Course Outline Report: ART100

What is this course about?

Description

This course is designed to equip students with the research and communication skills that are fundamental to the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) disciplines, and to introduce students to underlying rhetorical and ethical issues that must be considered when producing effective and credible work in academic and professional settings. This course serves as an introduction to the kinds of research and communication commonly utilised across HASS disciplines, as well as vital skills such as critical thinking, argumentation, and digital and data literacy. Students will be encouraged to consider issues such as audience, tone, genre, and purpose.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity	Hours	Beginning Week	Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Online learning materials (e.g. videos, readings, activities, discussion board)	1hr	Week 1	13 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Weekly in-person tutorial/workshop	2hrs	Week 1	12 times
Online
Learning materials – Online learning materials (e.g. videos, readings, activities, discussion board)	1hr	Week 1	13 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Weekly online tutorial/workshop	2hrs	Week 1	12 times

Course Topics

Communication in HASS:

Basics (tone/voice, audience, genre, disciplinarity, style)
Communicating in the 21^st century digital age: multiliteracy, cultural literacy, data literacy, digital literacy
Ethical, effective, and persuasive communication
Types of HASS academic ‘products’ (e.g. essays, reports, reflective pieces, oral presentations) and their application in the wider world
Group work and collaboration (teamwork, negotiation and compromise, managing and mentoring)

Research in HASS:

Basics (how to read / how to watch / how to listen / how to ask)
Building an argument (structure, sign-posting, hypotheses)
Supporting an argument (evidence analysis/synthesis, quoting and paraphrasing, referencing)
Ethical, effective, and persuasive research
Evaluating and critiquing the research of others

Meaning, Intention, and Ethics in HASS:

What does miscommunication look/sound like, and why is it dangerous?
What does ‘ethical’ communication and personal expression look/sound like, and how is this changing in the 21^st century?

What level is this course?

100 Level (Introductory)

Engaging with discipline knowledge and skills at foundational level, broad application of knowledge and skills in familiar contexts and with support. Limited or no prerequisites. Normally, associated with the first full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to...		Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...
1	Demonstrate understanding of academic research and communication conventions, ethical scholarship, and the standards and expectations of tertiary learning.	Knowledgeable Empowered Ethical Engaged
2	Develop the ability to locate, analyse and synthesise relevant scholarly sources across a range of analog and digital settings and/or mediums.	Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Empowered Information literacy
3	Demonstrate an ability to communicate humanities-related concepts to professional and academic audiences across a range of written formats.	Creative and critical thinker Empowered Engaged Communication Information literacy
4	Recognise, articulate and evaluate the key components of a sound academic argument, including the appropriate and ethical use of evidence	Knowledgeable Empowered Ethical Communication Problem solving
5	Demonstrate an understanding of a range of literacies / skillsets of relevance to HASS, including information/data literacy, audiovisual literacy, data literacy, and intercultural competence.	Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Empowered Ethical Engaged Communication Applying technologies Information literacy

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Not applicable

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

COR109

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode	Task No.	Assessment Product	Individual or Group	Weighting %	What is the duration / length?	When should I submit?	Where should I submit it?
All	1	Written Piece	Individual	25%	750-word (excluding references) written analysis of three different types of sources.	Week 4	Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All	2a	Written Piece	Individual	15%	A written piece of 400 words (excluding references / List of Sources)	Week 7	Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All	2b	Written Piece	Individual	15%	A written piece of 400 words (excluding references / List of Sources)	Week 10	Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All	3	Written Piece	Individual	45%	Two pieces of writing totalling 1,400 words (excluding references and List of Sources), due Friday, first week of Exam Block	Exam Period	Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check

All - Assessment Task 1:Short Written Piece

Goal:

To demonstrate an ability to engage in a concise and scholarly manner with a range of different forms of professional and academic writing.

Product:

Written Piece

Format:

Students will complete a 750-word written analysis of three different types of sources (e.g. Wikipedia article, academic journal article, encyclopaedia entry, long-form journalistic piece, editorial, etc.) on the same topic. A list of topics and appropriate sources for analysis will be provided on Canvas at the start of semester.

The written analysis will focus on elements such as: clarity and logic of writing style, quality of evidence/sources, and structure and quality of argument. The analysis will also consider influences on the different sources, such as: audience, editorial / ethical / industry standards, and disciplinary conventions.

Students will submit their written analysis no later than Friday, Week 4. Detailed instructions on formatting / structure will be provided on Canvas at the start of semester.

This task presents an opportunity for students to:
Engage with and reflect upon a range of different written styles/products that are commonly used in HASS disciplines;
Demonstrate an ability to analyse the structure and quality of argument, including relevance and judicious use of evidence;
Demonstrate written communication and critical thinking skills; and
Demonstrate academic integrity through the accurate and appropriate use of scholarly material, conventions, and acknowledgement of sources (referencing).

The written pieces must demonstrate academic integrity, using appropriate academic language and formatting.

All sources must be referenced. A reference list must be provided but will not be included in the written piece word count. The referencing style used should be Harvard, APA, or Chicago 17A.

Criteria:

No.		Learning Outcome assessed
1	Breadth and Depth of Knowledge: Demonstrates understanding and analysis of course themes, concepts, and weekly content.	1 4
2	Interpretation: Demonstrates understanding of the different stylistic, scholarly and professional conventions of a range of written sources.	1 2 4 5
3	Communication: Demonstrates effective and well-structured scholarly written communication.	3
4	Academic Standards: Demonstrates academic integrity and familiarity with ethical research standards, is suitably referenced, and meets word count expectations.	1 3 4

Generic Skills:

Communication, Problem solving, Information literacy

All - Assessment Task 2a:Short Written Piece

Goal:

To demonstrate an ability to engage in a concise, constructive, and scholarly manner with course content and concepts, and in weekly workshop/tutorial discussions.

Product:

Written Piece

Format:

Students will produce a 400-word (excluding references) scholarly written reflection on a topic related to course content (a list of topics will be provided on Canvas at the start of semester). This written piece should be supported by at least five appropriate academic sources, and should incorporate and demonstrate skills and concepts covered in ART100 online learning materials and weekly workshop/tutorial activities and discussion across the first half of semester.

More detailed instructions regarding the formatting and structure of the written piece will be provided on Canvas at the start of semester.

This task presents an opportunity for students to: 
Engage with and reflect upon foundational ideas or concepts of relevance to research and communication in HASS disciplines;
Demonstrate an understanding of different kinds of literacies (e.g. information/digital, audiovisual, data) and their importance in HASS disciplines;
Demonstrate written communication and critical thinking skills; and
Demonstrate academic integrity through the accurate and appropriate use of scholarly material, conventions, and acknowledgement of sources (referencing).

The written piece must demonstrate academic integrity, and use appropriate academic language and formatting. All sources must be referenced. A reference list must be provided but will not be included in the written piece word count. The referencing style used should be Harvard, APA, or Chicago 17A.

Criteria:

No.		Learning Outcome assessed
1	Breadth and Depth of Knowledge: Demonstrates understanding and analysis of course themes, concepts, and weekly content, including activities and discussions from workshops/tutorials.	1 4
2	Interpretation: Demonstrates understanding of different kinds of scholarly and professional literacies and their importance to HASS disciplines	1 2 3 4 5
3	Communication: Demonstrates effective and well-structured scholarly written communication.	3
4	Academic Standards: Demonstrates academic integrity and familiarity with ethical research standards, is suitably referenced, and meets word count expectations.	1 3 4

Generic Skills:

Communication, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy

All - Assessment Task 2b:Short Written Piece

Goal:

To demonstrate an ability to engage in a concise, constructive, and scholarly manner with course content and concepts, and in weekly workshop/tutorial discussions.

Product:

Written Piece

Format:

Students will produce a 400-word (excluding references) scholarly written reflection on a topic related to course content (a list of topics will be provided on Canvas at the start of semester). This written piece should be supported by at least five appropriate academic sources, and should incorporate and demonstrate skills and concepts covered in ART100 online learning materials and weekly workshop/tutorial activities and discussion across the first half of semester. 

More detailed instructions regarding the formatting and structure of the written piece will be provided on Canvas at the start of semester. 

This task presents an opportunity for students to: 
Engage with and reflect upon foundational ideas or concepts of relevance to research and communication in HASS disciplines; 
Demonstrate an understanding of different kinds of literacies (e.g. information/digital, audiovisual, data) and their importance in HASS disciplines; 
Demonstrate written communication and critical thinking skills; and 
Demonstrate academic integrity through the accurate and appropriate use of scholarly material, conventions, and acknowledgement of sources (referencing). 

The written piece must demonstrate academic integrity, and use appropriate academic language and formatting. All sources must be referenced. A reference list must be provided but will not be included in the written piece word count. The referencing style used should be Harvard, APA, or Chicago 17A.

Criteria:

No.		Learning Outcome assessed
1	Breadth and Depth of Knowledge: Demonstrates understanding and analysis of course themes, concepts, and weekly content, including activities and discussions from workshops/tutorials.	1 4
2	Interpretation: Demonstrates understanding of the core components and conventions of academic arguments and academic writing in HASS disciplines.	1 2 3 4 5
3	Communication: Demonstrates effective and well-structured scholarly written communication.	3
4	Academic Standards: Demonstrates academic integrity and familiarity with ethical research standards, is suitably referenced, and meets word count expectations.	1 3 4

Generic Skills:

Communication, Problem solving, Applying technologies, Information literacy

All - Assessment Task 3:Written Piece (Short Academic and Professional Articles)

Goal:

To demonstrate an ability to communicate HASS concepts/ideas in a concise, effective manner across a range of academic and professional types of writing.

Product:

Written Piece

Format:

Students will produce two pieces of writing informed by original scholarly research undertaken on a topic related to course themes covered in Week 12 or 13 (a list of topics will be provided on Canvas at the start of semester). The written pieces will constitute:
- A 700-word article for an academic audience (e.g. Conversation article, research report, short essay, etc.); and
- A 700-word article for a popular or professional audience (e.g. Wikipedia entry, policy briefing, expert commentary, etc.)
The articles should demonstrate familiarity with the structure, language, and scholarly/professional conventions typical of the chosen type of written product. As such, the articles should demonstrate clarity and logic of writing style and argument, appropriate use of evidence/sources, and effective adoption of the structure and tone typical of the chosen type of written product. A list of possible article types/formats, as well as more detailed instructions relating to formatting and structure, will be provided on Canvas at the start of semester.

This task presents an opportunity for students to:
Demonstrate a familiarity with and proficiency in a range of different scholarly and professional written styles/products that are commonly used in HASS disciplines;
Demonstrate the ability to research and construct a well-informed scholarly argument, supported by appropriate evidence;
Demonstrate written communication and critical thinking skills; and
Demonstrate academic integrity through the accurate and appropriate use of scholarly material, conventions, and acknowledgement of sources (referencing).

The written pieces must demonstrate academic integrity, and use appropriate scholarly and/or professional language and formatting. All sources must be referenced. A reference list must be provided but will not be included in the written piece word count. The referencing style used should be Harvard, APA, or Chicago 17A.

Criteria:

No.		Learning Outcome assessed
1	Breadth and Depth of Knowledge: Demonstrates understanding and analysis of course themes, concepts, and weekly content, and incorporates these with relevant and original academic research.	1 2 4 5
2	Interpretation: Demonstrates understanding of the different stylistic, scholarly, and professional conventions of a range of written sources/styles.	1 3 4
3	Communication: Demonstrates effective and well-structured scholarly and professional written communication that is tailored to a range of audiences.	1 3 4
4	Academic Standards: Demonstrates academic integrity and familiarity with ethical research standards, is suitably referenced, and meets word count expectations.	1 2 3 4

Generic Skills:

Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

There are no required/recommended resources for this course.

Specific requirements

Not applicable

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation.  It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline.  This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person.  You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin.  This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.
The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

SafeUniSC

UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.

The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.

Study help

For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.

If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.

Wellbeing Services

Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.

AccessAbility Services

Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
Review of Assessment and Final Grades
Supplementary Assessment
Central Examinations
Deferred Examinations
Student Conduct
Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

In person:
- UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
- UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
- UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
- UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
- UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
- UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au

Course Outline

ART100 Communicating Your World: Research and Communication in HASS

2025Semester 1

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

Online

What is this course about?

Description

How will this course be delivered?

Course Topics

What level is this course?

What is the unit value of this course?

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Pre-requisites

Co-requisites

Anti-requisites

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Details of early feedback on progress

Assessment tasks

Directed study hours

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

Specific requirements

How are risks managed in this course?

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Assessment: Submission penalties

SafeUniSC

Study help

Wellbeing Services

AccessAbility Services

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

Student Charter

General Enquiries