This course focuses on analytics to study the life course with a focus on (i) detecting universal properties of events and stages in life and (ii) how factors that are location- and period-specific affect people’s lives.  In demography we seek to understand life events, the timing of these events, and their sequence. Models for studying both individual and group change are introduced. These include multi-level models, random effects models, event history models, multistate life tables and projections, modelling age-specific events, small area estimation, and model validation and assessment.

Learning Outcomes

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

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

1. Demonstrate how population models can be applied to understand the life course;
2. Organise and analyse individual longitudinal data;
3. Generate and interpret multistate life tables and projections; and
   
4. Assess data quality and overcome data limitations using demographic methods.

Recommended Resources

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 the whole class
• Individually 

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.

Other Information

Referencing requirements

It is of the utmost importance that you cite appropriately the articles, books and other sources whose findings, interpretations and theories you either use, rely on or allude to, in your essay. Referencing is not the most important aspect of your essay—content is the most important — but it is such a common error to reference poorly that we wish to emphasise that poor referencing is sloppy and will lose marks.

Here are the basics:

1. The correct way to make a statement on the basis of one made by a source you have read is to put the comment into your own words and quote the source. For example: “There are three areas in which, according to Preston (1986), values have been changing” or “Preston (1986) says that three types of value change have been occurring” or “One author, Preston, suggests that values are changing in three areas (Preston 1986)”.
2. All sources cited in the text should appear in a reference list at the end of the essay. A reference list documents your sources and provides the information necessary to identify and retrieve each source. The reference list includes only the sources that were used in the research and preparation of the essay. It lists specific works that support your statements and that were cited in the text of the essay. In contrast, a bibliography lists general works on a topic. These may include works which are not cited explicitly in an essay or a project. In general, coursework essays require a reference list as distinct from a bibliography. Bibliographies are almost never appropriate for coursework essays or for projects in demography and social statistics.
3. Citations should be made at the appropriate place in the text. You should not simply include a bibliography to your essay without citing relevant authors at those places through the text where you rely on them as a source.
4. You should only cite in your text as "author (date)" those sources that you have seen yourself. If, for example, Preston quotes a study by King you should either say: “King (1973) cited in Preston (1986)” or “King (1973) is quoted in Preston (1986) as having shown …..” etc. Both the King (1973) and Preston (1986) references should appear in the reference list. You will lose marks for giving the impression, by misleading referencing, that you have consulted sources that you have not in fact seen but are cited in an article or book or other source that you have read.
5. Sometimes an author expresses something so well that you will want to quote them verbatim. If so, put the sentence in quotes, or indent the text to indicate clearly that these are not your words, and cite the source directly afterwards ".. quoted text here…." (Preston, 1986). However you should do this very sparingly and not as a matter of routine. It is never acceptable to quote an author verbatim without indicating the source clearly and either putting the passage in question in quotation marks or indenting the text to show that it is a quotation. It is never acceptable to make extensive use of direct quotation—an essay should consist largely of your own words.
6. You should be careful in taking notes to distinguish clearly between your own words and those of the author(s) you are reading—otherwise you may reproduce the author’s words in your essay, thinking them to be your own. It is your responsibility to ensure that you do not reproduce the words of others as if they were your own. This is a form of plagiarism and will be penalised accordingly.

Style of referencing: There are many styles of referencing used in academic publications. Any referencing format in standard use in scholarly social science publications is acceptable. However, you would be well advised to choose a straightforward one and stick to that in all your essays. 

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction and key concepts
2	Introduction to longitudinal (repeated measures) data
3	Exploring and describing longitudinal data
4	Modelling longitudinal data I
5	Modelling longitudinal data II
6	Modelling longitudinal data III
7	Modelling longitudinal data IV
8	Survey Data Analysis – Dealing with Missingness
9	Perspectives of life course analysis in practice I
10	Perspectives of life course analysis in practice II
11	Perspectives of life course analysis in practice III
12	Conclusion and research paper presentations

Tutorial Registration

N/A

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value
Short written assignment	30 %
Research essay	70 %

* 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:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Guideline and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

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.

Assessment Task 1

Short written assignment

In this assignment, you will describe and explore real event history, longitudinal or multilevel data. The goal of this assignment is to get you started on analysing repeated measure data and to interpret results, using the methods introduced in weeks 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. This assignment focuses on the application of the methods.

Word limit (where applicable): 1,000 words

Value: 30% of total grade

Due date: TBC

Estimated return date: TBC

Assessment Task 2

Research essay

The research essay is an opportunity for you to examine in depth a specific issue related to demographic modelling and life course analysis. It can be theoretically focused or empirically based. It can be focused on any type of demographic application but must have a clear life course analysis component. Students should discuss their proposed topic with the course lecturer before beginning their research and before the teaching break in April. 

Word limit (where applicable): 4500 words

Value: 70% of total grade

Presentation requirements: 5-10 minute PowerPoint presentation in Week 12

Due date: TBC

Estimated return date: TBC

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

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.

Returning Assignments

Student work will be returned in the seminar or during office hours. 

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.

Resubmission of Assignments

Only in very exceptional cases will resubmission of assignments be allowed.  

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).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Access and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students