Science - Faculty information

Information for Science students


Students in the Faculty of Science are strongly encouraged to read this handbook and the UTS: Calendar (particularly Chapter 2, General Information) for advice on student administration matters. The UTS: Calendar, the official information guide to UTS courses, rules and regulations, may be purchased from the Co-op Bookshop on the corner of Harris Street and Broadway. Copies are available for perusal at the UTS Library and at the Student Info & Admin Centres at City campus, Broadway (CB01.4) and Kuring-gai campus (KG01.6.01). Copies are also available for viewing in each Department and Faculty Office at both the St Leonards and City campuses. The UTS: Calendar contains valuable information about the different services available to students, student admission requirements, enrolment, examinations, exclusion, progression, graduation, HECS, Austudy, Abstudy and other important matters. The Calendar is also available online at: www.uts.edu.au/div/publications/cal/index.html Environment, Health and Safety Statement of good practice and ethics in informal assessments Re-marking of assessment items UTS College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Environment, Health and Safety Statement of aims The University is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for students, staff and visitors and adopting a socially responsible approach towards protecting and sustaining the environment. It aims to be at the forefront of environment, health and safety practice in higher education. To this end UTS will: prevent or control hazards that could result in personal injury or ill-health manage accidents and incidents that do occur in order to minimise harmful effects and to prevent recurrence promote safe and environmentally sound practices among the UTS community carry out its teaching, research and organisational activities in ways that protect the environment from harmful effects, and integrate environment, health and safety issues into its curricula and research as appropriate. Personal responsibility Always remember that health and safety are everybody's responsibility. Everyone is required to demonstrate a responsible attitude towards environmental, health and safety issues, and especially their impact on laboratory and fieldwork. Students must know how to report emergencies, accidents and incidents, and what action they should take to minimise or eliminate hazards. Students should never do anything without considering the risks of their actions in relation to the health and safety of others and, if students are intending to carry out any unfamiliar work which might pose a health, safety or environmental risk, they should always make sure they get appropriate information, advice or instruction before they start. Workload guidelines Full-time study within the Faculty of Science is expected to take up about the same amount of time as normal full-time work. Adequately prepared students studying effectively should expect to achieve satisfactory grades if they devote that amount of effort to their study. High grades may require more effort. The Faculty: assumes that students devote approximately 100 minutes of study (including class time) each week of semester for each credit point attempted will ensure that, as far as possible, subjects or assignments of equal value require the same effort to achieve an equivalent outcome, and wishes to ensure that the timing of assignment submissions avoids pressuring students to devote too little time for satisfactory completion of a set task and attempts to adjust its assessment schedules and weightings to that end. Subjects or assignments that cannot comply with the above principles should be explicitly identified at the commencement of semester. Students are invited to point out circumstances in which these principles appear to be contravened. They should do this by writing to the Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning) in the Faculty of Science. Feedback from academic staff It is Faculty policy that each student is entitled to feedback on his or her performance in an assignment or subject. No assignment mark or grade in the Faculty of Science should be given without additional feedback to the student, or a clear statement of how, when and where such feedback can be obtained. Feedback should include at least one comment that is specific and sufficiently constructive to assist the student's learning. Statement of good practice and ethics in informal assessments The Statement of good practice and ethics in informal assessments is included here because the statement is taken very seriously by the Faculty and we encourage students to take it seriously too. 1. Aims of informal assessments The term 'informal assessment' at UTS is defined as any assessment task other than a final examination that is administered by the Registrar and held in the official UTS Examination Weeks. Such assessment is in no other sense 'informal', especially as it contributes to the final assessment of the student in the subject. Common forms of such assessment in the Faculty of Science include: practical reports computer programs essays and assignments (including reports of field work), and tests and quizzes. The setting and assessing of these tasks is aimed at promoting the following educational aims: furthering each student's learning of the subject the acquisition of practical skills of laboratory and field work, and their documentation providing a means for staff to assess each student's learning providing feedback to the student on progress in learning, and providing feedback to staff on the effectiveness of their teaching. These aims will be subverted if students deceive staff about either the authenticity of results, or the authorship of their written work. Such behaviour is unethical, unprofessional and completely unacceptable. Within the western tradition of scholarship it is regarded as a serious academic offence. It is recognised that students may sometimes find themselves in positions of extreme stress, for reasons of illness or misadventure, when malpractice may seem tempting. In such circumstances, however, other solutions are available, for example, seeking extra time for the submission of an assignment, accompanied by a medical certificate and/or other compelling explanation. 2. Unacceptable behaviour Cheating in all its forms is unacceptable behaviour, and is not condoned. Cheating is a breach of the University Rules. Examples of cheating include: *2.1 Outright lying* This is never acceptable under any circumstances. Remember that lying, in science, includes inventing or falsifying results. *2.2 Plagiarism (copying)* The Oxford Dictionary defines plagiarism as the taking and using of another person's thoughts, writings or inventions as one's own. It includes unacknowledged quotations from other authors (books, journals, fellow students), or the copying out, perhaps with changes intended to disguise, of slabs of other people's work. Don't copy! *2.3 Collusion* Collusion is a fraudulent, secret understanding between two or more people to deceive, for example, in 'fixing' results, or doing one essay together and rewording it slightly to pass it off as two independent efforts. *2.4 Use of unauthorised material or equipment* Only equipment or material specified by the coordinating examiner may be used by a student during examinations, class tests and quizzes. Don't write on rulers, calculator cases etc.! Cheating is not condoned and will be dealt with appropriately. 3. Acceptable practices *3.1 Acknowledging sources – referencing* Whenever any other person's work is used in the formulation of a written piece of work, it must be clearly indicated where the source of the information lies. The 'other person' could be a published or unpublished author, your lecturer, or one of your fellow students. Consult the various guides to writing assignments that are held in the library (and any that your lecturers may provide). As you prepare the assignment, keep a detailed running record of your references in a notebook, and use a standard referencing system, e.g. the Harvard system. Often references cannot be found again later. *3.2 Collaboration* In many cases, experiments and other means of data collection require students to cooperate. Some assignments may involve an ideas-gathering stage followed by the writing-up phase. While collaboration is normally encouraged in the developmental and experimental stages, final data analysis and interpretation and writing-up must be strictly your own effort (except in any exceptional circumstances that would have to be spelt out in detail by your lecturer). 4. Guide for good practice in written work (Adapted from the statement prepared by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.) *4.1 Writing essays or assignments* Developing the ability to express yourself and argue clearly and in your own words is an important part of your university studies. Students are often confused, however, about just what is expected of them in written work. On the one hand, they are asked to present their own original ideas and arguments yet, on the other, they are told to use and take account of ideas, concepts and theories, etc., in the material they read. In fact, an important element of a well-written piece of work is the way that a student meets these two, apparently conflicting demands. *4.2 Originality* 'Being original' in an essay, for instance, does not mean that you have to think up your own theories and concepts, etc. Rather, it refers, in part, to the way you make use of – by critiquing, analysing, evaluating, synthesising, exemplifying, instancing – the ideas, theories, evidence, etc. of other writers or of experimental or secondary data (e.g. census statistics) in constructing a coherent and plausible argument. *4.3 Arguing a case* Strictly speaking, an 'argument' refers to the reasoned advancement of a number of propositions leading to a particular conclusion. In an essay, it means that having read and considered the relevant literature, and on the basis of this and any other appropriate evidence, you come to a conclusion about the question. In writing the essay, you set out the argument, or a series of arguments, to support that conclusion. In doing so, you draw on relevant ideas, etc., from your reading, using them to support your argument. In cases where experimental data form the basis of the written work, your task may be to argue the case of how the data supports or falsifies a hypothesis. Whether you are asked to argue, discuss, evaluate, compare and contrast, analyse, critique or consider, you are still being asked to mount a reasoned argument, in one form or another, leading to a conclusion based on an evaluation of all the evidence presented in your reading or provided by the data. For example, some essay questions may ask you to discuss or evaluate two conflicting arguments; in this case you have to decide – on the basis of the arguments themselves, any other evidence, and perhaps with the help of what some other writers say – which is the stronger or more adequate of the two and then argue that, giving evidence in support. In a sense, you could think of writing an essay, assignment or report (some of which might require different formats) rather like designing and erecting a building. All the possible and available building materials (bricks, timber, concrete, steel, roofing, etc.) would be equivalent to all the reading you have done or experimental data you have acquired. You certainly cannot just throw a stack of materials on to a block of land and expect them to form the building. Rather, you would need to, firstly, get a general idea of the sort of building that is appropriate by considering all the relevant factors (such as size and lie of the land, accommodation required and building restrictions); secondly, design a structure which takes all of these factors into account, selecting materials to hold up the structure and rejecting those which would not. In a similar way you need to think carefully about all the information you have and decide what is relevant and what you can generally conclude from it; then design or plan it into a coherent and cogent argument supporting that position. The actual argument (the design) is your original contribution; the support for that argument comes from all the data, ideas and theories, etc., you considered and the evidence used (the materials). Hence, it is the way you critically analyse, evaluate, select and synthesise information and use it in your argument that is important in the work. You do not create something totally new, nor do you merely throw together other people's ideas. Do not make the mistake of thinking that it is sufficient for you to merely compile into some coherent order other people's referenced ideas, etc. – the bulk of the essay has to be your own work. Re-marking of assessment items Occasionally, you might not be clear about why you received a lower than expected mark, or you might feel that your work has not been fairly assessed. Initially, you should discuss the matter with the marker or Coordinating Examiner (CE) concerned. Such discussions are part of routine academic procedure by which you receive advice, clarification and feedback about your performance. Usually, the result of such a discussion will be either: the marker or CE will satisfy you that the mark is fair, or you will satisfy the marker or CE that the item was not fairly marked. For example, the marker or CE might have misread a section of your paper. In such cases, the marker or CE will adjust the original mark accordingly. Sometimes, however, agreement cannot be reached. For example, you might consider that the point of view of the marker or CE does not allow a disinterested assessment of a particular item. In these cases, you may request that the item be re-assessed by a second marker. UTS College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Code of Conduct for students of the UTS College of TCM Rule 2.4.2 of the University states: 'Whilst on the premises of the University or engaged in any activity related to their study at the University, students shall comply with any reasonable directive given to them by an officer of the University, and shall maintain an acceptable standard of conduct.' Rule 2.4.5 of the University states: 'Where the Responsible Academic Officer, in consultation with the appropriate External Supervisor (if any), considers that a student so assessed is not ready to proceed with or is unsuitable to continue any part of the required professional experience on its scheduled commencement, the Responsible Academic Officer may defer or re-schedule the student's participation. The Responsible Academic Officer must advise the students, in writing, of the decision within three business days of making it. Where the deferral of a student's participation in any part of the required clinical education program would have the effect of preventing the student from continuing his or her course, the Responsible Academic Officer may refer the matter, with appropriate recommendation, to the Vice-Chancellor, who shall take such action, as he or she deems appropriate. The Vice-Chancellor must advise the student in writing of the decision within three business days of making it. In addition to Rule 2.4.2. and 2.4.5, students are required to sign an agreement to observe the UTS College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Code of Clinical Conduct. This agreement is an undertaking to observe clinical policy and procedures, to maintain a duty of care to patients and fellow students, and to demonstrate an acceptable level of professional conduct. Clinical dress The high neck, shoulder buttoning, white, 'dentist'-style jacket has been approved as the College's regulation clinical dress for students. Students not dressed in the approved clinical style will not be permitted to attend the clinic session. Students are also required to wear closed shoes, with a plain skirt or trousers in a conservative colour. Sneakers, runners, sports shoes and jeans are not acceptable clinic wear. All clothing must be clean. It is strongly recommended that all jewellery that can potentially interfere with clinical practice not be worn for the duration of each clinic session. Long hair should be tied back neatly and must look clean and tidy. If nail polish is worn it should be unchipped and of a single colour. It is recommended that nails are kept short, clean, and natural. Heavy perfumes should not be worn. Nametags must be worn by all students in the clinic. Students without a nametag may not attend patients. The standard of cleanliness and the general appearance of students attending College clinics is subject to the approval of the individual practitioner-in-charge or clinic manager. A student who does not meet the required standards may be refused permission to attend their rostered clinic session. Students may also be asked to remove visible jewellery at the discretion of the practitioner or clinical manager. *Refusal of services* As recommended in the NSW Skin Penetration Guidelines (1999), page 8, practitioners and students should refuse TCM services to patients who are drunk, under the influence of mind-altering drugs, abusive, or who exhibit antisocial behaviour. They also have the duty to refuse to carry out services that are illegal, or that they believe have the potential to endanger the health of the patient or themselves. Students are advised to refer pregnant women to the clinical supervisor or practitioner for assessment and treatment or seek guidance from the clinical supervisor or practitioner if undertaking final year clinic. In all instances precautions apply to patients who are: famished or have overeaten over fatigued frail and weak, and pregnant. *External clinical training* The College office keeps a list of practitioners who have been approved by the University and who are willing to allow students to attend their private clinics for pre-internship levels of clinical experience. Students should contact the practitioner they wish to attend before making application at the College office. Application forms must be lodged with the college prior to beginning external clinical training. Clinical hours will be credited only if completed with an approved UTS honorary external practitioner. Guidelines for external practitioners to be placed on the UTS approved list can be obtained from the office. *Practicums* During practicums in acupuncture, moxibustion, treatment techniques and massage, students will be required to carry out therapeutic and diagnostic procedures on fellow students. These practical sessions and workshops are under the supervision of a practitioner and all standard procedures and infection control measures must be observed. Students who decline to participate in giving and receiving treatments in practicums are unable to complete these subjects and are therefore unable to complete the course. Policies of the UTS College of TCM *Discrimination* In line with State and federal anti-discrimination legislation, UTS has a policy of equal opportunity and non-discrimination. This policy is not only applied to students and staff but also to community services. Students should be aware that the patients of the University's clinical services are included, and that anti-discrimination laws must be observed. The students and staff should be mindful of the rights and needs of patients irrespective of circumstances including sex, age, religion, ethnicity, sexual preference or presenting condition. If treatment is refused then it is the responsibility of the attending practitioner or clinic manager to inform the patient; not the student. In fourth year, this responsibility must lie with the clinical manager. *Privacy, confidentiality and health records* Information about an individual who can be identified from that information falls under the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000 and extends the operation of the Privacy Act 1988 protecting personal information, including health information. The act complements the existing practice of confidentially at the TCM clinics pertaining to all matters relating to patients and their health. On page iv of the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000 health information is defined as personal information: about an individual's health (past, present and future) about an individual's expressed wishes regarding their health about health services provided or to be provided collected whilst providing a health service, or collected in connection with the donation or intended donation of body parts and substances. Health information also includes: medical information, personal details such as address, name, treatment dates, billing information and Medicare number, and information generated by the health service provider including notes and opinions about an individual and their health. The Privacy Act also includes information of a 'sensitive nature' including information about an individual's racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, professional and trade association membership, union membership, sexual preferences or practices, or criminal record (p vii). No identifiable information about a patient is to be released outside of UTS TCM staff and students without the practitioner's authority and a written and signed consent from the patient. This includes the release of information to family members, friends, insurance companies, employers, legal representatives and other practitioner's external from the university. Confirmation of patient information release should be noted in the patient's file. It is unethical to discuss any patient outside the treatment situation. Patient cards and records must not be removed from the clinic and must be stored in locked files. A medical record report should: be accurate, brief and complete be legibly written be objectively written note any extraordinary incidents or accidents not have any uncommon abbreviations be dated be signed by the practitioner and the name printed of the attending student on the record, and be written in blue or black ink only. Medical records are legal documents and must be treated as such. All information pertaining to the medical record is confidential and is not to be discussed outside of the treatment area. Medical records are not to be taken out of the Clinic area. If the medical record is to be used as a case study there should be no reference to any personal details or identifying data such as name and address. Personal details and medical histories should be treated with respect and are to be treated in a serious, mature manner. *Recording patient information* Details pertaining to the health and medical history of a patient must be recorded on the patient's clinical record in chronological order of each visit. Sometimes patients confide personal histories that do not have a primary bearing on their health and which they request should not be recorded. In such instances the patient's wishes should be respected. If the disclosure has a bearing on the primary condition of the patient, or will be a significant factor in their response to treatment, it must be recorded. The patient should be advised of this requirement and given the option of seeking treatment elsewhere. When a phone consultation occurs between the practitioner and patient a notation should be made in the patient's file. *Patient records* If a student is asked to treat or to care for a patient, it is the student's responsibility to familiarise themselves with the patient's current condition and to check the patient's clinical records. It is not the responsibility of the clinical manager or the supervising practitioner, although they may advise the student, at their own discretion, of any issues that they deem to be important. It is also the student's responsibility that all information is entered into the computer and the hard copy of the patient's record is returned to a secure location; that is the filing cabinets. All patient records remain the property of the university and at no time should these be removed from the clinic premises. Inactive patient records (patients not attending clinic over a period of time) are archived and stored. Patients can request a copy of their records but are not allowed to remove or change any information on that record. The patient's record should contain information about the: date of consultation consulting practitioner presenting problem and reason for consultation management plan treatment given including any prescribed medications (herbs) other preventative advice including dietary, lifestyle changes, exercises etc., and patients on medication and/or attending another practitioner. It is unethical to comment on any course of treatment or medication provided by another practitioner, or to advise in any manner on a course of treatment provided by another practitioner. All decisions regarding therapeutic choices belong to the patient and, even if a patient asks for advice on the appropriateness, or otherwise, of a therapeutic procedure, it is not acceptable for a student or student/practitioner to comment on matters outside their area of expertise. *Informed consent* All patients should be informed of the purpose, benefits and possible risks of treatment, including adverse reactions from treatment. This allows the patients to make up their own mind as to whether to commence treatment or not. Informed consent is both a legal and ethical requirement. *Student health and welfare* It is important that students, especially those entering a healing profession, should maintain good health and general wellbeing during their studies. The University has a Student Health Service that offers both health care and counselling services. Students will be participating in the University's acupuncture, tuina or Chinese herbal medicine clinics as observers, assistants and, in their final year, as student practitioners. It is not appropriate for anyone with an infectious condition to work closely with patients. Should students be suffering from any temporary, communicable disease they must advise their clinical supervisor. Students who believe that they may be coming down with a cold, or some minor ailment, are advised to inform the clinical supervisor and/or arrange for completion of clinical hours at an alternate time. Students who are HIV positive or who have a hepatitis infection must be aware of their duty of care to staff, other students, and patients during clinical practice. *Advice from the NSW Department of Health* 'The Department, bearing in mind its recommendations to the general community, would hope that all students were adequately immunised against poliomyelitis, diphtheria and tetanus in childhood. They should have had a booster of Sabine vaccine against poliomyelitis and a booster of Adult Diphtheria Tetanus Toxoid (ADT) at about 25 years of age. In addition, persons particularly involved in health services would be wise to have had a Mantoux test and, if seronegative, to have had BCG vaccination (for tuberculosis).' The guidelines of the College in relation to hepatitis B and health care workers and students indicate the need for hepatitis B immunisation before contact with blood/body fluids and state that it is their obligation to know their current hepatitis B status. *Hepatitis B inoculation and Mantoux testing* Students entering the course are advised that, for their own protection, they should contact the Student Health Service at the City campus to arrange for a hepatitis B inoculation. These are available at a minimal cost to all acupuncture students. Immunisation against tetanus and tuberculosis is also recommended for students' protection. Information regarding Mantoux testing is also available through the Student Health Service. The Student Health Service can make individual or group arrangements for students to receive hepatitis B and tetanus vaccinations at any time. The Service is also able to offer advice on tuberculosis vaccination. Further information on these matters is available from the Student Health Service, City campus: telephone (02) 9514 1166.