Overview
In this unit, you will explore, synthesise and apply the fundamentals of the scientific method. You will develop skills in scientific communication beyond reading and writing - through a series of seminars, lectures and self-guided tasks students will learn appropriate manipulation of mathematical and statistical data as well as data presentation. You will enhance your knowledge and understanding of a range of fundamental scientific concepts and consider issues relating to ethics, experimentation and professional practice. Finally, through conducting your own research activity, you will learn how to develop a research framework and apply critical thinking to solve complex problems.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2027
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Academic Progression Policy and Procedure
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Email
A concern was raised regarding the marking arrangement where assessments are divided among markers (consistently through term).
Ensure marking arrangements are fully explained and justified at the beginning of term, and remind students of their right to raise concerns as the term progresses.
Feedback from Moodle Email
The task of choosing a research project was challenging for some students (a consistent feedback point).
Emphasise that choosing the research project is a part of the process for developing critical thinking skills in the unit, and ensure adequate support is provided by the teaching staff throughout the unit.
Feedback from Moodle Email
After completing the assessments, several students expressed they felt greater confidence in their ability to conduct and interpret scientific research.
Maintain the assessment structure to facilitate this learning and confidence-building aspect of the unit.