Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - )
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 16
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Chemistry & Molec Biosciences
This is a year-long research intensive course designed to build on all the chemistry theory learned in the first three years of undergraduate and provide crucial research training.
The research project in Chemistry is carried out under the supervision or co-supervision of one or more academic staff. The research project runs throughout both semesters of the Honours Program and involves the student undertaking original lab-based or computer-based research in an area of their liking. The Chemistry Honours Convener is responsible for approving each student's choice of supervisor and project. The project culminates in the writing and submission of a thesis.
The Honours research proposal leads students to establish the practical or theoretical significance of their research including innovation, feasibility, and appropriate experimental approaches in their proposed research. The research proposal is based on a critical review of the literCouature.ﾠ
This courseﾠdeals with the communication of scientific information through the delivery of seminars. The student shall deliver a seminar at the end of their project summarising their achievements.
Students will have the opportunity to develop their listening and understanding skills through attendance and note-taking at the weekly Chemistry and Biological Chemistry seminars where visiting scientists as well as academic staff and postgraduate students present seminars on their own research.
This courseﾠalso delivers advanced material in the form of lectures, problem-solving sessions and seminarsﾠthat haveﾠnot been previously covered in undergraduate Chemistry courses.
Course requirements
Restrictions
Restricted to BAdvSc(Hons) and BSc(Hons) students.
Permission from the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Aims and outcomes
The aim of this course is to facilitate the development of practical research skills and the understanding required to ask and solve key chemical questions. Students will learn how to communicate scientifically and keep appropriate records, as well as expand their general knowledge through attendance and discussion of research seminars. Completion of this course will both help lay the foundation for a wide array of careers in science, and prepare students if they wish to take their scientific education further by enrolling in a PhD.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Demonstrate advanced research skills through laboratory- and/or computer based work
LO2.
Keep a well documented and accurate laboratory notebook
LO3.
Objectively interpret experimental results
LO4.
Think independently and initiate new experimental approaches to the solution of a problem
LO5.
Demonstrate a clear and effective scientific writing style that offers clear and accurate explanations of the background to your project and sets out its aims in the form of a research proposal
LO6.
Competently search the scientific literature to locate information relevant to your research project
LO7.
Demonstrate a comprehensive awareness and knowledge of previous work that has been published by others in your chosen area of research
LO8.
Justify the importance of your project in terms of what new information it will bring to your field of research
LO9.
Demonstrate an effective scientific writing style that offers clear and accurate explanations of outcomes of your project in the form of a major research report
LO10.
Construct an attractive and clearly organised scientific PowerPoint presentation
LO11.
Speak clearly and confidently to an audience of scientists
LO12.
Offer clear and logical explanations of scientific concepts that may be unfamiliar to the non-specialist
LO13.
Answer appropriate questions from other scientists on aspects of your research project which demonstrate a deep understanding of your field
LO14.
Assimilate ideas and information delivered by other scientists during a seminar presentation
LO15.
Demonstrate advanced knowledge and problem-solving skills in your area of specialisation
LO16.
Utilise and adapt advanced knowledge in aspects of your project work
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Research Proposal
|
12.5% 2 unit equivalent |
23/10/2024 2:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Draft Research Report
|
Pass/Fail |
12/05/2025 2:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Participation/ Student contribution, Performance |
Research Report & Research Performance
|
62.5% 10 unit equivalent |
26/05/2025 2:00 pm |
| Notebook/ Logbook |
Seminar Notebook
|
Pass/Fail |
26/05/2025 2:00 pm |
| Presentation |
Final Seminar and Thesis Viva
|
12.5% 2 unit equivalent |
2/06/2025 - 6/06/2025 |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Presentation, Quiz |
Advanced Coursework
|
12.5% 2 unit equivalent |
30/05/2025
End of Semester 1 2025 |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Research Proposal
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 12.5% 2 unit equivalent
- Due date
23/10/2024 2:00 pm
Task description
This comprises a 3000 word (maximum) research proposal that provides an introduction to the work that you will undertake, the background to this project and why you are doing it. The word limit does NOT include references, table of contents or list of abbreviations, though all three of these things are required in the document. Although this assessment component is named Research Proposal, it will in fact, consist largely of a critical literature review of your research area. It will probably form the basis of your introductory research report (thesis) chapter.
Although your supervisor is permitted to read and comment on a draft of your proposal, they must not undertake in-depth drafting. The written work must be your own. It is critical that your supervisor or a nominated senior researcher read a final draft of this document to provide feedback. YOU MUST ALLOW THIS PERSON AT LEAST ONE WEEK TO READ THE FINAL DRAFT OF YOUR REVIEW. This allows adequate time for the document to be read carefully, changes discussed and for you to make the changes.
The purpose of the Research Proposal is:
- to ensure that the student knows the work already done in the research area;
- to ensure that the student can assess deficiencies in the knowledge of the subject;
- to test the student's ability to read literature critically;
- to test the student's ability to organise evidence derived from other people's work; and
- to test the student's ability to write a clear, concise, readily understandable proposal in an objective manner.
The Research Proposal should consist of the following sections:
1. Background and significance: This will constitute the bulk (~two thirds) of the document. It will consist of a critical and concise review of the literature in the area (i.e. past relevant research), under sub-headings, which are listed in a Table of Contents. You should clearly state the significance of the area of research to science. Headings and sub-headings may be numbered if desired. Developments in the literature are usefully followed in chronological order, but this can be varied if there is a good reason for doing so. The major research in the area should be presented critically which will then lead to a discussion of the gaps in knowledge in the area.
2. Aims/hypotheses: The discussion described above will lead into a concise description of the specific aims and/or hypotheses of your project. These can be presented in dot point form. It should be clear how these aims will address the gaps in the knowledge in the chosen area of research.
3. Research plan and methods: This section should describe the general strategy for achieving the aims listed in (2) and the detailed plan of how the experiments will be performed. This section can also include citation of literature describing such methods. This part should comprise approximately one-third of your proposal. THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT TO CONTAIN ANY PRELIMINARY RESULTS OR “PROGRESS SO FAR”.
References in the text must be cited as per an ACS Chemistry journal format (it is recommended that this be discussed with the supervisor). A full and accurate list of references must be given at the end under the heading References. Students are strongly encouraged to learn how to use EndNote or comparable programs.
You are to format the document with a 12 point Arial or Times New Roman font, on double-sided A4 paper, allowing 2cm margins on each side. Use 1.5 spacing. Number pages so that your Table of Contents can refer to them. Figures, schemes and tables should be placed in the running text. Figures, particularly chemical structures should be drawn in ChemDraw or a similar drawing program and pasted into the document.
Your proposal will be assessed by two academic staff members. The examiners will be asked to consider the following questions:
- Is your analysis of the research field, including literature relating to past studies, a critical analysis or just a summary of what is known?
- Do you have a clear conceptual understanding of the science underpinning the project?
- Have you provided a clear justification of the scientific significance of the proposal and why it is original and innovative?
- Have you given a clear statement of aims and hypotheses to be tested in the project? Are the aims and hypotheses reasonable?
- Is it clear that the project is feasible?
- Is the proposal well organised and presented?
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
See ADDITIONAL COURSE GRADING INFORMATION for the hurdle/s relating to this assessment item.Submission guidelines
Submit through the course Turnitin submission point in Blackboard. Please note: No hardcopy is to be submitted. SCMB will distribute your Turnitin submission for marking. Before submitting your assessment item to Turnitin please name your file in the following way. FAMILY NAME_GivenName_StudentID_CourseCode_AssignmentName For example: Bob Smith (ID: 54329876) would name his ABCD1234 essay 1 in the following way. SMITH_Bob_54329876_ABCD1234_Essay1
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Applications for Extensions
Information on applying for an extension can be found here: my.UQ Applying for an extension.
Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.
A maximum of two applications may be submitted for any one assessment item, unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated. If you are unable to provide approved documentation to support your application by the due date and time, you must still submit your application by the deadline but with an attached Word document that outlines why you cannot provide the approved documentation by the deadline. You will then need to acquire and upload the approved documentation to your request within 24 hours. Please note: When an extension request has been submitted and is pending, students are expected to continue to work on the assessment item, with the aim of submitting by the requested due date and time.
Prolonged Absence
If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester.
Extensions with Student Access Plans (SAP)
For extensions up to 7 days, your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, extension requests longer than 7 days (for any one assessment item) will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g. a medical certificate.
Important Note - Project Progression
Please note that extensions are only rarely granted. Extensions will typically only be granted if you suffer from a significant illness, if a close family member develops a serious illness, or for family bereavement. Extensions will not routinely be granted at many weeks or months after an illness or other event, on the basis that such interruptions are part of life.
Research projects are not about completing a set body of work within an indefinite timeframe. Rather, you are given a period of time to learn about a topic, gain experience in practical research skills, analyse data, develop your own independent thoughts and conclusions based on this analysis, and write a report that communicates all of this to your examiners.
We expect that you will develop skills that allow you to adjust your plans “on the run” – everyone will experience things that do not go according to plan at some point, and it is a necessary skill in scientific research to be able to respond to change, whether it is an experiment that did not work because someone switched the incubator off over the weekend, or an event that prevented your attendance at the University or impacted your priorities.
What is important is that you adjust your plans appropriately, and in close consultation with your supervisor, so that you have sufficient time to analyse and write up what data you have obtained into a report that best demonstrates you knowledge and development as a scientist.
Note: If your application for extension is due to significant unforeseen circumstances in your laboratory a detailed written statement outlining the circumstances is required from your supervisor. This can be included in your application. Applications due to unforeseen circumstances will not be accepted without a supervisor's statement.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved.
In most instances one or more hurdles will apply to your assessment item so you will need to submit it to fulfil the requirements of the course regardless of how late it is and the mark you are likely to be awarded.
Draft Research Report
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- Pass/Fail
- Due date
12/05/2025 2:00 pm
Task description
You must submit a draft of your Research Report through TurnitIn and to your supervisors. We do not expect that this will be a finished draft, but it must be substantially complete. Although your supervisor is permitted to read and comment on your proposal, they must not undertake in-depth drafting. The written work must be your own.
Your supervisor will review and correct the draft. It is the role of your supervisor to help you develop and fine-tune your writing. This process should progress as a partnership in which you are actively engaged. Remember however, that you retain full responsibility for the final report and that it must be your own work!
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
See ADDITIONAL COURSE GRADING INFORMATION for the hurdle/s relating to this assessment item.Submission guidelines
Submit through the course Turnitin submission point in Blackboard. Please note: No hardcopy is to be submitted. Before submitting your assessment item to Turnitin please name your file in the following way. FAMILY NAME_GivenName_StudentID_CourseCode_AssignmentName For example: Bob Smith (ID: 54329876) would name his ABCD1234 essay 1 in the following way. SMITH_Bob_54329876_ABCD1234_Essay1
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Applications for Extensions
Information on applying for an extension can be found here: my.UQ Applying for an extension.
Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.
A maximum of two applications may be submitted for any one assessment item, unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated. If you are unable to provide approved documentation to support your application by the due date and time, you must still submit your application by the deadline but with an attached Word document that outlines why you cannot provide the approved documentation by the deadline. You will then need to acquire and upload the approved documentation to your request within 24 hours. Please note: When an extension request has been submitted and is pending, students are expected to continue to work on the assessment item, with the aim of submitting by the requested due date and time.
Prolonged Absence
If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester.
Extensions with Student Access Plans (SAP)
For extensions up to 7 days, your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, extension requests longer than 7 days (for any one assessment item) will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g. a medical certificate.
Important Note - Project Progression
Please note that extensions are only rarely granted. Extensions will typically only be granted if you suffer from a significant illness, if a close family member develops a serious illness, or for family bereavement. Extensions will not routinely be granted at many weeks or months after an illness or other event, on the basis that such interruptions are part of life.
Research projects are not about completing a set body of work within an indefinite timeframe. Rather, you are given a period of time to learn about a topic, gain experience in practical research skills, analyse data, develop your own independent thoughts and conclusions based on this analysis, and write a report that communicates all of this to your examiners.
We expect that you will develop skills that allow you to adjust your plans “on the run” – everyone will experience things that do not go according to plan at some point, and it is a necessary skill in scientific research to be able to respond to change, whether it is an experiment that did not work because someone switched the incubator off over the weekend, or an event that prevented your attendance at the University or impacted your priorities.
What is important is that you adjust your plans appropriately, and in close consultation with your supervisor, so that you have sufficient time to analyse and write up what data you have obtained into a report that best demonstrates you knowledge and development as a scientist.
Note: If your application for extension is due to significant unforeseen circumstances in your laboratory a detailed written statement outlining the circumstances is required from your supervisor. This can be included in your application. Applications due to unforeseen circumstances will not be accepted without a supervisor's statement.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved.
In most instances one or more hurdles will apply to your assessment item so you will need to submit it to fulfil the requirements of the course regardless of how late it is and the mark you are likely to be awarded.
Research Report & Research Performance
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Participation/ Student contribution, Performance
- Weight
- 62.5% 10 unit equivalent
- Due date
26/05/2025 2:00 pm
Task description
The research project is carried out under the supervision of a member (or members) of the academic staff. The research topic is assigned by the supervisor after consultation with the student.
The research report (thesis) must be no more than 50 pages of double-spaced 12pt text. This limit does not include the index, reference list and appendices but does include figures. This limit will be strictly enforced. A small number of large figures, schemes or tables (but no free text) may be placed on facing pages if the student wishes, but this is not necessary and these facing pages will still count towards the 50 page limit. Although your supervisor is permitted to read and comment on a draft of your thesis, they must not undertake in-depth drafting. The written work must be your own. It is essential, however that your supervisor or some other senior researcher (perhaps a postdoc) reads drafts of your thesis while you are preparing it. You are not expected to know instinctively how to write such a document and this is an important learning opportunity.
We understand that pandemics, natural disasters, and other unforeseen circumstances impact everyone differently and with this in mind we ask students to include a ‘Statement on impact of disruptions” page in their Final Report. You should include a maximum of one page. You should outline how your Honours project was disrupted and describe the changes that were put in place in response to these disruptions. Disruptions could include an inability to perform laboratory work for a certain period, difficulties in ordering reagents, or any other disruptions you feel are relevant. The changes put in place could include changes to individual aims, scope, or topic of your project. The description of disruptions will provide some context for your examiners, especially when you have had to substantially change your project from your original plans.
The supervisor shall provide a mark out of 100 for the student's overall research performance which will take into account the quality of their research work, the quality of the thesis, initiative, perseverance in pursuing aims, organisational skills, independence and ability to communicate their ideas both orally and in writing. In particular the quality and number of thesis drafts read by the supervisor should be taken into account.
YOU MUST GIVE YOUR SUPERVISOR (OR NOMINATED READER) TWO WEEKS TO READ THE FINAL DRAFT OF YOUR THESIS. This will allow adequate time for the thesis to be read in detail, possible changes discussed with you and for you to make these changes. It would be preferable if individual chapters/sections had been read by a qualified person long before this FINAL draft is given to the supervisor. It is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that you write your thesis as you go through the year. The experimental section and data input can be compiled on a weekly basis and should be backed up on at least two different electronic storage facilities.
NB: It is a mandatory requirement that the preliminary pages of the final research report are worded appropriately from the template (Research Report Declaration) available on the course Blackboard site or in the Honours handbook.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
See ADDITIONAL COURSE GRADING INFORMATION for the hurdle/s relating to this assessment item.Submission guidelines
Submit through the course Turnitin submission point in Blackboard.
Please note: No hardcopy is to be submitted. SCMB will distribute your Turnitin submission for marking.
Before submitting your assessment item to Turnitin please name your file in the following way.
FAMILY NAME_GivenName_StudentID_CourseCode_AssignmentName
For example: Bob Smith (ID: 54329876) would name his ABCD1234 essay 1 in the following way.
SMITH_Bob_54329876_ABCD1234_Essay1
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Applications for Extensions
Information on applying for an extension can be found here: my.UQ Applying for an extension.
Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.
A maximum of two applications may be submitted for any one assessment item, unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated. If you are unable to provide approved documentation to support your application by the due date and time, you must still submit your application by the deadline but with an attached Word document that outlines why you cannot provide the approved documentation by the deadline. You will then need to acquire and upload the approved documentation to your request within 24 hours. Please note: When an extension request has been submitted and is pending, students are expected to continue to work on the assessment item, with the aim of submitting by the requested due date and time.
Prolonged Absence
If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester.
Extensions with Student Access Plans (SAP)
For extensions up to 7 days, your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, extension requests longer than 7 days (for any one assessment item) will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g. a medical certificate.
Important Note - Project Progression
Please note that extensions are only rarely granted. Extensions will typically only be granted if you suffer from a significant illness, if a close family member develops a serious illness, or for family bereavement. Extensions will not routinely be granted at many weeks or months after an illness or other event, on the basis that such interruptions are part of life.
Research projects are not about completing a set body of work within an indefinite timeframe. Rather, you are given a period of time to learn about a topic, gain experience in practical research skills, analyse data, develop your own independent thoughts and conclusions based on this analysis, and write a report that communicates all of this to your examiners.
We expect that you will develop skills that allow you to adjust your plans “on the run” – everyone will experience things that do not go according to plan at some point, and it is a necessary skill in scientific research to be able to respond to change, whether it is an experiment that did not work because someone switched the incubator off over the weekend, or an event that prevented your attendance at the University or impacted your priorities.
What is important is that you adjust your plans appropriately, and in close consultation with your supervisor, so that you have sufficient time to analyse and write up what data you have obtained into a report that best demonstrates you knowledge and development as a scientist.
Note: If your application for extension is due to significant unforeseen circumstances in your laboratory a detailed written statement outlining the circumstances is required from your supervisor. This can be included in your application. Applications due to unforeseen circumstances will not be accepted without a supervisor's statement.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved.
In most instances one or more hurdles will apply to your assessment item so you will need to submit it to fulfil the requirements of the course regardless of how late it is and the mark you are likely to be awarded.
Seminar Notebook
- Hurdle
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Notebook/ Logbook
- Weight
- Pass/Fail
- Due date
26/05/2025 2:00 pm
Task description
The School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences runs two weekly seminar series (one in Chemistry and one in Molecular Biosciences) and also hosts additional ad hoc seminars throughout the year by visiting researchers. Students based at an external location will likely find that additional seminars are hosted by their local School/Centre/Institute throughout the year. Regular attendance at these seminars is not only mandatory, but is an essential part of your training as a scientist, as this is where you are exposed to diverse scientific techniques and approaches.
Students must document their attendance at seminars throughout the year by taking notes in a clearly documented, hard copy (i.e. not digital) seminar notebook. It is a requirement that you submit this seminar notebook at the end of the year together with your final Research Report. The book must contain details of all of the seminars the student has attended and is given either a Pass or Fail grade. It is expected that a complete seminar notebook will contain notes on at least 15 seminars attended throughout the year. This reflects the fact that while most seminar programs run ~ weekly, they may not be held every week of the year. You must pass this section to pass the course.
The notebook should follow the guidelines below for each seminar:
- The date, title of the seminar and the speaker's name and affiliation;
- Handwritten notes (1/2 - 1 page) about the seminar, including the aims, hypotheses, scientific content, critical issues raised by the speaker, assumptions made. At least one question for the speaker should be included for each seminar. These notes must be taken during the seminar;
- A paragraph that states the objective(s) of the speaker's work (i.e. what were they trying to show) and what was achieved. This should be added after the seminar, based on the notes taken. Material copied directly from the speaker's abstract is not acceptable.
Seminars that can be attended are not limited to those given in the student's School or Institution. Attendance at seminars held in other Schools, Centres or Institutes are acceptable. However, seminars given by PhD students, and informal seminars or presentations made at research group meetings are not acceptable for this part of the course.
The diary should be available for inspection by the student’s supervisor or the Honours Convenor(s) at any time. At the end of the year, the diary must be handed in at the SCMB Administration Office to be assessed by the Honours Convenor(s).
Some Strategies:
- The single most important thing you should do before the seminar is to read the speaker's abstract, if this has been provided. This will enable you to get a general overview of the major aims of the research, approaches used, and of the major conclusions drawn.
- During the seminar learn to listen critically and sympathetically. Listen for what the presenter means rather than pick at words or specific arguments. Focus attention on the aims, hypotheses, and assumptions made; the structure of the argument; and the evidence presented (or neglected).
- Make your notes brief and put them in your own words. Use margins for questions, comments, and notes to yourself on material that is not clear.
- Go over your notes as soon as possible after the seminar to write a summary paragraph that states the objective(s) of the speaker's work (i.e. what was he/she trying to show) and what was achieved.
Special note: Some students have previously remarked that regularly attending seminars in addition to scheduling and completing all of their experiments has been difficult. It is important for students to appreciate that while experimental work conducted in the lab is a major component of your Honours year, it is not the only component and other assessment items such as seminar attendance are equally important to your development as a professional scientist, as is the development of effective time management and planning skills, allowing you to schedule experiments around regular seminar attendance.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
See ADDITIONAL COURSE GRADING INFORMATION for the hurdle/s relating to this assessment item.Submission guidelines
Seminar notebooks should be handed in over the counter at SCMB Administration Office (Level 3, Chemistry Building (68)) by 2pm on the due date. You are not required to have a cover sheet with your seminar notebook, but student name and number should be clearly written on the front of the diary for ease of identification.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Applications for Extensions
Information on applying for an extension can be found here: my.UQ Applying for an extension.
Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.
A maximum of two applications may be submitted for any one assessment item, unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated. If you are unable to provide approved documentation to support your application by the due date and time, you must still submit your application by the deadline but with an attached Word document that outlines why you cannot provide the approved documentation by the deadline. You will then need to acquire and upload the approved documentation to your request within 24 hours. Please note: When an extension request has been submitted and is pending, students are expected to continue to work on the assessment item, with the aim of submitting by the requested due date and time.
Prolonged Absence
If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester.
Extensions with Student Access Plans (SAP)
For extensions up to 7 days, your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, extension requests longer than 7 days (for any one assessment item) will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g. a medical certificate.
Important Note - Project Progression
Please note that extensions are only rarely granted. Extensions will typically only be granted if you suffer from a significant illness, if a close family member develops a serious illness, or for family bereavement. Extensions will not routinely be granted at many weeks or months after an illness or other event, on the basis that such interruptions are part of life.
Research projects are not about completing a set body of work within an indefinite timeframe. Rather, you are given a period of time to learn about a topic, gain experience in practical research skills, analyse data, develop your own independent thoughts and conclusions based on this analysis, and write a report that communicates all of this to your examiners.
We expect that you will develop skills that allow you to adjust your plans “on the run” – everyone will experience things that do not go according to plan at some point, and it is a necessary skill in scientific research to be able to respond to change, whether it is an experiment that did not work because someone switched the incubator off over the weekend, or an event that prevented your attendance at the University or impacted your priorities.
What is important is that you adjust your plans appropriately, and in close consultation with your supervisor, so that you have sufficient time to analyse and write up what data you have obtained into a report that best demonstrates you knowledge and development as a scientist.
Note: If your application for extension is due to significant unforeseen circumstances in your laboratory a detailed written statement outlining the circumstances is required from your supervisor. This can be included in your application. Applications due to unforeseen circumstances will not be accepted without a supervisor's statement.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved.
In most instances one or more hurdles will apply to your assessment item so you will need to submit it to fulfil the requirements of the course regardless of how late it is and the mark you are likely to be awarded.
Final Seminar and Thesis Viva
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 12.5% 2 unit equivalent
- Due date
2/06/2025 - 6/06/2025
Task description
Each student will present a 20 minute Final Seminar summarising the outcomes and conclusions of their research project, which includes 5 minutes for questions from the general audience. The seminar is assessed by all academic staff in attendance and their averaged mark comprises the final seminar mark. Students will also undertake a 20 minute Oral Viva which is scheduled together with the Final Seminar's, to provide an opportunity to defend their Research Report and respond to specific questions from the thesis examiners.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
See ADDITIONAL COURSE GRADING INFORMATION for the hurdle/s relating to this assessment item.Submission guidelines
Instructions on how to submit your seminar slides will be provided via the course Blackboard site.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Applications for Extensions
Information on applying for an extension can be found here: my.UQ Applying for an extension.
Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.
A maximum of two applications may be submitted for any one assessment item, unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated. If you are unable to provide approved documentation to support your application by the due date and time, you must still submit your application by the deadline but with an attached Word document that outlines why you cannot provide the approved documentation by the deadline. You will then need to acquire and upload the approved documentation to your request within 24 hours. Please note: When an extension request has been submitted and is pending, students are expected to continue to work on the assessment item, with the aim of submitting by the requested due date and time.
Prolonged Absence
If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester.
Extensions with Student Access Plans (SAP)
For extensions up to 7 days, your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, extension requests longer than 7 days (for any one assessment item) will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g. a medical certificate.
Important Note - Project Progression
Please note that extensions are only rarely granted. Extensions will typically only be granted if you suffer from a significant illness, if a close family member develops a serious illness, or for family bereavement. Extensions will not routinely be granted at many weeks or months after an illness or other event, on the basis that such interruptions are part of life.
Research projects are not about completing a set body of work within an indefinite timeframe. Rather, you are given a period of time to learn about a topic, gain experience in practical research skills, analyse data, develop your own independent thoughts and conclusions based on this analysis, and write a report that communicates all of this to your examiners.
We expect that you will develop skills that allow you to adjust your plans “on the run” – everyone will experience things that do not go according to plan at some point, and it is a necessary skill in scientific research to be able to respond to change, whether it is an experiment that did not work because someone switched the incubator off over the weekend, or an event that prevented your attendance at the University or impacted your priorities.
What is important is that you adjust your plans appropriately, and in close consultation with your supervisor, so that you have sufficient time to analyse and write up what data you have obtained into a report that best demonstrates you knowledge and development as a scientist.
Note: If your application for extension is due to significant unforeseen circumstances in your laboratory a detailed written statement outlining the circumstances is required from your supervisor. This can be included in your application. Applications due to unforeseen circumstances will not be accepted without a supervisor's statement.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved.
In most instances one or more hurdles will apply to your assessment item so you will need to submit it to fulfil the requirements of the course regardless of how late it is and the mark you are likely to be awarded.
Advanced Coursework
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Oral, Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Presentation, Quiz
- Weight
- 12.5% 2 unit equivalent
- Due date
30/05/2025
End of Semester 1 2025
Task description
Assessment for the various modules of the Advanced Coursework may take the form of an essay, assignment and/or exams or quizzes. Details of specific assessment items will be provided in workshops.
Each student shall select components from the following four modules according to their field of interest. For more details about each module please contact the Honours Convenor(s).
The modules are very “fluid” and change each year depending on which academics are contributing. It is best to ask for details from the relevant coordinator. All modules will start in February 2025 so that the assessment can be completed well before the due date for the report documents. Please keep an eye on your UQ email address for details of starting times and meeting venues.
Module 1: Organic Chemistry
Coordinator: Prof Joanne Blanchfield
Module 2: Inorganic Chemistry
Coordinator: Assoc Prof Evan Moore
Module 3: Physical and Materials Chemistry
Coordinator: Prof Debra Bernhardt
Module 4: Chemistry Education
Coordinator: Prof Gwen Lawrie
The selection of coursework should be discussed with the student’s supervisor. The final choice is subject to approval by the Honours Convenor(s).
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
See ADDITIONAL COURSE GRADING INFORMATION for the hurdle/s relating to this assessment item.Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Inadequate quality work with significant errors and deficiencies in understanding, critical thinking skills, literacy, organisation and presentation. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 0% |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Inadequate quality work with significant errors and deficiencies in understanding, critical thinking skills, literacy, organisation and presentation. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 30% |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Inadequate quality work with significant errors and deficiencies in understanding, critical thinking skills, literacy, organisation and presentation. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 40% |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Adequate quality work with significant deficiencies in understanding, critical thinking skills, literacy, organisation and presentation. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 50% |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Adequate quality in most aspects of the report, but some inadequacies in understanding, critical thinking skills, literacy, organisation and presentation. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 60% |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Work of good quality in all aspects of the report as expected from a student who has the potential to be able to undertake a PhD or act as a research assistant, but shows lesser critical thinking skills and personal insights into research area. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 70% |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Work of very good quality consistent with a student who would make a good PhD candidate or research assistant; the report contains examples of excellent critical thinking skills and personal insights into the research area. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 80% |
Additional course grading information
Assessment Hurdles
In order to pass this course, you must meet ALL of the following requirements (if you do not meet these requirements, the maximum grade you will receive will be a 3):
1. You must obtain an overall courseﾠmark of 50% or more; and
2. Students must complete and submit ALL course assessment items and learning tasks.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Should you fail a course with a grade of 3, you may be eligible for supplementary assessment. Refer to my.UQ for information on supplementary assessment and how to apply.
Supplementary assessment provides an additional opportunity to demonstrate you have achieved all the required learning outcomes for a course.
If you apply and are granted supplementary assessment, the type of supplementary assessment set will consider which learning outcome(s) have not been met.
Supplementary assessment can take any form (such as a written report, oral presentation, examination or other appropriate assessment) and may test specific learning outcomes tailored to the individual student, or all learning outcomes.
To receive a passing grade of 3S4, you must obtain a mark of 50% or more on the supplementary assessment.
Additional assessment information
Assessment Submission
It is the responsibility of the student to ensure the on time, correct and complete submission of all assessment items.
Please ensure you receive and save the submission confirmation for all submitted items, you may be asked to produce this as evidence of your submission.
Turnitin
By submitting work through Turnitin you are deemed to have accepted the following declaration “I certify that this assignment is my own work and has not been submitted, either previously or concurrently, in whole or in part, to this University or any other educational institution, for marking or assessment”.
All students must ensure they receive their Turnitin receipt on submission of any assessments. A valid Turnitin receipt will be the only evidence accepted if one or more of your submissions are missing. Without evidence, the assessment will receive the standard late penalty, or after seven days, will receive zero. In the case of a Blackboard outage, please contact the Course Coordinator as soon as possible to confirm the outage with ITS.
Assessment/Attendance
Please notify your Course Coordinator as soon as you become aware of any issue that may affect your ability to meet the assessment/attendance requirements of the course. The my.UQ website and the Electronic Course Profile (ECP) for your course also provide information about your course requirements, the rules associated with your courses and services offered by the University.
A note for repeating students in this course
Any student who enrols in a course must not be given exemption or partial credit from their previous attempt(s) for any individual piece of assessment. Instead, the student must successfully complete all of the learning activities and assessment items within the study period of enrolment (PPL Assessment - Procedures Section: Assessment integrity).
If the same assessment item is set from one year to the next, repeating students are allowed to submit the same work they submitted in previous attempts at the course. Where possible SCMB recommends that you use the feedback you received in your last attempt to improve parts of the item where you lost marks. Resubmission of an altered or unaltered assessment item by a repeating student (where the same assessment has been set) will not be considered as self-plagiarism.
Important Note
Turnitin is to be used for assignments/laboratory reports to check for plagiarism. Penalties can be severe for plagiarism.
The University has adopted the following definition of plagiarism: Plagiarism is the act of misrepresenting as one's own original work the ideas, interpretations, words or creative works of another either intentionally or unintentionally. These include published and unpublished documents, designs, music, sounds, images, photographs, computer codes and ideas gained through working in a group. These ideas, interpretations, words or works may be found in print and/or electronic media.
Students are encouraged to read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism policy.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Blackboard
Additional material may be found on the course Blackboard site at learn.uq.edu.au
Please check the Announcements section of the Blackboard site regularly for information updates.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks |
Lecture |
Seminar Notes Students are required to attend weekly formal research seminars (at least 15 during the year), and maintain a seminar diary |
Practical |
Practical or Theoretical Experimental Work Practical or theoretical experimental work, under the guidance of an experienced supervisor. |
|
Practical |
Recording and Reporting of Data Recording the planning and outcome of experiments in a manner suitable for scientific research. Reporting of results via discussion forums and/or group presentations. |
|
Lecture |
Lectures, Problem Solving, Seminars This course has several different modules available across various streams including: |
|
Seminar |
Final Seminar and Thesis Viva The format of these seminars is 15 minutes for the presentation, with 5 minutes allocated for questions. The focus is on the results of your research, the interpretation of these results, and an explanation of how your findings fit into the current state of research in your area. This presentation will marked by all academics present. The seminar is followed on the same day or following day by 15 minutes of questions referred to as the seminar defense or 'viva'. Questions will cover issues raised during the presentation and the written research report. |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.