This course equips students to critically apply qualitative and mixed methods to assess the impacts of environmental and development projects and policies.  Participants study how assessment and evaluation methods have evolved to become important foundations for the design, implementation and regulation of such interventions. Students learn the importance of going beyond project-specific assessments to consider cumulative impacts and how strategic assessments can help to manage these. The course considers the role of public participation and science in decision-making, and how political, social and economic dynamics intersect such decisions. Students gain experience with assessing impacts across diverse domains such as biodiversity, livelihoods, institutions, social structures, equity, culture and quality of life. The course has a strong emphasis on case-based learning and students have opportunities to explore alternative evaluation and assessment approaches across a range of sectors and national jurisdictions.

Learning Outcomes

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

1.  Demonstrate a sound understanding of current principles, concepts and theories that guide assessment and evaluation across a range of sectors and national jurisdictions.
2. Explain key debates and questions that are shaping the future of impact assessment as a field.
3.  Identify, assess and articulate how social relationships and political contexts affect how assessment practices function, especially in shaping the trade-offs that occur between competing interests.
4.  Select and apply appropriate qualitative and mixed methods to design assessments and evaluations of environmental and development projects and policies.
5.  Critically evaluate the strengths and limitations of assessment studies that have been prepared for decision-making about environment and development projects.

Research-Led Teaching

This course will be driven by the current research case studies of the contributing lecturers, including evaluation of Indigenous Land and Sea Management (Simon West), donor safeguards in relation to Cambodia's Lower Sesan 2 Dam (Sango Mahanty), the impacts of space technologies (Christina Griffin), and cumulative impact assessment processes (Keith Barney).

Staff Feedback

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

• Written comments
• Verbal comments
• Feedback to the whole class, to groups, to individuals, focus groups

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). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Other Information

The Crawford School of Public Policy has its own Academic Skills team dedicated to helping students to understand the academic expectations of studying at Crawford and succeed in their chosen program of study. Through individual appointments, course-embedded workshops and online resources, Crawford Academic Skills provides tailored advice to students keen to develop their academic reading, thinking, planning, writing, and presentation skills.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction
2	Multiple approaches to impact assessment
3	Scoping and stakeholder analysis
4	Intersectionality and gender analysis
5	Participation
6	Methods
7	Case Study: Donor Safeguards in relation to Cambodia's Lower Sesan 2 Dam
8	Case study - the social impacts of Australia's renewable energy transition
9	Case study: SIA for extractive industries
10	Case example: Assessing the impacts of new technologies and space exploration
11	Cumulative Impacts
12	Course wrap-up

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Reflective essay	20 %	23/08/2026	28/08/2026	1,2,3
Class presentation and collaborative debrief	30 %	06/10/2026	23/10/2026	3,4
Critical assessment and re-design of existing impact assessment or evaluation study	50 %	05/11/2026	10/12/2026	1,2,3,5

* 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 Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

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 ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

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

Reflective essay

In Assessment 1, students will write a 1,200-word reflective essay based on their learnings over weeks 1-4. Further details will be provided on Canvas.

Word length 1,200 +/-10% for main paper; additional material can be included in Appendices (no limit on length of Appendices). References are excluded from the word count.

Late submissions, without prior approval will be penalised as per university policy: https://policies.anu.edu.au/ppl/document/ANUP_004604

The Crawford School of Public Policy’s word limit penalty applies: https://crawford.anu.edu.au/forms-and-guidelines 

Please use the Crawford Style guide for referencing: Referencing styles at Crawford: Crawford Academic Skills

Please upload the final paper to canvas by the deadline to avoid late penalties. The usual rules for academic practice, style, referencing and so forth apply.

Assessment Task 2

Class presentation and collaborative debrief

For Assessment 2, students will form small groups to scope out and prepare an initial plan for a social impact assessment or evaluation study that your group will fictitiously pitch to a nominated government agency. Presentations will be 10 minutes long and all participants must be prepared to either present, or answer a question. Each student is then expected to provide 5 debrief posts at a maximum of 150 words each. Further details will be provided on Canvas.

The overall weighting of this assessment is 30%, broken down as follows:

Group presentation weighting: 15%

Individual debrief points: 15%

Late submissions, without prior approval will be penalised as per university policy: https://policies.anu.edu.au/ppl/document/ANUP_004604

The Crawford School of Public Policy’s word limit penalty applies: https://crawford.anu.edu.au/forms-and-guidelines 

Please use the Crawford Style guide for referencing: Referencing styles at Crawford: Crawford Academic Skills

Assessment Task 3

Critical assessment and re-design of existing impact assessment or evaluation study

For assessment 3, students will write a 2,500-word critical review, and propose a re-design, of an existing impact assessment or evaluation report. This assessment will bring together the various aspects of impact assessment and evaluation covered in the course, including scoping, methods, and an understanding of the limitations and assumptions associated with impact assessment and evaluation in different social and political contexts. Further details will be provided on Canvas.

Word length 2,500 +/-10% for main paper; additional material can be included in Appendices (no limit on length of Appendices). References are excluded from the word count.

Late submissions, without prior approval will be penalised as per university policy: https://policies.anu.edu.au/ppl/document/ANUP_004604

The Crawford School of Public Policy’s word limit penalty applies: https://crawford.anu.edu.au/forms-and-guidelines 

Please use the Crawford Style guide for referencing: Referencing styles at Crawford: Crawford Academic Skills

Please upload the final paper to canvas by the deadline to avoid late penalties. The usual rules for academic practice, style, referencing and so forth apply.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

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.

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

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure The Course Convener may grant extensions 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 all ANU students