Overview
This unit will provide students with an alternative approach to traditional methods of accident reconstruction. Students will begin with the study of nature of injury pathology, and learn how different regions of the human body react with different tolerance to impact trauma. The body is comprised of tissues, which also have different tolerance to force and acceleration. Students will then learn the use of victim pathology as the starting point for research or investigation in case studies ranging from simple vehicle collisions to very complex cases of multi-system severe or fatal injuries sustained where factual data may be sparse, or non existing. Students will solve cases of misadventure resulting in death or severe traumatic injuries, based on the methods of victim pathology.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
48 credit points
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2017
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Students feedback on Moodle
Students requested additional detail in the assessment tasks.
Provide additional detail in the assessment task details.
Feedback from Students feedback on Moodle
Students found that the material available each week was interesting, but suggested that it be re-arranged so it could be identified more easily.
Reorganise the material that is posted in the weekly topics, so it is presented in the most relevant section of the unit.
- Analyse the relevance of victim pathology in establishing causality.
- Explain and elaborate on differential human tolerance to trauma based on tissues and body regions.
- Interpret published data on human tolerance to impact.
- Analyse complex case scenarios involving multiple severe or fatal traumatic injuries and determine likely causal events.
- Demonstrate reflective skills appropriate to the development of the intermediate practitioner.
- Demonstrate ability in confidentiality and ethical practice appropriate for a forensic practitioner.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
Additional Textbook Information
There are no textbooks for this Unit
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
s.dell@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to Victim Pathology
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Introduction to Pathoanatomy and Police Investigations
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Exploring External Injuries
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Exploring External Injuries
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Trauma Biomechanics and Human Tolerances
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Trauma Biomechanics and Human Tolerances
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Exploring Internal Injuries
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Exploring Internal Injuries
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Exploring Internal Injuries
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Synthesising Available Information
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Revision Week
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
This assignment is based on the 2017 Victim Pathology Case Study and Investigative Role Play.
Part A – External Injuries Sketch
Students will use the provided human figure sketch to highlight the external pathoanatomy described in the provided autopsy report.
Part B – Assessment of External Pathoanatomy
Students will write a brief assessment of the significance of the indicated external pathoanatomy in relation to the believed mechanism of fatal trauma.
This assessment will include students’ provisional and initial opinions based on the external injuries presented in the case study.
Estimated Word Count: 500 words
Week 5 Friday (11 Aug 2017) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 7 Friday (1 Sept 2017)
Assessment Criteria: As a general rule assessment criteria for all assessment items include
1. (90%) Content—includes the accuracy, relevance and application of key concepts, analysis, argument, language and grammar used in answering a question or report (see marking criteria for individual requirements).
2. (10%) References—includes the provision of a reference list and the application of the Harvard style for referencing information, data, tables or images sourced for the assignment or report. Where relevant, any additional specific assessment criteria for each assessment piece will be provided through moodle- Analyse the relevance of victim pathology in establishing causality.
- Explain and elaborate on differential human tolerance to trauma based on tissues and body regions.
- Interpret published data on human tolerance to impact.
- Analyse complex case scenarios involving multiple severe or fatal traumatic injuries and determine likely causal events.
- Demonstrate reflective skills appropriate to the development of the intermediate practitioner.
- Demonstrate ability in confidentiality and ethical practice appropriate for a forensic practitioner.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Written Assessment
This assignment is based on the 2017 Victim Pathology Case Study and Investigative Role Play.
Part A – Internal Injuries Sketch
Students will use the provided human figure sketch to highlight the internal pathoanatomy described in the provided autopsy report.
Part B – Assessment of Internal Pathoanatomy
Students will write a brief assessment of the significance of the indicated internal pathoanatomy in relation to the believed mechanism of fatal trauma.
This assessment will build present student's interim findings, based on the previous assignment and drawing on further case information provided, specifically the internal injuries presented in the case study.
Estimated Word Count: 1000-1500 words
Week 10 Friday (22 Sept 2017) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 12 Friday (6 Oct 2017)
Assessment Criteria: As a general rule assessment criteria for all assessment items include
1. (90%) Content—includes the accuracy, relevance and application of key concepts, analysis, argument, language and grammar used in answering a question or report (see marking criteria for individual requirements).
2. (10%) References—includes the provision of a reference list and the application of the Harvard style for referencing information, data, tables or images sourced for the assignment or report. Where relevant, any additional specific assessment criteria for each assessment piece will be provided through moodle.
- Analyse the relevance of victim pathology in establishing causality.
- Explain and elaborate on differential human tolerance to trauma based on tissues and body regions.
- Interpret published data on human tolerance to impact.
- Analyse complex case scenarios involving multiple severe or fatal traumatic injuries and determine likely causal events.
- Demonstrate reflective skills appropriate to the development of the intermediate practitioner.
- Demonstrate ability in confidentiality and ethical practice appropriate for a forensic practitioner.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
3 Written Assessment
Students will write a full assessment of the significance of the indicated pathoanatomy in relation to the believed mechanism of fatal trauma.
This assessment will build on students’ work on the previous assignments, and integrates all case information provided, to present a detailed assessment of the internal and external injuries with regard to trauma biomechanics and human tolerances.
Students will provide their final opinions on the case and present their findings as to what they believe happened to the victim.
This report should be formally structured (examples of structure will be provided on Moodle) and should contain at least one figure sketch indicating all of the significant internal and external injuries.
Estimated Word Count: 2000 words.
Review/Exam Week Friday (13 Oct 2017) 11:45 pm AEST
Marks and feedback will be available to students 2 weeks after the due date
Assessment Criteria: As a general rule assessment criteria for all assessment items include
1. (90%) Content—includes the accuracy, relevance and application of key concepts, analysis, argument, language and grammar used in answering a question or report (see marking criteria for individual requirements).
2. (10%) References—includes the provision of a reference list and the application of the Harvard style for referencing information, data, tables or images sourced for the assignment or report. Where relevant, any additional specific assessment criteria for each assessment piece will be provided through moodle- Analyse the relevance of victim pathology in establishing causality.
- Explain and elaborate on differential human tolerance to trauma based on tissues and body regions.
- Interpret published data on human tolerance to impact.
- Analyse complex case scenarios involving multiple severe or fatal traumatic injuries and determine likely causal events.
- Demonstrate reflective skills appropriate to the development of the intermediate practitioner.
- Demonstrate ability in confidentiality and ethical practice appropriate for a forensic practitioner.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
