Overview
This unit will develop student understanding of public health nutrition, which encompasses the biological, social and environmental dimensions of health in promoting and maintaining the nutritional health of populations. Nutritional issues facing population groups in Australia and the role of public health practitioners in promoting health and preventing disease will be considered. Frameworks, policies and legislation relating to nutrition and health promotion practice will be explored along with practical aspects of public health nutrition practice.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite: BMED19006 or NUTR12002
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 1 - 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 Student feedback Course evaluations
Assessment tasks were not adequately explained
Assessment task details will be completely reviewed for 2017 offering.
The assessment tasks offered in 2016 were revised and these revised tasks (and their explanation) were highly accepted by students in 2017.
- Examine ecological issues of food supply and food policy.
- Interpret government policy on nutrition guidelines, food standards and food regulation legislation.
- Describe food consumption trends and nutrition related problems of at-risk Australian groups and communities.
- Demonstrate understanding of public health nutrition concepts and how they relate to the health of our populations and communities.
- Undertake research which illustrates systematic analysis of a current issue in public health nutrition.
- Demonstrate skills in data collection, analysis and reporting of public health nutrition data.
- Demonstrate skills in group education for public health nutrition promotion.
Per NPC1118
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |
1 - Practical and Written Assessment - 70% | |||||||
2 - Group Work - 30% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |
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 - Practical and Written Assessment - 70% | ||||||||||
2 - Group Work - 30% |
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
Additional Textbook Information
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Microsoft Office Excel (2007 or above)
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Speaker and microphone for your computer (to facilitate online group discussions)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
s.p.williams@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introductions & orientation
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 1: Principles & policy in Public Health Nutrition
Tutorial: Literature reviews
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 2: Communities and settings
Tutorial: Community characteristics
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Tutorial: Healthy Food Access Basket (HFAB) surveys; Data collection, data entry and data files
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Component # 3 - Data collection due end of this week
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Component #4 - Data entry due end of this week
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 3: research methods and skills
Tutorial: Methodology, data analysis and tables
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 4: Communication
Tutorial: Writing a manuscript
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Tutorial: Oral presentations
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Component #9: Written manuscript due
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Component #10: Oral presentation due
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Practical and Written Assessment
To complete this assessment task, you will be required to:
- Conduct a community-based public health nutrition research activity related to food access and availability; and
- Report on this activity with a written manuscript and oral presentation (10 minutes).
Task overview and aims: Food intakes of Australians are influenced by a range of individual, community and societal factors. Public health nutrition (PHN) focuses on issues affecting whole populations rather than individuals however, to develop effective PHN strategies it is important to understand the impact of population/community level factors on the behaviours and intakes of individuals. This assessment task will allow you to explore your own community and develop an understanding of the factors which are impacting the nutrition behaviours and health of your community members, and how these factors could be used to inform PHN policy and practice.
This task requires you to demonstrate capacity to engage in a research activity to develop understanding and appreciation of community nutrition issues in context. You will be required to work within the Public Health Nutrition 'group' that will include all students enrolled in the course.
Task details: This task includes multiple components which should be completed sequentially throughout the term. Components 1 through 8 (as outlined below) are formative only and will not be required to be submitted for marking. Components 3 and 4 MUST be completed by their due dates to enable completion of subsequent components by all group members. Components 9 and 10 (outlined below) MUST be submitted for marking.
- Conduct a literature review of food access and availability in Australia
- Conduct research to develop understanding of the socio-economic and health characteristics of your community
- Conduct a Healthy Food Access Basket (HFAB) survey in a total of three stores (one online) in your community
- Enter your community data into a shared group Excel spreadsheet (links to this spreadsheet will be provided to students during term)
- Conduct basic analysis of data collected by the group (using Microsoft Excel)
- Develop a written account of the methods used for collecting and analysing your data
- Develop a written report of your results and develop at least 2 tables of results (using APA table format)
- Develop a written discussion of your results in comparison to other communities represented in the 'group' and previously conducted HFAB surveys throughout Australia.
- Compile a manuscript that provides a full report (including introduction, methods, data analysis, results (including 2 tables), discussion, conclusion) of this public health nutrition research activity (and including a cover letter and title page).
- Develop and deliver a 10 minute online oral presentation that provides a full report of this public health nutrition research activity.
NOTE's: all students will be given opportunity to submit each of the formative components (1 through 8) for feedback from the course coordinator. Tutorial sessions will be conducted throughout the term to provide assistance in completing all components.
COMPLETE DETAILS OF EACH COMPONENT ARE OUTLINED IN THE UNIT ASSESSMENT GUIDE AVAILABLE ON THE MOODLE SITE.
Component 3 (data collection) must be completed by week 4. Component 4 (data entry) must be completed end week 5. Component 9 (research manuscript) due end of week 11. Component 10 (oral presentation) due week 12.
Exam Week Friday (16 June 2017)
Research manuscript:
In developing your final research manuscript, you will be required to meet the manuscript preparation instructions provided in the 'Instructions for contributors' for the journal Public Health Nutrition https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/information/instructions-contributors
Your written manuscript will be marked according to how well you meet the specified requirements and instructions for this task, and in accordance with the Written assessment standards (outlined below). Written feedback will be provided throughout your submission.
Written assessment standards
High distinction: your written assessment should demonstrate confidence and competence in addressing all aspects of the tasks and areas of inquiry. The manuscript: includes discussion which is highly relevant and valid throughout and provides clear evidence of mastery of the subject matter; is coherent and flow clearly from point to point, is drawn from extensive research; is creative, thorough and accurate in its use of supporting evidence, exhibits an exceptional level of critical thought and extensive analysis, interpretation and explanation, as basis for formulation of arguments; includes original thinking throughout, is based on clearly evaluated evidence and logical carefully framed assertions; is presented and organised almost faultlessly.
Distinction: your written assessment should demonstrate confidence and competence in addressing most aspects of the specified tasks and areas of inquiry. The manuscript: Includes discussion which is mostly relevant and valid; Is mostly coherent, and presented in a mostly logical and clear manner; Is drawn from mostly relevant research and uses supporting evidence accurately; Demonstrates a high level of critical thought, and thorough analysis, interpretation and explanation in formulating arguments; Is focused, but some areas lack creativity and/or originality in the interpretations of ideas; and Includes a few inconsistencies/errors in presentation and organisation.
Credit: your written assessment should demonstrate conscientious effort and emergent competence in addressing the specified tasks and areas of inquiry. The manuscript: Includes discussion which is relevant and valid, but some areas are inappropriate and/or unconvincing; Is logical but some areas of discussion have marginal value and/or relevance; Is drawn from research but some evidence is irrelevant and/or is used inaccurately; Demonstrates some critical appraisal and includes some areas where ideas are merely described; Has some connections between ideas, but generally lacks creativity and/or originality; Includes several faults in presentation and/or organisation.
Pass: your written assessment should demonstrate some effort and emergent competence in addressing the specified tasks and areas of inquiry. The manuscript: Includes discussion which has only some degree of relevance and validity; Shows minimal or no critical thought; Is generally coherent in some parts, but lack of clarity in expressions in other parts leads to confusion and ambiguity; Demonstrates some evidence of research but contains many erroneous assertions and irrelevant materials; The approach is mostly descriptive and reproductive; it provides little or no evidence of analysis or synthesis; Contains numerous faults and/or organisation is inconsistent and/or incomplete.
Fail: your written response to the assessment demonstrates lack of competence, and little or no attempt to address the assigned tasks. The manuscript: Includes discussion which is poorly conceived, shows minimal or no relevance to the task and fails to establish validity for the work; Contains too many significant faults to be regarded as a University standard piece of work; Does not demonstrate engagement in and/or understanding of course work materials; Shows little or no evidence of research; Overall, is presented and/or organised in a manner which does not satisfactorily meet academic standards.
Oral presentation:
- Presentation is very well organised and the performance runs smoothly.
- Information included in the presentation clearly outlines completed activities and results
- Presentation includes at least 2 tables which are presented in APA format and content of tables is explained thoroughly
- Presenter is engaging, maintains eye contact, with limited reference to notes
- Presenter speaks clearly in an understandable voice, uses clear tone, enunciation, and reasonable pace; messages are clearly received and understood
- Presentation slides are easily read, do not include excessive amounts of text, include appropriate graphics and/or images and information, and is appropriate length/duration
- Presentation includes references and a reference list.
- Presentation is not excessively under or over-length (ie. not shorter than 9 minutes and not longer than 11 minutes)
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
- Examine ecological issues of food supply and food policy.
- Interpret government policy on nutrition guidelines, food standards and food regulation legislation.
- Describe food consumption trends and nutrition related problems of at-risk Australian groups and communities.
- Demonstrate understanding of public health nutrition concepts and how they relate to the health of our populations and communities.
- Undertake research which illustrates systematic analysis of a current issue in public health nutrition.
- Demonstrate skills in data collection, analysis and reporting of public health nutrition data.
- Demonstrate skills in group education for public health nutrition promotion.
2 Group Work
To complete this assessment task you will be required to:
- Participate in AND contribute to three (3) online journal club meetings presented as synchronous discussions (using a Zoom session on the unit Moodle site).
Task overview and aims: As students (and in your future role as health practitioners), you are required to read many journal articles across a range of disciplines. It would be unreasonable to think that we will always understand everything that is contained in these articles (especially data analysis techniques). It is important to develop confidence in understanding much of what we are reading and conducting further investigation of issues/topics when we do not understand what is written/read.
This task requires you to demonstrate capacity to engage with others in an online learning environment to develop understanding and appreciation for research skills used in research and professional practice. Through supported group discussion, you will be given opportunity to develop understanding of key learning topics in public health nutrition and skills in evaluating published journal articles using an evidence based and objective approach.
Task details: The specific days and times for each meeting will be determined upon consultation with all students at commencement of term. Prior to each meeting, you will be required to:
- Read, review and discuss three (3) journal articles (will be provided in the unit Assessment Guide on Moodle)
- PRIOR to each meeting (and following your reading of the article) you will need to consider the evaluation criteria (see below) to be able to participate in related discussions during the meeting.
- Use the Journal Club Evaluation Tool to document your responses to the following criteria:
- What was the purpose of the study?
- Why is the research being conducted?
- Why the research is considered significant/important?
- Are the research questions/hypotheses clearly stated?
- What do you judge to be the standard of writing?
- Who were the subjects?
- What was the study design?
- What methods were used for measurement?
- What was the primary outcome measure (s)?
- What was the secondary outcome measure (s)?
- What methods were used for data analysis?
- What are the main outcomes/results?
- What is the significance of the results?
- What is the ‘take-home’ message (s) of this article?
Completed evaluations will need to be uploaded to the Assessment BLOCK in the unit Moodle site after each meeting is completed.
Marks for this task will be allocated upon completion of each meeting.
- Completion and submission of your evaluation of the article discussed;
- Participation/interaction in the online meeting.
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Team Work
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
- Examine ecological issues of food supply and food policy.
- Interpret government policy on nutrition guidelines, food standards and food regulation legislation.
- Describe food consumption trends and nutrition related problems of at-risk Australian groups and communities.
- Demonstrate understanding of public health nutrition concepts and how they relate to the health of our populations and communities.
- Demonstrate skills in data collection, analysis and reporting of public health nutrition data.
- Demonstrate skills in group education for public health nutrition promotion.
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.