PMGT1860 · Project Initiation and Scope
Assessment Success Toolkit: Literature Review, Journal & Group Presentation
This closing chapter pulls the whole unit into its assessments: how to structure the 25% thematic literature review by theme, how to keep a reflective weekly Learning Journal that earns the 20%, and how to plan and deliver the 25% group Comprehensive Project Initiation Plan presentation and Q&A, plus how the weekly in-class quizzes and workshop participation are earned. Because PMGT1860 has no exam, these tasks are the entire mark, so getting their structure right is the highest-value thing you can do.
What this chapter covers
- 01The assessment mix — literature review 25%, learning journal 20%, group presentation 25%, weekly quizzes 25%, participation 5% (Early Feedback Task 0%)
- 02Thematic literature review — organise by theme (intro → themes → gap → future directions), not author by author
- 03Learning Journal — weekly reflection on readings, class insights and application across Weeks 1–10
- 04Group Comprehensive Project Initiation Plan — business case, scope statement, stakeholder register, WBS, milestones
- 05Presentation and Q&A — 25 minutes per group of 4–6; run sheet and rehearsal
- 06Weekly in-class quizzes — short concept checks on the week's pre-work; individual, one attempt
- 07Workshop participation and the 85% attendance expectation
- 08Academic integrity, Turnitin and confirming weights/dates on Canvas and the unit outline
Applied: structure a thematic literature review and a group presentation run
- +1(a) The author-by-author structure is weak because it summarises sources in sequence rather than analysing the topic — it reads as an annotated list, not a synthesis, and never builds an argument across the literature.
- +1The correct structure is thematic: an introduction that frames the topic, then body sections organised by theme (grouping what different authors say about each theme together), a section identifying the gap in the literature, and a close on future directions.
- +1Within each theme, synthesise — compare and contrast authors, note agreement and tension — and support claims with the reading list rather than asserting them. This is the analyse/evaluate move markers reward.
- +1(b) The plan should present the core initiation artefacts: a business case (why), a scope statement (in/out of scope), a stakeholder register (and power–interest analysis), and a WBS with a milestone schedule. Estimating, quality and risk can round it out.
- +1In the last few minutes, leave time for Q&A and a clear close that ties the plan back to the value it creates and its success criteria — and rehearse to keep within the 25-minute limit so you are not cut off before the conclusion.
Key terms
- Thematic literature review
- The 25% individual research analysis on a project-initiation topic, organised by theme (introduction → themes → gap → future directions) and synthesising sources, rather than summarising them author by author. Up to 15 pages including references.
- Learning Journal
- The 20% individual weekly reflection across Weeks 1–10 on readings, class insights and personal application. Kept continuously so the reflection is genuine rather than reconstructed at the end; a formative Early Feedback Task (0%) checks Weeks 1–3 in Week 3.
- Comprehensive Project Initiation Plan
- The 25% group deliverable — a real-world or conceptual project's initiation plan (business case, scope statement, stakeholder register, WBS, milestones), delivered as a presentation plus Q&A of about 25 minutes per group of 4–6 in Weeks 11–13.
- Weekly in-class quizzes
- The 25% component — short weekly concept checks (typically 5 questions in 5–8 minutes) on the week's pre-work and workshop; individual, one attempt, spread across the semester.
- Workshop participation
- The 5% component graded across the semester for active workshop involvement, alongside an expectation to attend at least 85% of timetabled activities.
- Academic integrity
- The University of Sydney academic-integrity policy governs all tasks (Turnitin, and peer evaluation on group work). Generative AI may be used only where the coordinator explicitly permits it for a task, and any permitted use must be acknowledged.
Assessment Success Toolkit: Literature Review, Journal & Group Presentation FAQ
How should I structure the thematic literature review?
By theme, not by author. Open with an introduction that frames your project-initiation topic, then organise the body into thematic sections that group what different authors say about each theme, synthesising and comparing rather than summarising one source at a time. Identify the gap in the literature, and close on future directions. Support every claim with the reading list. An author-by-author 'A says, B says' structure is the classic weak submission because it lists instead of analysing.
How do I earn the 20% Learning Journal — what makes a good entry?
Reflect, don't just narrate. Each week, write a few honest lines on what a reading or workshop changed in your thinking and how it applies to a real project — move past 'here is what we covered' to 'here is why it matters and what I'd do differently'. Keep it running from Week 1 (the Early Feedback Task in Week 3 checks your first entries), because reconstructing ten weeks from memory at the deadline produces thin, generic writing. Confirm the page limit and due date on Canvas.
What goes into the group Comprehensive Project Initiation Plan presentation?
A genuine initiation plan for a real or conceptual project: a business case (why the project exists), a scope statement (in and out of scope), a stakeholder register with a power–interest analysis, a WBS and a milestone schedule, and ideally estimating, quality and risk. Present it in about 25 minutes per group with time for Q&A, and rehearse to stay within the limit so your value-focused conclusion survives. Confirm the group brief and timing on Canvas.
Can I use AI to help me prepare these assessments?
As a study aid, yes — Sia can explain how to structure a thematic literature review, check whether a journal entry actually reflects rather than narrates, and help you plan the initiation artefacts for the group presentation. It teaches the method and checks your reasoning; it does not complete graded assessment for you. The University of Sydney academic-integrity policy applies: generative AI is only permitted where the coordinator explicitly allows it for a task, and any use must be acknowledged, with work submitted through Turnitin.
There's no exam — where do the marks actually come from?
From five coursework components: the thematic literature review (25%), the weekly Learning Journal (20%), the group initiation-plan presentation (25%), the weekly in-class quizzes (25%) and workshop participation (5%), with a formative 0% Early Feedback Task in Week 3. Because the marks are spread weekly, the winning approach is consistency — keep up with pre-work for the quizzes, journal every week, and start the review and group plan early. Confirm all weights and due dates on Canvas for your session.
Assessment move
Treat this chapter as your assessment map and work backward from each task. For the 25% literature review, draft a thematic outline early (introduction → themes → gap → future directions) and gather sources per theme. For the 20% journal, write a few reflective lines every week from Week 1 so the material is real — and submit the Week 3 Early Feedback Task. For the 25% group presentation, assign the initiation artefacts (business case, scope statement, stakeholder register, WBS, milestones) across your group of 4–6 and rehearse the 25-minute run with Q&A. Do the weekly pre-work so the quizzes are easy marks, show up for the participation mark and the 85% attendance expectation, and confirm every weight, page limit and due date on Canvas and the University of Sydney unit outline — never assume last year's dates.
Working through Assessment Success Toolkit: Literature Review, Journal & Group Presentation in PMGT1860? Sia is AskSia’s AI Project Management tutor — ask any PMGT1860 Assessment Success Toolkit: Literature Review, Journal & Group Presentation question and get a clear, step-by-step explanation grounded in how PMGT1860 is taught and assessed. Read this chapter free, then take your hardest questions to Sia.
