• Class Number 3586
  • Term Code 3340
  • Class Info
  • Unit Value 6 units
  • Mode of Delivery In Person
  • COURSE CONVENER
    • Dr Pat O'Grady
  • LECTURER
    • Andrew Mooney
  • Class Dates
  • Class Start Date 26/06/2023
  • Class End Date 03/07/2023
  • Census Date 30/06/2023
  • Last Date to Enrol 26/06/2023
SELT Survey Results

This course, run in partnership with the School of Music and National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA), utilises both ANU School of Music facilities and specialist locations and equipment at the NFSA, to equip student with the theoretical and practical underpinning of audio preservation. Using the School of Music’s own tape archive of performances, recitals and events as source material, students will prepare these recordings as digital files for an open source, publicly accessible database.
 
This course will introduce students to sound archiving, and explore the historical, philosophical and ethical implications of audio archiving, as well as preservation needs assessment and planning. Students will tour the NFSA , and the School of Music’s tape collection, and have the opportunity to gain hands-on, practical experience of equipment and processes such as analogue tape recorders and magnetic tape; tape machine technology and operation; the handling of tape, tape deterioration, maintenance and restoration techniques; the practicalities of digitisation: preparation, recording, software, editing, file creation, and metadata management and storage.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

  1. Articulate historical, philosophical, professional and ethical principles of audio archiving from several theoretical perspectives

  2. Identify technical features of magnetic tape recorders, magnetic tape and communicate common preservation challenges

  3. Conduct a comprehensive preservation needs assessments on audio artefacts

  4. Operate magnetic tape recorders and historical magnetic tape recordings proficiently and professionally

  5. Collate accurate audio content descriptions and meta-data information as part of the digitisation process.

Field Trips

National Film and Sound Archive - Main building

National Film and Sound Archive - Mitchell

AIATSIS Building Acton Peninsula

Whether you are on campus or studying remotely, there are a variety of online platforms you will use to participate in your study program. These could include videos for lectures and other instruction, two-way video conferencing for interactive learning, email and other messaging tools for communication, interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities, print and/or photo/scan for handwritten work and drawings, and home-based assessment.

ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

  • written comments
  • verbal comments
  • feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Class Schedule

Week/Session Summary of Activities Assessment
1 Day 6 / Sessions 1 - 4 - Digitisation exams Sound Archiving Exams (by appointment)
2 Day 4 / Session 2 - Metadata - OCCAMS School of Music - lab
3 Day 4 / Session 3 & 4 - Digitisation practicals School of Music - lab
4 Day 2 / Session 4 - School of Music preservation needs  SoM Basement and Lab

Tutorial Registration

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task Value Due Date Learning Outcomes
Sound Archiving Exam 50 % 03/07/2023 2, 4, 5
Log Book 10 % 05/07/2023 2, 3, 4
Research Essay 40 % 05/07/2023 1

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Examination(s)

Sound archiving practical examinations take place in the School of Music lab by appointment on Monday July 3

Assessment Task 1

Value: 50 %
Due Date: 03/07/2023
Learning Outcomes: 2, 4, 5

Sound Archiving Exam

Students will execute the full Sound Archiving process in an individual, practical examination involving the following stages:

-       Digitise an audio tape from the School of Music Sound Archive

-       Describe the content accurately

-       Communicate the condition of the tape

-       Clean the analogue tape machine correctly

-       Load the tape onto an analogue tape machine correctly

-       Check levels into Pro Tools

-       Digitally capture the tape recording at 24bit / 48KHz

-       Create a hi-res .mp3 file from the digital recording

-       Name and store the files correctly

-       Upload the hi-res .mp3 into the OCCAMS database, entering relevant metadata

Assessment Task 2

Value: 10 %
Due Date: 05/07/2023
Learning Outcomes: 2, 3, 4

Log Book

Students must individually document a full sound archiving project process in a detailed log book. This may be a document of either an in-class practical or examination process.

The log book must contain evidence of:

• Planning: The tape collection, choosing a tape, issues to be aware of

• Execution: The digitization process: choice of tape, analysis of tape contents, condition of tape, tape machine set-up, Pro Tools capture, file storage, OCCAMS upload

• Reflection: The results, what worked/ did not work, any unexpected results

Assessment Task 3

Value: 40 %
Due Date: 05/07/2023
Learning Outcomes: 1

Research Essay

Students will research then complete an individually negotiated research essay on a chosen sound archiving related topic.

Examples of acceptable topics include, but are by no means limited to:


  • Indigenous sound recordings, oral histories and archiving
  • Digital formats: artefacts (CD, DVD-Audio, SACD, DAT) or lossy/ lossless codecs (MP3, ATRAC, AAC, WAV, AIFF, WMA, ALAC)
  • Files and storage, future implications
  • Analogue formats: cylinders, tape, cassette, vinyl
  • Database systems
  • Sound archiving history
  • Archives from around the world
  • Sound archiving and ethics
  • Preservation
  • Metadata
  • Public accessibility


Assessment criteria:

  • Articulation of argument, depth of investigation and level of criticality.
  • Application of relevant analytical tools and descriptors specific to the study of the set topic.
  • Evidence of an individual investigation, understanding and interpretation of existing scholarly enquiry.
  • Synthesis of research, both theoretical and analytical, into a structured and coherent body of work.


Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.


The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.


The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

  • Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

Dr Pat O'Grady
u1127909@anu.edu.au

Research Interests


Dr Pat O'Grady

By Appointment
Andrew Mooney
Andrew.Mooney@anu.edu.au

Research Interests


Andrew Mooney

By Appointment

Responsible Officer: Registrar, Student Administration / Page Contact: Website Administrator / Frequently Asked Questions