A supervisor, who will guide the candidate in the selection of a suitable program of study and who will direct the research project, will be appointed for each honours candidate. The program of study includes a special schedule of lecture courses, details of which will be made available within the School. Candidates will normally be able to select their general field of investigation.
Attendance at colloquia held in the School constitutes a part of the program and the candidates will be required to prepare and deliver seminars describing the background to (first seminar) and results from (second seminar) their research project. Candidates must submit a written report (thesis) describing the method and results of their investigation.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. plan and engage in an independent and sustained critical investigation and evaluation of a chosen research topic in chemistry
   
2. systematically identify relevant theory and concepts, relate these to appropriate methodologies and evidence, and draw appropriate conclusions
   
3. engage in systematic discovery and critical review of appropriate and relevant information sources
   
4. appropriately apply statistical or other evaluation processes to original data
   
5. understand  and apply ethical standards of conduct in the collection and evaluation of data and other resources
   
6. communicate research concepts and contexts clearly and effectively both in writing and orally

Research-Led Teaching

CHEM4005 is an Honours Year with Chemistry Specialisation.

Students undertake a research project under the supervision of an academic from the Research School of Chemistry. The primary focus of this year of study is research.

Recommended Resources

The complete Chemistry Honours Handbook and College of Science Honours Handbook are available on the Chemistry Honours Wattle site.

Recommended student system requirements 

ANU courses commonly use a number of online resources and activities including:

• video material, similar to YouTube, 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 photo/scan for handwritten work
• home-based assessment.

To fully participate in ANU learning, students need:

• A computer or laptop. Mobile devices may work well but in some situations a computer/laptop may be more appropriate.
• Webcam
• Speakers and a microphone (e.g. headset)
• Reliable, stable internet connection. Broadband recommended. If using a mobile network or wi-fi then check performance is adequate.
• Suitable location with minimal interruptions and adequate privacy for classes and assessments.
• Printing, and photo/scanning equipment

For more information please see https://www.anu.edu.au/students/systems/recommended-student-system-requirements

Staff Feedback

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

• Written feedback is provided by the examiners for the Mid-year report and final thesis.
• Feedback following the introductory seminars
• Meetings with the Honours Convenor and/or Associate Director (Science) Education.

Supervisors maintain regular contact with their students throughout the year.

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

The Honours year has a start date of 30 January 2023

Chemistry Honours is a one year program. The timelines in this outline provide a general indication for a student commencing in Semester 1 and submitting in Semester 2.

Students commencing Honours in Semester 2 (mid-year) should refer to the Semester 2 class summary.

Extensions

Extension to thesis (and assignment) deadlines will only be granted for health reasons or for unforeseen circumstances (i.e. that arose due to factors beyond the student's control).

Extensions will not be granted for work reasons or due to circumstances that should have been anticipated by you, the student. Extensions to thesis deadlines require careful and complete documentation and demonstration that the circumstances were beyond the control of the student.

Such applications should be discussed with the supervisor, and following this, with the Honours Convenor. The Convenor must approve any extension of up to two weeks. Extension of time to submit beyond two weeks after the completion date will be subject to the approval of the Deputy Dean on the recommendation of the Honours Convenor.

Note: no application for an extension will be considered unless the Milestone Completion Form is submitted by the required due date. The Milestone Completion Form has to be submitted by the Monday prior to the thesis submission date.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	The Honours year commences on Monday 29th January with a welcome session which includes information and induction.	This summary provides a general information for a student enrolling in this course for the first time as a full-time student. It is expected that full-time Honours students will enrol in this course twice over consecutive semesters (24 units each semester) to a total of 48 units in the full-year. Dates for submitting the thesis are defined based on the semester in which the student will complete their enrolment in the course. For further details, please refer to the course information and related documents in Wattle, and to the Science Honours Handbook.
2	In-house training courses are scheduled throughout the year. The training required will depend on the requirements of the research project undertaken
3	The focus of Honours is to complete a research project. This project is undertaken throughout the year. There will be milestones to complete during the year.	Milestones - Please see 2024 Honours Wattle page (CHEM4005 - Full Year - 2024)Thesis Submission - 24 October 2024

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
Research Project and Thesis	50 %	24/10/2024	1,2,3,4,5,6
Coursework Modules (3 @ 10%)	30 %	*	1,2,3,4,5,6
Introductory Seminar	0 %	28/03/2024	6
Final Seminar	10 %	04/11/2023	6
Oral Examination (Thesis Defence)	10 %	07/11/2023	6

* 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

Research Project and Thesis

As practice in technical report writing and in preparation for the final honours thesis, students must write a progress report approximately mid-way through the Honours year. They are not assessed but panel members are asked to critique and and comment before returning them. This mid-term report forms a milestone event.

Assessment of your thesis is by a panel of three academic staff (nominated by the Honours Convenor), who are informed by your supervisor's comments on your research performance. Early drafts of your thesis should be shown to and discussed in detail with your supervisor, and advice should be freely sought for its preparation, although the final version should be essentially the candidate's own work.

Assessment Task 2

Coursework Modules (3 @ 10%)

Honours coursework makes up 30% of the overall Honours grade. All Honours courses are equally weighted at 10%. During Honours, you are required to undertake at least 3 Honours courses - the compulsory course plus two of the optional courses (courses 1-6). You are welcome to take as many of the optional courses as you wish, but only your top two grades counting towards your overall Honours mark. At least two courses must be completed within the first half of your Honours year. Students must attend the compulsory course in the semester that they start (Jan start, Semester 1 - July start, Semester 2).

Assessment Task 3

Introductory Seminar

You will deliver two oral presentations open to the public during your honours year. The first of these, an introductory seminar, is not marked while the second is marked by academics and constitutes 10% of your final grade.

The aims of the first seminar are to:

• introduce members of the RSC to the research projects being undertaken
• give students experience in the organisation and presentation of a seminar.

The aim of the second seminar is to review the year's research and will be 20 minutes duration followed by up to 10 minutes for questions.

Assessment Task 4

Final Seminar

You will deliver two oral presentations open to the public during your honours year. The first of these, an introductory seminar, is not marked while the second is marked by academics and constitutes 10% of your final grade.

The aims of the first seminar are to:

• introduce members of the RSC to the research projects being undertaken
• give students experience in the organisation and presentation of a seminar.

The aim of the second seminar is to review the year's research and will be 20 minutes duration followed by up to 10 minutes for questions.

Assessment Task 5

Oral Examination (Thesis Defence)

The oral examination is a discussion with the panel of three academic staff that assessed your thesis. It is an opportunity for them to ask questions that arose in the thesis and for you to demonstrate your knowledge of the material you studied throughout the year.

The defence commences with the candidate provided with five questions 30 minutes prior to the exam and lasts for around 30 minutes.

Oral examination: 7-9th November 2024

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

Theses are submitted to the College through the Wattle website electronically and are time stamped as received.

Hardcopy Submission

Submission of thesis does not require hard copy submission. Theses must be submitted online via the Science Honours wattle site.

Late Submission

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.

The advertised date and time is the LAST DAY and LAST MINUTE that you can submit your thesis without penalty.

The penalty is 5% of the maximum mark, per working day, or part thereof, late.

Theses in excess of 30 pages will have those pages in excess removed before examination. This could result in the student receiving ZERO for the thesis.

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).

• 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