Course Title: Write reports

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2012

Course Code: COMM5879C

Course Title: Write reports

School: 130T Vocational Engineering

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6069 - Advanced Diploma of Engineering Technology

Course Contact: Program Manager

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4468

Course Contact Email: engineering-tafe@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Co-ordinator: Leon Mattatia
Phone 9925 4668 ; Email: leon.mattatia@rmit.edu.au
Teachers:
Mark Burns (992-54604) mark.burns@rmit.edu.au
Kah Soo (992-54019) kah.soo@rmit.edu.au
Yadana Wai (992-54461) yadana.wai@rmit.edu.au
Fax: 9925 4377

Nominal Hours: 20

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

Path 1
MEM14005A Plan a complete activity

Course Description

This unit covers writing technical or non-technical reports that include some level of analysis and/or research.

Application of the competency:
The term report is used to denote any required written communication that goes beyond a simple recording of facts (such as completion of a pro forma shift production schedule) and which is based on a level of analysis and/or research.
Where reports include technical information or details, then the writer would have the required technical knowledge/capability.
Conclusions and/or recommendations where required are based on prior research or analysis of data. The analysis and conclusions should be consistent with the level of skill and knowledge of an employee working at that level. Simple analysis and research would be required.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

MEM16010A Write reports

Element:

1. Identify report requirements

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Requirements for a written report are identified and confirmed with appropriate persons.
1.2 Information for the report is accessed according to workplace procedures.
1.3 Information is assessed for currency, accuracy and relevance for inclusion in the report.

Element:

2. Prepare and produce report

Performance Criteria:

2.1 A structure and outline of the report are developed according to identified report requirements.
2.2 The report is written using terminology appropriate to the reader and established principles of report writing.
2.3 Findings and conclusions are based on factual analysis.
2.4 Recommendations, alternatives/suggestions are given, and supporting evidence supplied, where required.
2.5 Protocols, conventions and legal requirements related to acknowledgements and intellectual property are applied where necessary.
 

Element:

3. Finalise and distribute report

Performance Criteria:

3.1 The report is checked for accuracy and edited as required.
3.2 The completed report is consistent with objectives and requirements.
3.3 The report is copied, distributed and stored according to instructions and workplace procedures.


Learning Outcomes


REQUIRED SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE:

Required Skills:

Evidence that confirms skills in:
• reading, interpreting and following information on
written job instructions, specifications, standard
operating procedures, charts, lists, drawings and other
applicable reference documents
• following instructions
• checking and clarifying information
• sorting information/data
• assessing information/data for relevance
• using terminology and language appropriate to the target
audience
• structuring and writing reports
• applying principles of report writing
• presenting findings and conclusions based on factual
analysis
• making recommendations
• managing own time
• planning and sequencing information
• reviewing and editing

Required Knowledge:


Evidence that confirms knowledge of:
• principles of report writing
• report types and purposes, structure, style and parts of a report
• use of language and expression in reports
• common pitfalls, such as ambiguity, truisms, tautology, verbosity, circumlocution etc.
• report numbering systems
• techniques for reviewing and editing
• importance and benefits of preparing reports appropriate for the intended audience
• referencing and the importance of acknowledging sources
• safe work practices and procedures


Details of Learning Activities

You will:

  •  Identify and clarify report requirements
  • Prepare and produce (Research & Laboratory) reports
  • Edit, check and distribute (Research & Laboratory) reports

The total number of scheduled hours of teaching, learning and assessment involved in this course includes all planned activities (face to face classes, lectures, workshops and seminars; workplace visits, online learning and other forms of structured teaching and learning). It also covers the amount of effort necessary to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, observation of work performance, discussions with supervisors and others providing third party evidence and one on one and group assessment sessions with students.


Teaching Schedule

Session No (SN).      Topic          PC=Performance Criteria; RR=Research report; LR=Lab Report; AT=Assessment Task

SN 2
General introduction. Delivery & assessment. Reports ppt; Research Reports (RR) marking template (intro) [PC 1.1.-1.3; 2.1-2.5]
SN 3 Students mark RR1 using marking template; compare marking and discuss; RMIT resources (Plagiarism, report writing); other resources [PC 2.1-2.5]
SN 4 Students mark RR2 & RR3; Students mark, compare marking and go over sections of RR1-3. Terminology, principles of report writing [PC 2.1-2.5; 2.2]
SN 5 Referencing online tutorial (RMIT); Work on AT1. [PC 2.5]
SN 6 Work on AT1: Check, edit, finalise and distribute report. [PC 3.1-3.3]
SN 7 Work on AT1 [PC 1.1-3.3]
SN 8 Laboratory Report (LR) intro; Lab reports resource review; Students mark, compare marking and go over LR1 together. [PC 2.1-2.5]
SN 9 Students mark LR2 & LR3; [PC 2.1-2.5]
SN 10 Students mark LR3; Work on AT2 Lab Report. [PC 2.1-2.5]
SN 11 Work on AT2 Lab Report. [PC 2.1-2.5]
SN 12 Work on AT2 Lab Report. [PC 2.1-2.5]
SN 13 AT2 Lab Report: Check, edit, finalise and distribute report. [PC 2.1-2.5]
 


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References

Pocket book of Technical Writing for Engineers and Scientists (Third edition).


Other Resources

Some materials and exercises will be provided.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment may incorporate a variety of methods including written activities and demonstration of practical skills to the relevant industry standards. Participants are advised that they are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate their assessment activities to their teacher/assessor. Feedback will be provided throughout the course.

Evidence of student’s competence can be gathered through a variety of ways including:
• observation of processes and procedures;
• oral and/or written questioning on required knowledge and skills;
• testimony from supervisors, colleagues, clients and/or other appropriate persons;
• inspection of the final product or outcome;
• a portfolio of documentary evidence.

Graded Assessment out of 100 Marks will be based on the results obtained for Wriitten Reports submitted. 
Students must gain a pass in ALL forms of assessment in order to gain this competency.


Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task No. (ATN)
ATN1 – Research Report 50% (Conduct research and) complete Research Report as specified.
ATN2 – Laboratory Report 50% Complete Laboratory report as specified.

Only the assessments listed above contribute to the final result for this unit.

To be deemed competent students must satisfactorily demonstrate competence in all elements listed above.

Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over multiple tasks.
Both assessments for this course must be successfully completed to achieve a CA (Competency Achieved) grade.
If competence has been satisfactorily demonstrated then students will be given a % mark which is the total of the assessments listed above.
Each assessment task will also carry a 50% weighting to be used for grading purposes. The grade applied to this weighting will only be awarded if Competency (i.e CA) has been achieved in both compulsory assessment tasks.
If a student has been marked NYC (Not Yet Competent) in either of the assessment tasks, the weighting will carry no value until the student has obtained CA.
 


Assessment Matrix

1 Identify report requirements (ATN1 & 2)
 

  • 1.1 Requirements for a written report are identified and confirmed with appropriate persons.
  • 1.2 Information for the report is accessed according to workplace procedures.
  • 1.3 Information is assessed for currency, accuracy and relevance for inclusion in the report.

2 Prepare and produce report (ATN1 & 2)
 

  • 2.1 A structure and outline of the report are developed according to identified report requirements.
  • 2.2 The report is written using terminology appropriate to the reader and established principles of report writing.
  • 2.3 Findings and conclusions are based on factual analysis.
  • 2.4 Recommendations, alternatives/suggestions are given, and supporting evidence supplied, where required.
  • 2.5 Protocols, conventions and legal requirements related to acknowledgements and intellectual property are applied where necessary.

3 Finalise and distribute report 3.1 The report is checked for accuracy and edited as required. (ATN1&2)
 

  • 3.2 The completed report is consistent with objectives and requirements.
  • 3.3 The report is copied, distributed and stored according to instructions and workplace procedures.

NB: Students must achieve competency in both assessment tasks to achieve competency in this unit. Only if unit competency is achieved can a graded result be given.

Other Information


Other Information
Please note: while your teacher will cover all the material in the above schedule, the weekly teaching and assessment order is subject to change depending on class needs and availability of resources.

Study and learning Support:
Study and Learning Centre (SLC) provides free learning and academic development advice to you.

Services offered by SLC to support your numeracy and literacy skills are:
assignment writing, thesis writing and study skills advice maths and science developmental support and advice English language development.

Please Refer http://www.rmit.edu.au/studyandlearningcentre to find more information about Study and learning Support.

Disability Liaison Unit:
If you are suffering from long-term medical condition or disability, you should contact Disability Liaison Unit to seek advice and support to complete your studies.

Please Refer http://www.rmit.edu.au/disability to find more information about services offered by Disability Liaison Unit.

Late submission:
If you require an Extension of Submittable Work (assignments, reports or project work etc.) for 7 calendar days or less (from the original due date) and have valid reasons, you must complete and lodge an Application for Extension of Submittable Work (7 Calendar Days or less) form and lodge it with the Senior Educator/ Program Manager.

The application must be lodged no later than one working day before the official due date. You will be notified within no more than 2 working days of the date of lodgement as to whether the extension has been granted.

If you seek an Extension of Submittable Work for more than 7 calendar days (from the original due date) must lodge an Application for Special Consideration form under the provisions of the Special Consideration Policy, preferably prior to, but no later than 2 working days after the official due date.

Submittable Work (assignments, reports or project work etc.) submitted late without approval of an extension will not be accepted or marked.

Special consideration:
Special Consideration is a variation to an assessment which takes into account the impact of unexpected or extenuating circumstances which have affected a student’s performance in assessment or prevented them from attempting an assessment task, including an examination.
Please Refer http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse/Current%20students/Administration/Assessment/Special%20consideration/ to find the latest information about the purpose, eligibility and process of special consideration and the online form.

Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is a form of cheating and it is very serious academic offence that may lead to expulsion from the University.

Please Refer: www.rmit.edu.au/academicintegrity to find more information about plagiarism.

Other Information:
All email communications will be sent to your RMIT email address and you must regularly check your RMIT emails.

Course Overview: Access Course Overview