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Communicating Agricultural Sciences (AGRI90086)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
From Semester 1, 2023 our undergraduate programs will be delivered on campus. Graduate programs will mainly be delivered on campus, with dual-delivery and online options available to a select number of subjects within some programs.
To learn more, visit 2023 Course and subject delivery.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Coordinator Emails
a.gurung@unimelb.edu.au
Overview
| Availability | Semester 1 |
|---|---|
| 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: 16 May 2023
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
| Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| SCIE90012 | Science Communication | Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - 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: 16 May 2023
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
A literature review
| First half of the teaching period | 15% |
Peer review due during approximately mid semester
| Mid semester | 5% |
Written communication
| Mid semester | 20% |
Speech
| Second half of the teaching period | 20% |
Poster | Second half of the teaching period | 20% |
In-class test
| End of semester | 20% |
Last updated: 16 May 2023
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Principal coordinator Allison Gurung Coordinator Sean Kenny Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 48 hours Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 27 February 2023 to 28 May 2023 Last self-enrol date 10 March 2023 Census date 31 March 2023 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 May 2023 Assessment period ends 23 June 2023 Semester 1 contact information
Coordinator Emails
a.gurung@unimelb.edu.au
Time commitment details
170 hours
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
- Completion rate. Students who started their course from 2022 and are in a CSP or receiving a HELP Loan (eg FEE-HELP) must meet the completion rate to continue to receive Commonwealth Support for that course.
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement, and as a fail toward the completion rate, unless there are approved ‘special circumstances’.
Last updated: 16 May 2023
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Lindsay, D. (2011) Scientific Writing = Thinking in Words, CSIRO Publishing, Clayton South, Australia. ISBN no. 9780643100466.
- 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.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 16 May 2023