In this unit, you will apply knowledge and skills related to exercise and sport physiology to complete various research projects during the practical sessions. You are required to actively participate in data collection for all research projects and select ONE of the research project topics to develop your research portfolio. The portfolio will consist of a research proposal, research presentation, and research manuscript.

Component 1: Research project proposal
This assessment involves developing a written proposal related to your chosen research topic and should include background, purposes and hypotheses, study design and statistical analyses, risk assessment, milestones, and references sections. This assessment is to be completed individually using the template provided on the unit Moodle site.
General information
Word limit: 2000 words.
Program: Microsoft Word is the preferred software program.
Font: Use Arial or Times New Roman, size eleven (11) point.
Layout: Double-spaced throughout with 2.54 cm margins on all sides. Number the pages consecutively at the bottom right corner. Set the text alignment to justified.

Component 2: Research project manuscript
This assessment involves developing a journal-style manuscript on your chosen research topic and should include title page, abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusion, practical implications, and references sections. This assessment is to be completed individually using the template provided on the unit Moodle site.
General information
Word limit: 3000 words (excludes abstract, tables/figures, references).
Reference limit: 30 references.
Program: Microsoft Word is the preferred software program.
Font: Use Arial or Times New Roman, size eleven (11) point.
Layout: Double-spaced throughout with 2.54 cm margins on all sides. Number the pages consecutively at the bottom right corner. Set the text alignment to justified.
Tables and figures: No more than 3 tables and figures combined in total should be included.

Component 3: Research project presentation
This assessment involves developing and delivering a presentation on the findings for your chosen research topic. The presentation is to be completed individually and delivered at one of the scheduled online conferences using Zoom.
General information
Time limit: Up to 10 minutes presenting (followed by 2-3 minutes of questions).
Slide volume: 15-20 slides is recommended; however this might vary with content and styles.
Program: Microsoft PowerPoint is the preferred software program.

The components of the portfolio will be due on different dates across term. Templates, guidelines, and grading rubrics will be made available for each component on the unit Moodle site. You should consider the information provided during the lecture series when developing your portfolio.

The research project proposal will be a written document assessed on the following areas: background of key concepts, review and interpretation of the related literature, development of the rationale for the project, aim(s) and hypotheses, study design and statistical analyses, risk assessment, milestones, and writing (15% of final grade).

The research project manuscript will be assessed on the following areas: introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusion, practical implications, and writing (35% of final grade) in the format of a written journal article.

The presentation will be assessed on the following areas: introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusion, practical implications, and presentation skills including duration, slide design, structure, use of cues for speech, use of eye contact and voice, professionalism, ability to answer questions, and participation (20% of final grade).

Each portfolio component will be graded using detailed assessment rubrics available on the unit Moodle site.

You will be required to complete five online quizzes, with a separate quiz developed for Modules 2-6. Online quiz 1 will assess knowledge on content covered in Module 2; Online quiz 2 will assess knowledge on content covered in Module 3; Online quiz 3 will assess knowledge on content covered in Module 4; Online quiz 4 will assess knowledge on content covered in Module 5; and Online quiz 5 will assess knowledge on content covered in Module 6. Each online quiz will consist of 18 randomly-selected questions from a wider bank of questions. Questions will be equally distributed across all topics in each module.

Each quiz will open at 4:00 pm on Mondays AEST following the lecture in their respective Module week and all quizzes will close on the same date (5:00 pm 8 October 2021 AEST). You will have a 25-minute time limit to complete each online quiz upon commencing. Questions will be multiple choice and fill-in-the-blanks.

You must log onto Moodle when each online quiz is open and complete the quiz before the closing date. You can only attempt each online quiz once and each online quiz must be completed in a single session. Online quizzes should be completed on a computer, as attempting the test on a smartphone can result in your session being ended in the event of a phone call or notification. You cannot save your answers and return to the online quiz at a later time. In the absence of an approved extension, there will be no late submissions allowed for any of the online quizzes.

Each online quiz will have an equal contribution to your overall unit grade. Together, the five online quizzes will comprise 30% of your overall grade (6% per quiz).

There will be 18 questions per online quiz, with each question allocated 1 mark. Each question in each online quiz will be graded as correct or incorrect.

For questions with text-based responses ("fill-in-the-blank") you should take care to ensure accurate spelling (Australian English) and correct grammar are used given answers are spelling and grammar sensitive.

This assessment involves compulsory attendance and active participation in the on-campus practical activities of the unit delivered in a practical block. You are required to attend (and actively participate in) ONE of the timetabled on-campus practical blocks. Different blocks are available depending on your mode of enrolment (i.e. ROK, MKY, CNS, MIX). Further details regarding these practical blocks can be found in the Term Specific Information section of the ESSC12005 Unit Profile, on the unit Moodle site, and via the CQUniversity Handbook. 

Attendance at the on-campus practical block, with sufficient participation and completion of skills will result in a passing grade for this assessment. Failure to attend and adequately participate may result in a fail grade for this assessment item, and being unable to pass this unit. Attendance at the on-campus activities will be assessed through attendance records documented by staff members managing the sessions as well as competent demonstration of key skills including participant screening, anthropometry assessment, test administration, use of a metabolic analysis system, and capillary blood sampling.

If you miss any part of the practical block without an approved reason, there will NOT be an opportunity to simply ‘catch up’ at any time. The Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework) outlines acceptable reasons for adjusting assessment. If you do not attend one of the practical blocks and provide a valid reason with supporting documentation, then an attempt to make alternate arrangements will be made (for example a ‘catch up’ session at a suitable time or an alternative assessment/task) in consultation with the Deputy Dean Learning and Teaching or equivalent manager.