TASK: In this task you will individually research and write an academic report that provides facts and discusses the research. Your report is on the topic you chose for the Annotated Bibliography – Assessment Task 2. Criteria for Assessment Part 2 Topic Focus 2.1 Refine your topic by turnin

Summary and Purpose of Assessment

This task is the third of three tasks students will need to complete for this course. Students will research a topic directly related to their discipline area. This task has 5 parts.

The purpose of this task is to develop the following skills and knowledge:

• Prepare and conduct online research
• Apply analytical and critical thinking skills
• Synthesise information
• Produce academic style writing suited to text type
• Reference sources using appropriate conventions

Assessment Instructions

In this task you will individually research and write an academic report that provides facts and discusses the research. Your report is on the topic you chose for the Annotated Bibliography – Assessment Task 2.

All parts of this assessment must be submitted through the assignment section of Cluster 1 (Read and Write) Canvas Shell.

• Final word length: 950- 1200 words

Part 1. Time Management

• Set study and due dates in your Calendar. Each part of your assessment has a due date. All parts must be submitted through Canvas on the due date.

1.1 Go to your Calendar in Canvas (Left side Colum under Courses) and check the different due dates for each part. Schedule your study time to work on this assessment and take a screen shot of your calendar detailing the times you will use to study. Upload to Canvas.

Part 2. Topic focus

2.1 Using the topic from your Annotated Bibliography in Assessment 2 refine the topic by turning it into a question that you can answer. This will be done in consultation with your teacher. Submit the focus template in appendix one, 2.1 through Canvas. This must be submitted before the deadline. Use your Calendar to remind you of deadlines.

2.2 To help you refine your research think about what kind of critical thinking you are using: Inductive and deductive reasoning. Complete the Critical thinking Quiz in Canvas using the following link:
Critical Thinking Quiz

Part 3. Online Research (Continued from Assessment 2)

3.1 Research additional articles for your report. Go to the Library page and begin your research. Find at least 3 articles that look relevant to your topic, skim and scan through the Abstract, Introduction and Conclusion, determine if they are relevant to your topic, if so ‘pin’ them to your ‘favourites’. Take a screen shot of your ‘My favourites’ page and upload onto Canvas. Use your Calendar to check and remind you of the deadline for the submission of this part.

3.2 Use a range of suitable academic websites, books and journal articles from the RMIT Library databases to find more information for your report. Fill in the new information from one article in the CRAAP table in appendix one, 3.2 and submit through Canvas. Use your Calendar to remind you of deadlines.

Part 4. Draft Report

4.1 Your draft must have the structural components of an Academic Report including in-text citations and a reference list. For assistance and guidance with referencing access:
Easy Cite

4.2 Submit your report through Canvas for originality report and feedback. Put originality score in draft Checklist.

• Your report should include paraphrasing, synthesising, and in-text references (citations) following correct conventions
• Final word length: 950- 1200 words

Proofread and Edit Report

Check the teacher feedback and contact your teacher for clarification or additional support if required.

5.1 You must make suggested changes as per your feedback and originality report and submit the final document through Canvas.

• Your report should include paraphrasing, synthesising, and in-text references (citations) following correct conventions. Use appropriate referencing standards (Harvard in-text citations and referencing list)
• Final word length: 950- 1200 words

Conditions for Assessment

• Students will download the Assessment task from CANVAS. This task will be supported in the weekly face-to-face class.
• Time is allowed for clarification of any questions and answers via Canvas.
• Students must submit all documents included in this task
• Your assessor will assess the documentation you provide for the short essay
• Students must submit all documents included in this task
• Your assessor will assess the documentation you provide for the report
• To achieve a satisfactory result, students will need to address all criteria satisfactorily.
• Students must submit all documents included in this task (Parts 1 – 5). Your assessor will assess the documentation you provide.
• All documents must meet the criteria to the standard described in the marking guide in Section B to be deemed satisfactory in this assessment

Useful Links

• Assessment submission and appeals – Assessments
• Extensions and special considerations – Extensions and special consideration
• Equitable Assessment Arrangement (EAA) – Equitable Assessment Arrangements
• Information on recording and retaining assessments and dealing with assessment appeals can be found in the RMIT Assessment Processes document
• Information on recognition of prior learning – RMIT recognition of prior learning (RPL)

Instructions on Submitting your Assessment

Please ensure you submit the necessary documents for the following parts along with your completed assessment on Canvas by the due date:

• Part 1.1 – Screenshot of calendar
• Part 2.1 – Focus template (given in appendix one)
• Part 2.2 – Completed quiz in Canvas
• Part 3.1 – Screenshot of your ‘My favourites’ page
• Part 3.2 – CRAAP and note-taking template of at least one academic article from ‘My Favorites’
• Part 4.1 – Draft checklist
• Part 4.2 – Draft report as a separate Word document
• Part 5.2 – Final report after incorporating the feedback given by the teachers

Equipment/Resources

• Computer and Internet access
• Access to internet and CANVAS

Assessment Criteria in Assessment Task 3 Academic Report

• Efficient reading strategies: MIT Learning Lab
• Note taking: MIT Learning Lab

Section B – Marking Guide

TASK:

In this task you will individually research and write an academic report that provides facts and discusses the research. Your report is on the topic you chose for the Annotated Bibliography – Assessment Task 2.

Criteria for Assessment

Part 2 Topic Focus

• 2.1 Refine your topic by turning it into a question that you can answer. Complete the focus template
• 2.2 Complete the Critical thinking Quiz in Canvas

Part 3 Research/Notetaking

• 3.1 Prioritise Reading: Upload screenshot of your 3 new research articles from ‘My Favourites’ (library) page in Canvas by the due date
• 3.2 Complete the CRAAP and note-taking template of at least one academic article from ‘My Favorites’ by the due date

Part 4 Draft Report

• 4.1 Complete Draft Checklist
• 4.2 Submit Draft report through Turnitin via Canvas by the due date

Part 5 Proofread and Edit Report

• 5.1 Read feedback and make changes in consultation with your teacher
• 5.2 Make changes according to feedback and submit complete report through Canvas
• Submit through Turnitin on Canvas

Summary of Assessment Requirements

The 22582 VIC: Developing Academic Research and Report Writing Skills Assessment Task 3 requires students to individually research and write an academic report based on a topic selected in the previous assessment (Annotated Bibliography – Assessment Task 2). This task consists of five parts and is designed to develop key academic skills such as online research, critical thinking, information synthesis, academic writing, and proper referencing using Harvard conventions.

Key pointers to be covered in the assessment include:

1. Time Management – Scheduling study and assessment tasks in Canvas Calendar and providing proof via a screenshot.
2. Topic Focus – Refining the research topic into a question, completing a focus template, and demonstrating understanding of critical thinking (inductive and deductive reasoning).
3. Online Research & Note-Taking – Conducting extended research using library databases, selecting relevant articles, completing CRAAP evaluations, and documenting notes.
4. Draft Report – Writing a draft following academic report structure (Abstract, Introduction, Findings, Discussion, Conclusion), including proper paraphrasing, synthesising, in-text citations, and references.
5. Proofreading & Final Submission – Incorporating teacher feedback, checking Turnitin originality reports, and submitting the final report.

The final report should be 950–1200 words in length and include evidence of research, analysis, and academic writing competence.

Approach Taken by the Academic Mentor

The Academic Mentor guided the student through a step-by-step process to ensure the assessment was completed effectively and learning outcomes were met:

Step 1: Time Management

• Mentor instructed the student to use Canvas Calendar to schedule time for each assessment part.
• A screenshot of the planned study schedule was submitted as evidence of effective time management.

Step 2: Topic Focus

• Mentor assisted in refining the selected topic from the Annotated Bibliography into a research question suitable for a report.
• Guidance was given on identifying the type of critical thinking (inductive or deductive) for research analysis.
• Student completed the Critical Thinking Quiz to demonstrate understanding.

Step 3: Online Research & Note-Taking

• Mentor provided training on using RMIT Library databases and evaluating sources using the CRAAP framework (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose).
• Student selected at least three relevant articles, took notes, and uploaded a screenshot of ‘My Favourites’ page.
• CRAAP evaluation tables and summarised notes were submitted in Canvas as evidence of research competence.

Step 4: Draft Report

• Mentor provided the structure and checklist for drafting the report, including the required components: Abstract, Introduction, Findings, Discussion, and Conclusion.
• Guidance was given on paraphrasing, synthesising information, and proper referencing.
• Draft submitted through Canvas for feedback and originality check.

Step 5: Proofreading & Final Submission

• Mentor reviewed Turnitin originality scores and feedback from the draft report.
• Student made necessary revisions, incorporated feedback, and submitted the final report through Canvas with complete in-text citations and reference list.

Outcome and Learning Objectives Achieved

Through this structured approach, the student successfully:

• Developed skills in planning and managing time for multi-part assessments.
• Demonstrated ability to refine research topics into clear, answerable questions.
• Applied critical thinking and analytical skills to evaluate and synthesise information from academic sources.
• Produced a well-structured academic report with correct referencing, paraphrasing, and academic writing style.
• Learned to proofread, edit, and respond to feedback to improve the quality and originality of academic work.

The final outcome was a complete academic report (950–1200 words) meeting all assessment criteria, reflecting comprehensive research, analytical reasoning, and professional academic writing skills.