Assignment 1 – Research Assignment – Essay (30%) 1800 words
Examining the IPCC targets for atmospheric warming.
The relationship between atmospheric warming and climate change is a well-developed area of research.
In more recent years, the global climate change community has proposed that a limit on emissions that
restrict atmospheric warming to, or less than 1.5°C increase from pre-industrial times, will enable the
world to avoid the catastrophic impacts of climate change. A further target of 2.0°C increase from preindustrial times has been identified as the extreme limit.
Is a 1.5 °C increase in atmospheric temperature from pre-industrial levels an adequate target, as indicated by international climate change community, to avoid catastrophic impacts associated with climate change? Would a limit on emissions that result in an increase of 2.0 °C be adequate? Explain the scientific rationale behind these targets and consider the likely impacts or risks associated with each target in your deliberations.
To answer the above questions, students will need to:
(i). Thoroughly read through the IPCC Report on this topic provided in StudyDesk.
(ii). Review the USQ Library research workshop provided to review and refresh their knowledge of
research methods and USQ library databases.
(iii). Identify a search criterion that can be used to identify relevant, credible sources of information based specifically on the above questions. It is suggested that depending on the quality, 6 – 8 references would be appropriate. Note that there are many opinions about this topic on the internet from multifarious sources, some of which are not credible. Students will need to be focussed and selective when choosing references.
(iv). There are many ways to compile research and draft an essay. One way is to read all of the references
selected and highlight relevant sections (that relate to the questions above) in different coloured
highlighters. Other researchers have different word documents for each theme and add notes to each
document as they are reading. A tutorial workshop will be offered to clear up any confusion regarding the structure of an essay or report. Research skills and processes can also be clarified during the workshop.
(v). It is expected that students will review their draft essays against the assessment rubric, identify areas
that need further work and editing, and address these in the next draft.
(vi). Essays are to follow standard academic structures and writing styles (eg. written in the third person), with an introduction and conclusion. Section titles improve the readability and organisation of an essay by making it visible to the reader how the essay’s main thesis is being progressed throughout the essay.
Submission:
Essays are to adhere to the word count of 1800 words, and be formatted as a double spaced, size 12 font
word document. All essays must include the student’s name, course number and submission date on the
first page of the essay. The final essay can be submitted via the assignment 1 portal found on the
StudyDesk. All essays must be submitted via Turnitin. Files are to be named Student Name _ Assignment
Number_ Course Number_DDMMYY.docx
Assignment 2 – Research Report (45%) 6000 words
An evaluation of climate risk assessment applications of the agricultural industry.
Assignment 2 requires students to identify three comprehensive publications, either journal articles
or industry reports that present a climate risk assessment of agriculture or an agricultural sector (i.e.
horticulture, or dairy etc.) from anywhere in the world. Each of these studies are to be treated as a
case study.
After reviewing each of the case studies, students are asked to conduct a critical evaluation of the
methods and approaches utilised by each study. Based on this evaluation, students are required to
explain which methodology provides the most useful, and credible outcomes and which components of the studies worked well to improve the relevance, quality or utility of the assessment.
Evaluation framework:
– What is the scope of the assessment? Spatial / temporal / industry – sector
– Who has commissioned, or funded the study?
– Which method/s have been used?
– Which stakeholder groups have contributed to the study? How?
– Are there other stakeholders who have not contributed to the study, who would have an obvious interest in the case study?
– Which climate variables have been considered?
– Which climate variables have not been considered that you believe are highly relevant?
Explain these in the context of climate drivers, scenarios and projections relevant to the scope of the study.
– Are the risks identified relevant? Are other obvious risks or impacts missing?
– Do you think that the ratings assigned to each potential risk are realistic? Would some risks be of more importance to some groups of the stakeholders?
– Do the final rankings align with the ratings previously assigned?
– Has the risk standard or method been accurately applied in this study?
– What is the outcome of the assessment? What strategies or actions have been put in place as a result?
Assignment Three – Reflective Tutorial Activities (25%)
There are nine weeks spread across the semester where a journal article is set aside as a reading
activity and students are tasked with answering a/several questions that encourage them to reflect
upon the reading. Reflections require a critical analysis of the article, and the contextualising /
positioning of findings with the student’s prior knowledge and understanding. In addressing the questions, no further research is needed, as the answers are based only on the reading, and the student’s reflections. Students should respond to the questions as they would comment on an academic blog, using casual academic language and formatting.
At the end of the semester, students are asked to choose their responses to questions based on five
of the nine readings they completed as tutorial activities. These responses are to be submitted as a
word document via Turnitin on the Study desk portal and are to be 400 words in length per reading.
Students are to ensure that the readings that the answers relate to, are correctly referenced so
teaching staff are able to quickly determine which reading the answers relate to.
Up to five marks will be awarded for each reading, with a total of 25 possible marks awarded for the
assignment. Student’s will be assessed on their understanding and considered reflection.
