CQUniversity Unit Profile.

In our professional lives, our ability to search, locate and appropriately engage with credible knowledge and research literature are key skills. These skills can be broadly described as research literacies. Their utility beyond university life (and your assignments) means having finely honed research literacies is essential for the modern-day workforce.  

In assessment task one, you will explore the research literature of a topic (see scenario below) related to emergency and disaster management and work on developing your research literacy skills. In particular, you will be demonstrating your knowledge and skills in locating research and literature sources (part 1) and analysing these sources (part 2). You must use the scenario below to undertake Part 1) and Part 2).

Part 1) Searching the Literature

Scenario:

You are part of a project team focusing on the well-being of emergency and disaster management personnel in Australia. Your initial task is to research peer-reviewed literature that will inform a comprehensive report on the challenges faced by volunteers and emergency services staff, particularly focusing on fatigue. This report is critical in understanding the current state of fatigue among these workers and will help in developing strategies to mitigate its effects. 

Literature Area) What peer-reviewed literature has been published in the last 10 years on trends and developments in managing volunteer and staff fatigue in emergency and disaster management services?

This area aims to analyse the evolution of strategies and practices in managing fatigue among emergency services staff over the 10 years. The focus will be on strategies, changes in policy, and the integration of new approaches to ensure the well-being of these critical workers.

Activity instructions
Based on the above scenario, you need to conduct and document a literature search (for the literature area in the above scenario). For this activity, you are required to use the CQUniversity seven (7) step literature search process, including the search techniques available within each step, to search the academic databases in the CQUniversity library catalogue. You must use the CQUniversity library catalogue and document your search using the table provided in the Assessment Task One Template (see Assessment Tile in Moodle). 

You need to document your searches (for the literature area in the above scenario) in the table template provided and this information must be sufficiently detailed so that the searches can be replicated by your project team colleagues. 

Part 2) Using the literature 
Using the literature searches you conducted in Part 1) you must:

1. Select five pieces of peer-reviewed literature (that you found using your searches).
2. Write a short, annotated bibliography for each source using the CQUniversity Annotated Bibliography Info Sheet published by the Academic Learning Centre (which is located in the eReading List).
3. Write a short overview of the actual or potential implications of the five pieces of peer-reviewed literature on the four (4) phases of emergency and disaster management (that is, prevention, preparedness, response and recovery). Your short overview will be up to 250 words.
    

Presentation requirements
You must use the Assessment Task One Template located in the Assessment Tile in Moodle. 
You must submit the document as a Word file or PDF. 

Important: Please refer to the Generative AI Permission document available on your Moodle site for guidelines on the acceptable and unacceptable use of generative AI in this unit.

The assessment criteria for this task are contained in the rubric, which is available from the Moodle unit site. Broadly, you will be assessed on:

• Using standard academic processes and practices for searching academic repositories
• Locating appropriate academic literature
• Analysing literature, including in relation to specified concepts (e.g., emergency and disaster management)
• Communication and presentation.

Important: Please refer to the Generative AI Permission document available on your Moodle site for guidelines on the acceptable and unacceptable use of generative AI in this unit.

Research literature analysis 
You will select one (1) peer-reviewed journal article from the list of articles provided in the Assessment tile of the Moodle site. The chosen article must come from the list provided (called - Assessment Task Two Article List, which is located under Assessment Task Two on the Moodle site.

The articles are also located in the Reading List) and provide responses to the below: 

1. What is the research question or question(s) addressed in the chosen article?
2. What is the gap in knowledge that the article addresses?
3. Identify and provide an overview of the research method/s used.
4. Outline one strength and one possible weakness (with references to support) associated with the chosen method/s.
5. What are the key findings of the research reported in the chosen article?
6. How could the findings from the chosen article be utilised to improve an area of emergency and disaster management practice?
7. Name and define one ethical issue (with references to support) that would have been relevant in undertaking the research reported in the article.
8. Outline strategies (with references to support) that could have been used to mitigate the impact of the identified ethical issue (300 to 400 words). 

Your response will be no more than 1500 words in total. 

Presentation requirements
You must use the Assessment Task Two Template located in the Assessment Tile in Moodle. 
You must submit the document as a Word file or PDF. 

Important: Please refer to the Generative AI Permission document available on your Moodle site for guidelines on the acceptable and unacceptable use of generative AI in this unit.

The assessment criteria for this unit are in the form of a rubric, which is available from the Assessment tile in Moodle. Broadly, you will be assessed on:

• Knowledge of academic peer-reviewed literature;
• Application of knowledge and skills related to accessing research and literature sources;
• Analysis of literature;
• Analysis of literature in relation to key emergency and disaster management concepts;
• Communication and presentation.

Important: Please refer to the Generative AI Permission document available on your Moodle site for guidelines on the acceptable and unacceptable use of generative AI in this unit.

For assessment task three, you will select a contemporary topic in emergency and disaster management and explore that topic in more detail. This exploration will include formulating recommendations for utilising and implementing the research and its findings in an organisation of your choice. Finally, you need to formulate future possible directions for research in this contemporary topic (what additional research would be useful). Assessment task three has both a written component and an audio component in the form of a PowerPoint presentation. You may select any contemporary topic related to emergency and disaster management, and as such, the interest and your assessment response will be unique to you. You may choose to continue with the topic of fatigue from assessment one if you wish; additionally, see Moodle for other topic ideas.

Your PowerPoint Presentation must cover the following seven (7) components including:

1. Brief description of the contemporary topic (what is it and how is it defined in the literature).
2. The rationale for your choice of contemporary topic (why is it an important issue).
3. Summary statement about what the relevant literature says about the contemporary topic.
4. Brief description of an organisation (of your choice) that might benefit from the body of literature related to the contemporary topic (what is the name of the organisation, and what is its core business).
5. One recommendation for how the findings of the body of literature related to your contemporary topic could improve a policy within your chosen organisation (what is the policy and how could it be improved due to the research findings).
6. One recommendation for how the findings of the body of literature related to your contemporary topic could improve an area of practice within your chosen organisation (what is the area of practice and how could it be improved due to the research findings).
7. One recommendation for future possible research projects that would enhance the existing body of knowledge of the contemporary topic. 

Your assessment submission will take the form of a PowerPoint presentation, which includes both a written and an audio component plus a script containing the text/ words read out as the audio component. See the presentation requirements below:

Presentation requirements written component 

• The PowerPoint presentation will have a maximum of 9 slides. 
• The first slide must include as a minimum:

o   the assessment title

o   your name and student number 

• The last slide will be your reference list. The remaining 7 slides are for the body of the ‘7-minute sprint’.
• The slides must be visually appealing and contribute to successfully communicating the key messages of the presentation pitch. 
• The PowerPoint presentation template is provided in the Assessment section of the Moodle site. While you may add text, diagrams, images and so forth to your PowerPoint slides, you must use and not materially change the provided template. 
• A copy of the script (text/words) that you read out and recorded as the audio component. The script can be either a Word document or PDF.

Presentation requirements audio component 

• The audio component is an expanded discussion of the PowerPoint slides. 
• The audio component must be recorded directly onto the PowerPoint slides using the recording feature in PowerPoint. 
• The audio presentation will be a maximum of 7 minutes in length.
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Important: Please refer to the Generative AI Permission document available on your Moodle site for guidelines on the acceptable and unacceptable use of generative AI in this unit.

The assessment criteria for this unit are in the form of a rubric, which is available from the Moodle unit site. Broadly, you will be assessed on:

• Knowledge of research and the research process
• Skills in interpreting and communicating research findings
• Skills in applying and utilising research and its findings
• Communication and presentation.

Important: Please refer to the Generative AI Permission document available on your Moodle site for guidelines on the acceptable and unacceptable use of generative AI in this unit.