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Communicating Agricultural Sciences (MULT90060)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
This subject provides students with advanced level written, verbal and visual skills needed to communicate with a wide audience. Students learn that agriculture is not only built on a firm scientific basis, but also has a strong social science element to it as well. Through a set of lectures and small tutorial groups students will be exposed to the reasons why rhetoric is a required skill in science. They will learn that while the audience is wide, to be effective the message needs to be clear, concise and targeted. They will be introduced to and encouraged to adopt the appropriate techniques that improve the way they deliver their message, whether they are using the written word, speech or some other electronic form of communication. They will also be taught to be critical of their and other people’s work. Students are asked to critically evaluate what they like and dislike about different examples of communications, with the aim of inculcating them with a set of skills they can employ in a range of different circumstances and situations.
In undertaking this task students will be required to first write a short proposal on some research idea they have. From this base they will be asked to develop the idea ultimately into a poster presentation. In between students will need to present a seminar and write a peer reviewed article on their proposal. Thus students are exposed to a wide range of written and visual techniques. Additionally, in tutorials students will be asked to complete a short simulated ‘interview’ and partake in a debate in order to improve their verbal skills. To learn these tasks students will be required to peer review their colleague’s work.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject students should be able to:
- Know why they need to communicate effectively to different audiences
- Identify and be able to use techniques that enhance the communication of ideas
- Communicate effectively and efficiently in a concise and clear manner to a targeted audience
- Differentiate the tasks and skills required to communicate in written, verbal and visual modes
- Critique their own and other scientific works
- Recognise what works well in each environment from what does not
Generic skills
In this subject the generic skills that are developed help students to improve their written communication skills, along with those visual and verbal skills required to present an idea. It should also sharpen their problem-solving skills as communication is taught as an aid to investigation, along with its communication aspects. Finally, given the nature of the assessment framework students should enhance their skills in organisation.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
SCIE90012 | Science Communication | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Additional details
- 15 minute speech due during in the second half of semester (20%)
- 500-word peer review due during approximately mid semester (5%)
- 1500-word written communication due approximately mid semester (20%)
- Poster due during the second half of semester (20%)
- 2-hour end-of-semester exam (35%)
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Principal coordinator Brian Davidson Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 48 hours Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 27 February 2017 to 28 May 2017 Last self-enrol date 10 March 2017 Census date 31 March 2017 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 May 2017 Assessment period ends 23 June 2017 Semester 1 contact information
Time commitment details
170 hours
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Lindsay, D. (2011) Scientific Writing = Thinking in Words, CSIRO Publishing, Clayton South, Australia. ISBN no. 9780643100466.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Major 100 Point (B) Master of Agricultural Sciences Major 200 Point Master of Agricultural Sciences Major 150 Point Master of Agricultural Sciences - Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Last updated: 3 November 2022