CQUniversity Unit Profile.

There are three (3) parts to this assessment task.

Part 1: You will be provided with an authentic clinical case study on the Moodle site.

The following information regarding the case will be available to you: clinical presentation, patient history, tissue image(s), and special stain images (if any).

You are then required to answer a series of questions via a Moodle quiz, and this will constitute 20% of the marks for this assessment. This Moodle quiz will also provide you with further information and test results for the case study to use in the rest of the assessment.

Part 2:

You must generate a prompt that requests a Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) tool of your choice to describe the evolution of the histological diagnostic tools used in your case study. Ensure the response generated is no more than 100 words. You must include this prompt and the response, and reference the Gen AI tool you have used to obtain maximum marks.

Part 3:

You are then required to write a report critiquing new developments in (immuno)histochemical staining and diagnosis relating to your specific case (around 1,500 words). Your report will use the the Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) response (from part 2) and utilise a critique approach describing the pathology observed, aetiology, specific morphological or histological characteristics observed that led to the diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment options and any recommended further tests. You can research primary research articles and review articles to gain insight into methods used, extra results from ancillary tests and images supporting the diagnosis (while paying attention to referencing).

Parts 2 and 3 are worth a collective 80% of Assessment 1.

Guidelines to complete the report, marking rubric and a template will be available on the Moodle site.

Use of Generative AI

The submitted assessment item must be your own work, but you may be assisted by the use of Generative AI tools (GenAI/LLM). However, it is important to note that GenAI/LLM generated responses are not peer-reviewed. Therefore, if material for an assessment is generated through your engagement with GenAI/LLMs, it is important that this information is:

Verified through rigorous comparison with peer-reviewed scholarly sources
Paraphrased
Referenced to peer-reviewed scholarly sources
Correctly referenced as being generated via GenAI/LLM (See APA Guide)

Note: Cutting and pasting of GenAI/LLM material into assessments may be considered contract cheating and/or plagiarism. Further information regarding the appropriate use of GenAI/LLM for this assessment item is available on the unit Moodle page. If you have questions about the appropriate use of GenAI/LLM material, please speak with your lecturer and/or contact an ALC advisor.

Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 3: You may use AI to assist with specific tasks such as drafting text, refining and evaluating your work. You must critically evaluate and modify any AI-generated content you use.

The written assessment task is marked according to the criteria outlined below, and the marking rubric provided on the Moodle site:

Presentation: Clarity of purpose and coherence of expression (spelling, grammar, syntax); clear and organised flow of information.

Introduction/Summary: Provides necessary background information and pathophysiology of the case. Does not discuss the final diagnosis, rather supports the intended diagnosis via arguments.

Critique: Provides demonstration of critiquing the GenAI response and understanding the response via drawing comparisons with current literature. Discussion of further testing is demonstrated.

References: Harvard or APA referencing system used with appropriate in-text references. GenAI tool and articles all referenced properly.

Over the three (3) days of the residential school / block practical you will perform microtomy, learn how to recognise different tissue types, simulate a Fine Needle Aspirate (FNA) and prepare a series of stains in accordance with instructions in the practical manual. You will be assessed on the quality of those stains by academic staff with expertise in histology. You must achieve a collective minimum of 50% (skills plus theory components) to pass this assessment. The practical will include:

Theory component:

This assessment must be handed to the assessor for marking on completion or by the end of day two. This part of the assessment is worth 25% of assessment 2 (or 10% of the overall grade). Items assessed include:

• Identification of ten (10) tissue blocks.
• Completion of the workbook. A series of questions will assess your knowledge and understanding of histology, cytology and histological/cytological technique. It is recommended that you to do some pre-reading prior to residential school / block practical.

Skills component:

This assessment must be handed to the assessor for marking on completion, or by midday on day three. This part of the assessment is worth 75% of assessment 2 (or 30% of the overall grade). You must achieve a minimum of 50% of the available marks of this component in order to pass the assessment. Items assessed include:

• Microtomy and H&E staining. You will section 10 different blocks of tissue, stain them using H&E staining, and label the slide accordingly.
• Four different special histochemical stains. The stains selected will depend on the type of tissues that can be obtained, full details to perform the stains will be given in the laboratory manual.
• Simulated fine needle aspirate collection followed by preparation of slides and cytology staining.
• Fluorescent/Molecular staining (either Immunofluorescence (IF) or in situ Hybridisation (ISH))

Students who fail to achieve 50% (Pass) on the first attempt of the skills component will be granted a second attempt. The maximum mark for the second attempt will be 50% of the allocated marks. The second attempt will be conducted in the afternoon on day three, prior to the completion of the residential school.

Use of Generative AI

The submitted assessment item must be your own work, and not written, prepared, or composed using Generative AI tools (GenAI/LLM). This includes the manipulation or analysis of images and data.

Note: Cutting and pasting of GenAI/LLM material into assessments may be considered contract cheating and/or plagiarism. If you have questions about the appropriate use of GenAI/LLM material, please speak with your lecturer and/or contact an ALC advisor. 

Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 1: You must not use Al at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.

Assessment of the slides will be done by academic staff with expertise in histology and cytology. A maximum of seventeen (17) slides will be handed in with a workbook.

Skills

• Microtomy and H&E staining: There will be 5 marks for each produced slide (5 marks per slide x 10 slides = 50 marks in total). These will be handed in at the end of day two for assessment.
• Fine needle aspirate collection, preparation of slides and staining will be assessed in this FNA simulation (3 marks per slide x 2 slides = 6 marks in total). These will be handed in at the end of day two for assessment.
• Fluorescent staining (either Immunofluorescence or FISH): one slide will be assessed and marked as a Pass/Fail. This will be handed in at the end of day two for assessment.
• Special stains: There will be 6 marks for each of the stains produced (6 marks per stain x 4 slides = 24 marks in total). These will be handed in by 12:00 midday on day three for assessment.

Theory

• Identification of 10 tissue blocks (10 marks available). These will be handed in at the end of day 2 for assessment.
• The workbook will be marked against a set of correct answers (10 marks available). These will be handed in by 12:00 midday on day 3 for assessment.

The 72-hour grace period does not apply to this assessment.