding the value of different disciplines for addressing themes, issues or
problems
• demonstrating the integration of knowledge from more than one discipline
In this unit, to achieve this Graduate Attribute you are expected to:
• Gain an understanding of the ways in which environmental science, and social
sciences and humanities approach the subject of nature, and how these approaches
might be usefully integrated to enhance understanding of complex issues.
Social Justice
An acknowledgment of and respect for equality of opportunity, individual and civic
responsibility, other cultures and times, and an appreciation of cultural diversity.
In Foundation units, Social Justice is defined as:
knowledge of other cultures, particularly Indigenous culture
In this unit, to achieve this Graduate Attribute you are expected to:
Gain an understanding of Western and Aboriginal relationships with, and views about, the
Australian environment in the past and in the present.
Global Perspective
An awareness of and respect for the social, biological, cultural and economic interdependence of
global life.
In Foundation units, Global Perspective is defined as:
demonstrating an understanding of the global implications of themes, issues or problems in the
unit
In this unit, to achieve this Graduate Attribute you are expected to:
Gain an understanding of nature in Australia and its global context
Communication
The ability to communicate effectively and appropriately in a range of contexts using
communication, literacy, numeracy and information technology skills.
In Foundation units, communication is defined as:
Speaking (on-campus students only)
• presenting oral reports, summaries and arguments in tutorials
• participating in discussions and debates in tutorials
Listening
• listening to lectures and note making
• listening and responding appropriately in tutorial discussion
Reading
• reading critically and evaluating academic texts (both hardcopy and online),
including those with numerical and visual materials
Writing
• researching and writing essays
• organising and developing written academic arguments
• presenting written work that is appropriately referenced and grammatically correct
• citing references correctly
Numeracy
• developing critical numeracy skills, including interpreting graphs and tables and
visual material
Information literacy skills
• finding, evaluating, retrieving and using a variety of relevant information sources
Critical Thinking
The ability to collect, analyse and evaluate information and ideas and solve problems by thinking
clearly, critically and creatively.
In Foundation units, critical thinking is defined as:
• summarising, critically analysing, applying and synthesising knowledge in
exploring themes, problems or issues
• demonstrating the ability to examine themes, problems or issues from different
perspectives
Social Interaction
A capacity to relate to and collaborate with others to exchange views and ideas and to achieve
desired outcomes through teamwork, negotiation and conflict resolution.
In Foundation units, social interaction is defined as:
Collaboration
• demonstrating the ability to participate in academic discussion in tutorials (to
comply with Murdoch's Graduate Attributes, the tutorial is defined as a team)
Negotiation
• demonstrating tolerance and mutual respect
Independent and Lifelong Learning Skills
A capacity to be a self-directed learner and thinker and to study and work independently.
In Foundation units, independent and lifelong learning is defined as:
Organisational and time management skills
• developing time management skills
Independent study
• developing research skills and preparing for assessments
Ethics
An awareness of and sensitivity to ethics and ethical standards on interpersonal and social levels,
and within a field of study and/or profession.
In Foundation units, ethics is defined as:
Personal ethics
• demonstrating an understanding of the concept of academic integrity
Unit coordinator(s)
Please note the names and contact details of coordinators .
Tutor
You will be notified of your tutor at the beginning of the unit.
Technical help
For technical difficulties contact the IT Service Desk: itservicedesk@murdoch.edu.au or phone
(08) 9360 2000
For difficulties with other online materials contact your Unit Coordinator.
Unit structure
Study schedule
How to study this unit
Online lectures
Tutorials
. Your tutor
Online unit
. Online discussion threads
. Mail
Assessment submission
Reading
Learning skills
Study schedule
The following abbreviated 'Study schedule' outlines the weekly topics and required readings. See
the full 'Study schedule' in this booklet and in the online unit.
Week Topics Required readings
1. Introduction to the unit
Module 1 - Knowing nature: the view from environmental science
2. Knowing nature: an interdisciplinary perspective Angier (2007)
Scientific frameworks for understanding nature
3. The nature of Australia Flannery (1994)
4. Managing nature Watson et al (2009)
Module 2 - Knowing nature: the view from social science
5. Constructing nature Clark (1998)
Yoon (2009)
6. People and animals Caulfield (2009)
7. Aboriginal peoples and nature Milroy and Milroy (2008)
Module 3 - Case studies: integrating perspectives
8. Feral animals Albrecht (2009)
9. Population Betts (2004)
O'Connor and Lines (2008)
10. Water Cathcart (2009)
Fryirs (2008)
11. Climate change Giddens (2009)
Jones (2009)
12. Conclusions Seager (2003)
How to study this unit
Foundation units are worth three credit points and require that you listen to two hours of lectures
per week and participate in one tutorial per week, which is a total of four hours per week.
However, in addition, you are expected to spend an additional six hours per week studying for
this unit (which is a total of ten hours per week, including the non teaching weeks). These ten
hours should be spent reading for your weekly tutorials, and preparing for and completing each
of the assessment tasks, as well as attending classes.
Online lectures
Recordings of the lectures for this unit are available in Lectopia. You can access the recordings
from the link on your MyUnits page or from the Lectopia link on the 'Homepage' of your online
unit.
You can stream/download the Lectopia recordings.
Tutorials
Online tutorials
Students are assigned to an online tutorial group. A different tutorial topic will be discussed each
week. You are expected to participate in discussion all of the weekly online tutorials but you
must contribute appropriately to at least 8 of the 12 tutorials to meet the requirements of
Foundation units. (You should also do so in a timely manner - while you might wish to revisit a
topic later in the semester, adding multiple comments in the last week of semester does not
comprise adequate participation for assessment purposes.)
The tutorials do not have a set time for you to be online because they are asynchronous. You can
log on to the discussion boards whenever you are able to and contribute to your tutorial
discussion. Please log on and engage in the discussions as often as you can because it is the
sharing of ideas with your fellow students, talking about the arguments in the texts you are
reading, offering advice and support to each other by working together to help each other that
makes the online tutorial discussion so valuable for you. It is also a place to make friends and
share your study load, just like on-campus students do with each other.
Your tutor
Tutors are academic staff members of Murdoch University. Your tutor will not be the same
person who is coordinating the unit.
Your tutor is responsible for the following:
• leading the online tutorials;
• assessing your assignments (if you have any queries regarding the content or
structure of the assessments, or regarding the grade or feedback received for an
assessment please contact your tutor);
• marking your examination paper; and
• answering any questions you may have about the academic content of the unit.
Online unit
The online unit includes online lectures and tutorials (explained above) and the following:
Online discussion threads
Messages from coordinator
This is where the coordinators will post messages to you. This is locked and you cannot reply to
these messages.
Student Café
All students are encouraged to participate in the student café. The Student Café thread is the
place for social chitchat with other students. It is where any discussion can take place. It is great
for having non-unit related chat and we encourage any discussions that drift 'off-topic' to be
taken to the Student Café. The Café area is 'your' space, so please feel free to chat about
whatever you like. It is not normally moderated for content, except if the discussion becomes
unsavoury or offensive.
For information on Netiquette see:
http://www.albion.com/netiquette/
or
http://www.dtcc.edu/cs/rfc1855.html
Mail
You can email your tutor from the online unit. However, some tutors may prefer to be contacted
via their email address. Check with your tutor.
You can watch the video 'Using The Mail Tool' (accessible at http://www.lms-
support.murdoch.edu.au/student/lmshelpvideos.html) for a step-by-step guide to using this mail
facility.
Assessment submission
Students are required to submit their assignments via the online unit using the Assignment Tool.
Reading
Each of the topics covered in the unit is supported by readings.
These readings are available electronically via the ECMS link contained in the "'Web Links" tab.
This link takes you directly to the Murdoch University Library Electronic Course Materials
Service (ECMS), which is a free service. To access the ISU103 readings you will need to search
using the internal unit code of FDN103.
Learning skills
The learning skills for each week are outlined in detail and in a particular order to enable you:
• to prepare fully at the beginning of the unit (for example, preview the unit
materials);
• to develop the essential university learning skills in logical sequence;
• to develop the skills that are appropriate for each stage of your study (for example,
essays writing skills are timetabled to help you complete each part of the writing
process); and
• to consolidate your learning towards the end of the study period in preparation for
the final exam.
The skills to be covered on a week-by-week basis, together with relevant resources in the unit
materials, are summarised in the 'Study schedule'.
Unit resources
Unit materials
Online resources
Library resources
. Reserve and ECMS (Electronic Course Material)
. Dictionaries and reference books
Other references
. Learning skills
Unit materials
Materials you will need are provided online.
This includes:
• this Unit Information and Learning Guide (on the Online unit)
• The readings
o Note: It is possible to purchase a hard copy of the Unit Reader, which
contains the required readings for each topic. This reader is titled 'FDN103
Knowing Nature' and is available from the Murdoch University Bookshop.
o
• The Learning Skills Materials. This material is available for download from the
Course Content home page.
You will also need a copy of:
Marshall, Lorraine & Frances Rowland. 2006. A Guide to Learning Independently. 4th edn.
Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Education Australia.
This text is available for purchase from the Murdoch University Bookshop.
Online resources
Your Online Unit and Lectopia recordings can be accessed from your MyUnits page.
Library resources
You will be referred to particular academic online resources. One useful resource is the Murdoch
University Library referencing guide known as 'How to Cite References'. See:
http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/find/citation/
Reserve and ECMS (Electronic Course Material)
Most of your course readings, including both required and recommended readings, are available
via the Library's ECMS, which is accessible from the Library catalogue. See:
http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/find/citation/
Readings (and other materials) that cannot be found on ECMS (for copyright purposes) can be
found on the ISU103 Online Unit Site. See the link to 'web links' in the menu. (Hint: use the drop
down menu to select 'view all') to ensure you can see the complete list. Alternatively, you can
find materials (e.g. those in electronic journals) using the catalogue on the library website.
Dictionaries and reference books
The Murdoch University Library provides online access to the Oxford English Dictionary
(1989). See: http://0-dictionary.oed.com.prospero.murdoch.edu.au/ (20-volume Second Edition).
You can also access many other English language dictionaries and thesauri. See:
http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/electref/dictionaries.html
If you wish to purchase an English dictionary, consider the user friendly Collins Cobuild
Advanced Learners English Dictionary, which is also available in the Murdoch Library.
Other references
Learning skills
• Baily, R. F. 1990. A Survival Kit for Writing English. Melbourne: Longman
Cheshire.
• Betts, Katharine and Anne Seitz. 1994. Writing Essays and Research Reports.
Melbourne: Thomas Nelson.
• Burdess, Neil. 1997. The Handbook of Student Skills. Sydney: Prentice Hall.
• Burdess, Neil. 2007. Good Study. Sydney: Pearson Longman.
• Cotrell, Stella. 1999. The Study Skills Handbook. New York: Palgrave
Macmillan.
• Cotrell, Stella. 2003. Skills for Success: The Personal Development Planning
Handbook. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
• Cotrell, Stella. 2005. Critical Thinking Skills. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
• Greetham, Bryan. 2001. How to Write Better Essays. New York: Palgrave.
• Hay, Iain, Diane Bochner and Carol Dun. 1997. Making the Grade. Melbourne:
Oxford University Press.
• Marshall, L. 2006. A Learning Companion: Your Guide to Practicing
Independent Learning. Frenchs Forest, Sydney NSW: Pearson Education
Australia.
• Oshima, Alice and Ann Hogue. 1991. Writing Academic English. New York:
Longman.
• Peters, Pam. 1985. Strategies for Student Writers. Brisbane: John Wiley.
• Strunk, William and E. B. White. 2000. The Elements of Style. Boston: Allyn
and Bacon.
• Vaughn, Lewis. 2005. The Power of Critical Thinking. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
• Wallace, Andrew, Tony Schirato and Phillippa Bright. 1999. Beginning
University: Thinking, Researching and Writing for Success. Sydney: Allen and
Unwin.
• An additional resource is the Purdue Online Writing Lab
http://owl/english.purdue.edu
Assessment processes
Assessment components
Determination of the final grade
Assessment submission
. Late submission
Feedback on your assessments
Assessment extensions
Participation requirements
Assessment components
You are expected to complete the following assessments.
Form of Assessment Weight Due Date
LITE exercise 5% Week 4
Reading Log (referencing 15% Week 6 (Monday)
exercise)
Essay 1: 800 words 15% Week 6 (Monday)
Essay 2: 1200 words 25% Week 13 (Monday)
Referencing in the essay (5%)
Tutorial participation 10% Ongoing
Final exam (closed book) 30% Refer to OUA Exam Services timetable for date and
time of exam
TOTAL 100%
Determination of the final grade
To pass this unit you must fulfil all of the following assessment requirements:
• Submit all assessment tasks, that is complete the online library exercise (LITE),
both Essays, the Reading Log (referencing exercise), and the Final Examination.
• Contribute to at least 8 of the 12 online tutorials, where contribution includes
evidence of preparation as outlined in the Learning Guide; asking questions;
raising, expanding on or explaining points; bringing relevant material.
• Achieve a satisfactory result on each group of assessment items.
In Foundation units, assessment items are grouped as follows:
• LITE [5%], Reading Log (referencing exercise) [15%] and Referencing for essays
[5%] (Total 25%)
• Tutorial participation (10%)
• Essays (35%)
• Exam (30%)
Foundation units are 'foundational' in that they develop fundamental academic skills for all first
year students. It is important that students who complete these units are able to demonstrate
competence in the learning outcomes outlined above. Thus, the assessment items related to
referencing (academic integrity) are grouped to ensure that students who pass a Foundation unit
demonstrate application of correct referencing and citation. Similarly, the assessment items
related to speaking and listening are grouped as are those related to writing. It is also not possible
to pass a Foundation unit unless a satisfactory result is achieved on the final examination.
Assessment submission
All assessment submissions should be formatted correctly in a Word Document (do not use
another type of document as we will not be able to open and/or mark your work). Documents
should be double spaced with a 4 cm margin. You should use a 12 font.
All assignments must be submitted electronically as a single file using the Assignment Tool in
the online unit. You are provided with an electronic document for each assignment, which you
will find following the link for 'Assignment cover sheets and marking guides' on the Contents
Page.
This document contains:
• an electronic cover sheet;
• an assessment marking guide and
• space on which to type (or paste from another document) your assignment.
So your work does not get mixed up with other students' work, use a filename which follows the
convention: Unit Code, Assessment Task, the first three characters of your last name, your first
initial and your Student Number. For example, ISU103Essay2ChoJ12345678 is for student Jun
Chong whose student number is 12345678.
Please see the 'Help' section on the Homepage for instructions on submitting your work. Also
watch the video 'Submitting Assignments' (accessible at http://www.lms-
support.murdoch.edu.au/student/lmshelpvideos.html), which is a step-by-step guide on
submitting all work online.
Plagiarism-checking software
The University uses software called Turnitin, which checks for plagiarism. The Coordinator may
have added a link to Turnitin in your online unit. Please note that when you or your Unit
Coordinator submit assignments electronically to Turnitin, a copy of your work is retained on the
database to check collusion and future plagiarism. The University has a legal agreement with
Turnitin that it will not share or reproduce student work in any form.
Advice on using Turnitin can be found at
http://our.murdoch.edu.au/Educational-technologies/Turnitin/
Note: Passing your essay through Turnitin does not constitute submission of your assignment to
your tutor. See this Unit Guide for details of assessment submission.
Late submission
Late submission without an extension will be penalised by 2% each day, and return of the work
within two weeks will not be guaranteed. Assessments submitted more than 14 days (10 working
days) after the due date without an extension will normally not be accepted.
Feedback on your assessments
The Essays and Reading Log (referencing exercise) will normally be marked by tutors within
two weeks of submission. Comments about your assessments are provided. The marking guides
will be the main way to communicate feedback on the Essays and Reading Log (referencing
exercise). For each assessment task you will normally get an overall comment as well as an
indicator against the level of achievement against each of the assessment criteria.
If you would like further feedback on any of the assessment tasks, you are encouraged to ask
your tutor via email. Marks will not be given over the phone.
Assessment extensions
Assessment extensions should be requested from your tutor before the due date, although in the
case of unforseen circumstances, such as illness or accident, we are very understanding.
Extensions should be applied for before the due date so that your tutor can plan to set aside time
to mark your work. Extensions applied for after the due date will only be considered if the
circumstances are exceptional. This system aims to avoid unfairly penalising students who
encounter major crises in their life. All assessments must be submitted, at the latest, by two
weeks before the final examination date.
Remember that managing your time is a vital part of university study, and it is important to
develop an overall plan for a study period that allows for delays caused by unforeseen
circumstances. Ideally, plan to have the next-to-final draft of an assignment completed about a
week before it is due. This gives you a built-in time allowance in case an unexpected delay
occurs, as well as some time to put the draft aside and return to it with fresh eyes for a final edit.
Please talk to your tutor/Unit Coordinator if you are experiencing difficulties with meeting
submission deadlines.
Participation requirements
In this unit, the requirements for participation in tutorials is contributing to at least 8 of the 12
online tutorials, where contribution includes:
• evidence of preparation as outlined in the Learning Guide;
• asking appropriate questions;
• raising, expanding on or explaining points; and
• bringing relevant material.
Overall, we are seeking your thoughtful, timely and appropriate participation in (or posts to) the
discussion.
Failure to contribute to at least 8 of the 12 tutorials without evidence of extenuating
circumstances for your absence can mean failing the Tutorial Participation component of the
unit.
Assessment details
LITE
Reading Log (referencing exercise)
Guidelines for summaries
Essay 1
. Essay 1 Question
Essay 2
. Essay 2 Question
Tutorial Participation
Final Examination
The details of each assessment component are set out below. Each assessment will be marked
according to the general criteria for assessment as prescribed by the university grading system
and the specific criteria set out in the Cover and Assessment Sheets that are available in the
Appendices of this booklet and in the Assignment Tool in the online unit.
In your assessments, make sure that you correctly cite all references. (Follow the guidelines on
essay writing dealt with in the unit and the referencing conventions specified in the LITE
exercise.)
LITE
Assessment value: 5%
Due date: Week 4
This exercise should be completed online. See Appendix 3: LITE for details on how to access
and complete LITE.
Once you have completed the exercise online, you have finished. We access your result directly
from the online unit; there is no need to send us anything.
Reading Log (referencing exercise)
Assessment value: 15%
Assessment length: Approximately 600 - 900 words total
Due date: Monday of Week (Topic) 6
Provide reading summaries of two readings:
1. Watson et al. (2009) AND
2. Clark (1998) OR Yoon (2009)
Guidelines for summaries
Your reading summaries require that you do four things:
1. provide the full referencing details of the article. Present this as you would in a reference list,
using the Chicago referencing style as required. Check the citation guides on the Murdoch
Library website to help you with this. See: http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/find/citation/.
2. identify the thesis (or core, overall argument) that unifies the article being made in this
reading, and state this in one sentence. (Hint: Do not simply describe what the authors talk
about or the areas they cover. Instead, focus on what they are trying to 'prove' to the reader).
3. identify the main points of the article that support (give reasons for) the thesis. Include in-text
referencing (see checklist below).
4. reflect on the reading. Discuss what you think about the argument the author is making in this
article. (Hint: How does the argument relate to other ideas you have come upon in this unit so
far and/or in your everyday life?)
Checklist
Before you hand in your summaries, check the following:
1. Have I included in-text referencing in my summaries? Have I used the proper conventions for
referencing using Chicago Style? Have I made sure that direct quotations and paraphrases are
acknowledged?
2. Have I checked my grammar, punctuation and spelling? Have I used a clear 12 font, double
line-spacing and provided wide (4cm) margins for feedback?
3. Have I pasted my summaries into the document that contains a Cover Sheet and ‘Tutors
Assessment Sheet’ (marking guide) to this assignment (found on the ISU103 Contents Page),
ready to upload as a single document?
Essay 1
Assessment value: 15%
Length: 800 words
Due date: Monday of Week (Topic) 6
Assessment criteria: See Cover and Assessment Sheet (marking guide)
Essay 1 Question
Thinking critically and writing cogently are two of the important skills you should develop in
your university studies. Essay writing will help you to do this. The first essay in this unit will
help you develop your ability to structure an essay, summarise information and cite sources.
Drawing on the readings by Angier (2007) and Flannery (1994) develop an essay
based on this thesis statement: Evolution by natural selection explains
Australia’s unique flora and fauna.
The essay question requires you to draw on both Angier (2007) and Flannery (1994), which you
will be familiar with from Topics 2 and 3. You should analyse this material for evidence to
support the thesis statement. Remember, your essay will need an introduction and a conclusion.
You have only 800 words to complete the task, although it is acceptable if you go over the word
limit by a small amount. You will need to summarise the information carefully to ensure you can
make the points effectively. Don’t forget to cite all your sources and provide a reference list.
See the learning skills in the Unit Reader on thesis statements and essay writing.
Turnitin
Students are required to submit both essays 1 and 2 to Turnitin (see 'Assessment Processes')
before submitting these essays for assessment. Essays that have not been submitted to Turnitin
prior to submission may not be assessed. Note: Submitting your essay to Turnitin does not
equate with submission for assessment purposes.
Submit your essay to Turnitin (just the text: not the cover sheet, marking guide) using the link to
Turnitin on the ISU103 Contents Page. Download a copy of your Turnitin report and upload this
with your essay(s) using the Assignment box. Instructions for using Turnitin can be found at
http://our.murdoch.edu.au/Educational-technologies/Turnitin/In-an-online-unit/
Before uploading your essay to the Assignment Box, check the following:
1. Have I used the proper conventions for referencing using Chicago Style? Have I made sure
that direct quotations and paraphrases are acknowledged?
2. Have I checked my grammar, punctuation and spelling? Have I used a clear 12 font, double
line-spacing and provided wide (4cm) margins for feedback?
3. Have I pasted my essay into the document that contains a Cover Sheet and ‘Tutors Assessment
Sheet’ (marking guide) to this assignment (found on the ISU103 Contents Page), ready to upload
as a single document?
4. Have I attached my Turnitin report for this essay?
Essay 2
Assessment value: 25%
Length: 1200 words
Due date: Monday of Topic (Week) 11
Assessment criteria: See appropriate Cover and Assessment Sheet (marking guide)
For this second essay you are asked to respond to the following question:
Select an issue (or case study) related to one of the topics below. Investigate the issue from
at least two perspectives (e.g. environmental, ethical, historical, social, cultural), explaining
how this provides a better understanding of complex problems.
• Feral animals
• Population
• Water
Your essay must draw on the readings for this unit (Hint: begin your research with the
required and recommended readings provided for the topic and for other related topics). In
addition, your research should include an additional five relevant sources including at least one
book, one refereed journal article and one Internet source.
Reflective statement
At the end of your essay (after the reference list) provide a short paragraph that describes how
you have incorporated the feedback on your first essay into this second essay.
Points to note:
• Referencing should conform to the Chicago Style. See http://libguides.murdoch.edu.au/Chicago.
Remember that full referencing, including specific page numbers, is required.
Carefully consider the feedback you received on your first Essay and Reading Log (referencing
exercise). In this assignment you need to present an argument based on your own position in
relation to the readings and sources you have analysed. Make sure you include an introductory
paragraph that states your argument, and outlines the main points you intend to cover. You
should then begin to develop the points using material from your research.
Referencing should conform to the Chicago Style (author – date). See:
http://libguides.murdoch.edu.au/find/citation/Chicago. Remember that full referencing, including
specific page numbers, is required.In marking your assignment we will be considering the clarity
of your argument and writing, the extent of your research, proper referencing, use of evidence
and examples to back up your assertions.
Before uploading your essay to the Assignment Box, check the following:
1. Have I used the proper conventions for referencing using Chicago Style? Have I made sure
that direct quotations and paraphrases are acknowledged?
2. Have I checked my grammar, punctuation and spelling? Have I used a clear 12 font, double
line-spacing and provided wide (4cm) margins for feedback?
3. Have I pasted my essay into the document that contains a Cover Sheet and ‘Tutors Assessment
Sheet’ (marking guide) to this assignment (found on the ISU103 Contents Page), ready to upload
as a single document?
4. Have I attached my Turnitin report for this essay?
Tutorial Participation 10%
Students are expected to participate in online discussions related to the weekly tutorial readings
and lectures, to generate questions and to respond to other students.
Final Examination
Assessment value: 30%
Time: 2 hours
Date: Refer to OUA Exam Services for information in regards to your exam.
The final examination relates to the whole unit and all of the readings. The final exam is in three
sections.
Exam section Type of question
Marks
Section A: 5/60 10 multiple choice questions
Multiple Choice
Section B: 20/60 4 short answer questions
Short Answer
10/60 Reading comprehension and
Section C: critique in which you write a
Reading summary and critique of an
Comprehension unseen reading. You must
provide in text referencing to the
reading provided.
Section D: 25/60 1 short essay
Short Essay You are given 2 essay topics and
(40%) are required to write on one
topic.
You are expected to draw on relevant readings and materials contained in this unit to develop
your answers in Sections B, C and D. However, you are not expected to remember references
and provide accurate citation details for these readings or materials. If you can attribute specific
ideas or knowledge to a particular author this will strengthen your answers and will lead to a
higher grade (for example, 'Jones and Brown have argued...' or 'Cathcart contends...').
The final examination is 2 hours in length and is graded out of 60 points in total. Numerically,
you should spend approximately:
• 10 minutes on Section A (5 marks)
• 40 minutes on Section B (20 marks)
• 20 minutes on Section C (10 marks)
• 50 minutes on Section D (25 marks)
Allow time to check your answers.
You will be provided with an examination booklet in which you must write all of your answers,
including your multiple-choice answers. You must carefully read the instructions on the front
cover of the exam booklet and complete the required information.
Exam preparation
If you have concerns about the examination, please see 'Exam techniques', in A Guide to
Learning Independently (Marshall and Rowland, 2006, 85) for ideas and strategies to apply
during the exam.
Past examination papers for Foundation units are not available in the Library. However, you can
download a sample examination questions from the FDN103 online unit. This is located via the
'Unit Information' icon on the Homepage, in the 'Final Examination' section under 'Assessment
details'.