In this course, you will critically read the astrophysical literature to better understand how to effectively present scientific findings, primarily within your chosen topic. You will learn to evaluate arguments, methods and lines of evidence. You will assess how well the conclusions drawn from studies are justified. Strong emphasis will be placed on improving your scientific writing and oral communication skills.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Engage in an independent investigation and evaluation of selected astrophysics research topics;
- Critically evaluate research literature and communicate the key findings;
- Apply professional standards of conduct when writing and speaking about scientific research;
- Synthesise complex scientific research in a manner that is easy to read and understand.
Indicative Assessment
- Compare two studies on the same astrophysical topic (15) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Write an abstract for an article (15) [LO 3,4]
- Final essay (50) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Oral Presentation (20) [LO 1,2,3,4]
The ANU uses 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. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
The expected workload will consist of approximately 130 hours throughout the semester including:
- 30 hours of learning about the process of literature research, on comparative analysis and concisely summarising literature; and
- 100 hours on independent development of a major literature research project, under individual supervision, including the essay and presentation.
Inherent Requirements
No specific inherent requirements have been identified for this course
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
There are no prescribed texts for this course.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
If you are a domestic student, information about course fees can be found at Fees.
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2026 | $7020 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
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.