In this course, we seek to create an interesting, challenging, relevant, and engaging education experience. To help achieve this objective we have a number of teaching aims:

Create a climate of engagement, dialogue and ongoing feedback between students and lecturers regarding the content, teaching strategies, learning experiences and outcomes

Cater for a variety of learning preferences and abilities by providing a range of learning activities and teaching methods

Develop independent learning skills and create an environment that both provides structure and guidance as well as encouraging students to extend their learning



Teaching strategies

This course is a combination of formal lectures and tutorials (problem solving classes). The lectures are used to explain concepts and to give real life examples of situations in which these concepts are used. The tutorials are for problem-solving and discussion of issues raised in the lectures. All tutorial questions are from end of chapter exercises in Subramanyam and Wild. There is an expectation that students will engage in additional readings, as well as the required text. In all classes, students are encouraged to ask questions if there is material that they do not understand.

TUTORIALS

Tutorial classes will be held weekly commencing the second week of the semester. Membership of tutorial classes is to be finalised by the end of the second week of semester. Students wishing to swap between tutorial classes after this time are required to present their case to the Lecturer-in-Charge, but should be aware that such a request may not be approved.

 Tutorials are an important component of your learning in this course. The communication skills developed in tutorials by regularly and actively participating in discussions are considered to be most important by the School and are highly regarded by employers and professional bodies.

The following additional conditions apply:

1. To gain a pass in this course, a mark of at least 50% must be obtained in the final examination as well as a total of at least 50% overall. Students who fail to achieve the minimum examination mark will be awarded no more than 49%.
2. Legible handwriting and the quality of English expression are considered to be integral parts of the assessment process. You may lose some marks in the examination due to poor handwriting.
3. Students in this course are not permitted to take a dictionary (English or English-Foreign) into the examination.
4. The use of non-programmable calculator is permitted in this course.

Notes on Assessment

1. All set work including assignments and class test must be provided by the due date and must be genuine attempts, to complete the course.

2. Legible hand-writing and the quality of English expression are considered to be integral parts of the assessment process. You may lose some marks in the class test and final examination because of poor hand-writing.

3. Assessment marks prior to the final exam will be displayed on MyUni. Students are encouraged to check their marks and notify the lecturer-in-charge of any discrepancies. 


Presentation of Assignments

1. Please must retain a copy of all assignments submitted.

2. Please attach an ‘Assignment Cover Sheet’, which is signed and dated by you before submission.

3. All group assignments must be attached to a ‘Group Assignment Cover Sheet’, which must be signed and dated by all group members before submission. All team members are expected to contribute approximately equally to a group assignment.

Lecturers can refuse to accept assignments, which do not have a signed acknowledgement of the University’s policy on plagiarism.

Assignment Guidelines including Referencing Details

A copy of the Postgraduate Programs: Communication Skills Guide will have been given to you at the beginning of your program. This guide will assist you structure your assignments. A copy of the guide can also be downloaded from

http://www.adelaide.edu.au/professions/hub/downloads/Communication-Skills-Guide.pdf  

 
This publication also provides guidelines on a range of other important communication skills including writing essays and management reports, making oral presentations etc.

In preparing any written piece of assessment for your postgraduate studies it is important to draw on the relevant ‘literature’ to support critical analysis. Also essential is to reference the literature used. Correct referencing is important because it identifies the source of the ideas and arguments that you present, and sometimes the source of the actual words you use, and helps to avoid the problem of plagiarism. (Further information on plagiarism is provided later in this course outline.)

The Harvard system is widely used in the Business School. Guidelines for the use of this style of referencing can be found in the Communication Skills Guide.

Further assistance with referencing is available from the Faculty’s Learning Support Advisors. The contact details are provided on page 6 of the Communication Skills Guide.

 
Late Assignment Submission

Students are expected to submit their work by the due date to maintain a fair and equitable system. Extensions will generally only be given for medical or other serious reasons. All requests for extensions must be emailed to the lecturer in charge of the course before the due date. Each request will be assessed on its merits. 


Return of Assignments

Lecturer’s aim to mark and return assignments to students within two (2) weeks of the due date with written feedback. Students are responsible for collecting their marked assignments from the postgraduate hub. If assignments aren’t collected after two (2) weeks, it will be posted out to the students, only if the correct mailing addresses are on the assignments.

 
Replacement/Additional Assessment (R/AA)
Illness

1. Anyone who cannot submit a major assignment/sit an examination due to illness must submit the appropriate University of Adelaide form.

2. Normal doctor’s certificates alone do not have to be accepted.

3. An application must be accompanied by the form downloaded from: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/exams/mod_arrange.html



Compassionate Grounds

For a replacement examination on compassionate grounds refer to: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/exams/mod_arrange.html

 
Academic grounds

To qualify for Academic supplementary Assessment students must achieve a total mark of at least 45%.