DPST1051 / BLSC1342
Science Communication Project Assessment
Instructions


Due Date and weighting

• This assessment is weighted as 25% of your total mark.
• The project is comprised of three components: a visual abstract (10%) and a presentation
(10%) and question time (5%).
• The visual abstract is due by 5 pm Friday of Week 11 via the Turnitin link on Moodle.
• The verbal presentation of your visual abstract will take place during your enrolled tutorial
class in Week 12.
• When submitting the visual abstract via Turnitin, ensure you check the name of your file
before uploading so that you upload the correct file. You should also check you receive a
receipt of submission, and you can click on your submission to see that it is displaying
correctly for your marker.
• Note that if you attempt to upload just prior to the deadline you may experience a delay due
to the number of students in the course.


Instructions

• The Science Communication Project uses the same topic you chose for your literature review.
This will be the topic for your visual abstract and the presentation.
• The visual abstract (10%) requires you to summarise and clearly communicate the key
concepts of your Literature Review using a visual representation (a one-page static
infographic). You can use a combination of images, icons, and concise text annotations to
effectively communicate the main points of your review. This visual summary should
support your verbal presentation.
• Your visual abstract should contain a title and sufficient text for the audience to follow. It
must be in an electronic format for online submission e.g., PowerPoint, or PDF. You can
include your reference list on a separate page to the visual abstract )if you need more
space). If you use an alternative to PowerPoint, it is recommended you upload the text
included in your abstract as a PDF from a text editor, such as Word, to ensure it can be read
by Turnitin. You should submit your visual abstract via the Turnitin submission link in the
Assessments Hub of Moodle by 5:00 pm Friday of Week 11 AND bring a physical or
electronic copy of the abstract with you for the presentation in week 12.
• For the verbal presentation (10%) you will deliver a 3-minute overview of your Literature
Review or a key aspect of it as outlined by your visual abstract.
• Ensure your visual abstract clearly outlines your presentation.
• A brief Q&A session (5%) will follow your presentation where you will be asked questions
on your presentation and you are expected to ask questions to other presenters.




Criteria: Visual Abstract (10 marks)
Your visual abstract will be assessed on the following criteria, these are included in the marking
rubric.
1. Organisation and audience (2 marks). The abstract should communicate key concepts of the
mini literature review to a DPST1051/BLSC1342 student audience. The audience should be
easily able to understand the main concepts of your review without external explanation. The
abstract should feature an informative title, and a logical flow and organisation of information.
2. Content and effectiveness of communication (4 marks). Ensure that your visual abstract
gives an overview of the key elements of the mini literature review, as would a written
abstract. You can include some text in your abstract, but it should supplement the visual
aspects only. You should communicate the main points without overwhelming the viewer
with excessive text.
3. Communicates topic visually (2 marks). Composition of the visual abstract needs to contain
visually appealing design elements such as colour, layout, fonts etc to engage the viewer.
Ensure that the use of images, graphs, or icons enhances understanding without introducing
unnecessary complexity, resulting in a visually engaging abstract that is a concise summary
of your topic.
4. References (2 marks). Ensure that your abstract includes the relevant reference/s and that
they are cited correctly in Harvard style. The in-text citations should appear on the visual
abstract, and your reference list can be submitted on a separate page to the visual abstract
(all in a single file submitted to Turnitin).


Criteria- Verbal Presentation (10 marks)
Your verbal presentation will be assessed on the following criteria, these are included in the marking
rubric.

1. Content and Clarity (2 marks): Content and clarity are fundamental aspects of your
presentation. Clearly articulating the key concepts of your mini literature review, ensuring
logical organisation, and tailoring the message for a DPST1051/BLSC1342 student audience
are essential. A well-structured and comprehensible presentation fosters understanding and
engagement, enhancing the overall effectiveness of your communication.
2. Engagement (2 marks): Your presentation should keep the audience’s attention for the full
three minutes of the presentation.
3. Delivery (2 marks): Clearly articulate your content. You will need to speak audibly, with an
appropriate pace and varied tone, expressing enthusiasm for the subject matter,
contributing to a compelling and impactful delivery that captivates the audience. You will
use your visual abstract as a visual aid to support your talk.
4. Integrates Visual Representation (2 marks): Interacting with your visual abstract during the
talk is important for a dynamic presentation. You should actively refer to and engage with
your visual abstract throughout your verbal presentation to reinforce key concepts and
ensure a more engaging experience for the audience.
5. Time management (2 marks): You have a maximum of three (3) minutes for your
presentation. Effective time management is crucial during the presentation to ensure that
you adhere to the 3-minute limit, allowing you to cover all essential points concisely and
maintain the engagement of your audience. You will be stopped at three (3) minutes.


Question Time (5 marks)

1. Answers questions (2.5 marks): You should be well-prepared to answer questions as it
demonstrates your depth of knowledge, enhances the credibility of your presentation, and
ensures you can engage confidently with the audience, contributing to a more
comprehensive understanding of your mini literature review.
2. Asks questions (2.5 marks): You are also expected to engage in asking thoughtful and
relevant questions to other presenters.


Academic Honesty and Plagiarism
Referencing is a way of acknowledging the sources of information that you use to research your
assignments. You need to provide a reference whenever you draw on someone else's words, ideas or
research. Not referencing other people's work can constitute plagiarism.
Further information about referencing styles can be located at
https://student.unsw.edu.au/referencing

Academic integrity is fundamental to success at university. Academic integrity can be defined
as a commitment to six fundamental values in academic pursuits: honesty, trust, fairness, respect,
responsibility and courage. At UNSW and UNSW College, this means that your work must be your
own, and others’ ideas should be appropriately acknowledged. If you don’t follow these rules,
plagiarism may be detected in your work.

Further information about academic integrity, plagiarism and the use of AI in assessments can be
located at:

• UNSW Current Students Academic Integrity
• The UNSW Library ELISE plagiarism site
• The Use of AI for assessments site.
• UNSW College Academic Integrity Information

The Student Conduct and Integrity Unit provides further resources to assist you to understand
your conduct obligations as a student: https://student.unsw.edu.au/conduct


Generative AI
You can use generative AI software in this assessment for assistance in summarising your journal
articles from the more technical language used in scientific literature. This may assist you in seeing
how scientific literature can be communicated in more simple language suitable for a different
audience. Any output of generative software within your assessment must be attributed with full
referencing.

If the outputs of generative AI such as ChatGPT form part of your submission and is not
appropriately attributed, it will be regarded as serious academic misconduct and subject to the
standard penalties, which may include 00FL, suspension and exclusion.

*To cite: OpenAI (Year Accessed). ChatGPT. OpenAI. https://openai.com/models/chatgpt/

* Please note that the outputs from these tools are not always accurate, appropriate, nor
properly referenced. You should ensure that you have moderated and critically evaluated the
outputs from generative AI tools such as ChatGPT before submission, and keep a record of this for if
you are required to show the process you used.


Learning Outcomes

• The Science Communication Project assessed CLO 1: Effectively communicate scientific
findings to different audiences using different methods.
• It also aligns with the Australian Council of Deans of Science Threshold Learning Outcomes
(2023) 4. Be effective communicators of science by:
o 4.1. communicating scientific results, information, or arguments with a range of
audiences, for a range of purposes, and using a variety of modes
o 4.2. promoting the role and value of science in addressing current challenges facing
local and global communities.


Resources provided
Resources provided to help you with this assessment include:
• The 'Scientific Literature’ lecture.
• The T8.1 Science communication project introduction tutorial in week 8.
• The DPST1051/BLSC1342 Science Communication Project rubric on Moodle.


Need more help?
Ask questions on the Teams channel and in your tutorial class.


Frequently asked questions

What if I am absent for the Week 12 Presentation tutorials?
You need to apply for Special Consideration. For all of the information on when and how to apply for
Special Consideration please see the UNSW College Student Guide to Special Consideration

I still don’t really know what a visual abstract is, where can I go for more information on this?
You should read through the ‘T8.1 Science communication project introduction’ tutorial notes which
cover this in detail and seek advice from your tutor in class.

How do I reference my visual abstract?
You will need to use in-text referencing/citations on your visual abstract. You can include the full
references to your in-text citations as a reference list on a separate page in your submission
document.

Can I use additional slides in my presentation?
No, we are limiting the visual aid to only your visual abstract, which should consist of a static one-
page infographic.


学霸联盟