AGRI2006 Soil Systems Australian Soil Classification (ASC) Report

Task: Soil classification serves as a framework for organising our knowledge of soils and for communicating that information to scientists and those who use the land. The Australian Soil Classification (ASC) system takes into account such factors as pedalogical organisation, chemical and physical properties to classify soil profiles into a number of different Orders or Groups.

This assessment task gives you the opportunity to research and communicate information relating to soil classification to a wider audience. Your ability to communicate effectively is an important graduate attribute within any job in the workforce.

For this assessment, you be allocated (in pairs) one site of the 10 sites from a paddock in Wongan Hills that has been extensively mapped (Smolinski 2007). Each site has two soil samples taken at two depths, 0-10 cm and 10-30 cm. In Practicals 3,4 and 5 you will assess the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil and use this data to complete a soil profile description card. You will also draw a soil profile for your allocated site using this information, and the pictures of the soil cores provided to you.

Each student will then individually prepare a 5 minute, narrated PowerPoint presentation to explain the key features of soil they are allocated and assign the soil to an ASC Soil Order. Include your soil description card and soil profile to help describe the key features of the soil you were assigned and use diagrams and photographs as necessary. Pitch the scientific content of your slides to a university level audience and effectively communicate that knowledge. Submit your presentation on-line for marking.

As an example, for a 5 minute presentation, you would have no more than 7 content slides (not including the title slide and the reference slide).  These content slides would include:

1. An introduction slide
2. Brief methods slide
3. Results slide(s)
4. Discussion slide (s)
5. Conclusion slide

Remember!  You must use at least 5 “quality” references. This includes journal articles, texts, and edited works but does not include websites both as in-text citations in your slides and in your reference list.

Upload your slides to Turnitin including a link to your presentation from One Drive or another document-sharing application.

Resources: Isbell, R.E. and NCST. 2021. The Australian Soil Classification. 3rd ed. National Committee on Soil and Terrain. Victoria: CSIRO Publishing. ISBN: 9781486314799. https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/8016

Schoknect, N. and Pathan, S. 2013 Soil Groups of Western Australia: 4^th ed. Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, Perth. Report 380.

Presentation tips

(Courtesy of Jacob Hawkins)

Slide Design

• If using text, use short, concise sentences (you want your audience to concentrate on what you are saying rather than reading your slide
• KIS (Keep it simple) - no more than 5 items (text and figures) per slide
• Use at least 18-point font – so your audience can read your text
• If using graphics, make sure the audience can read the titles, axis, legends, numbers, etc

Recording in Powerpoint

Setting up your recording

• ‘Record’ at top of the screen
• Click ‘From Beginning’(does not immediately start recording)
• Can choose to add notes or a script for each slide
• Choose to have camera ON recording you presenting
• - keep in mind placement of camera display in bottom right corner when designing slides

Recording your presentation

1. When fully prepared, click red circular record button
   (3-second countdown, begin recording)
2. Use arrow keys or space bar to change slides
3. When done – click red square
4. Click ‘Export’
5. IMPORTANT – Click ‘Customize Export’
6. IMPORTANT – Under ‘Create a Video’ select
   ‘Standard (480p)
7. Click ‘Create Video’ and choose file destination

Other tips

Speaking

• Speak slowly and clearly
• Take a breath before you move to your next slide
• Try not to say “ummm” or other time fillers too much (we all do, but it takes practice)
• Practice to get your timing right

Personal Presentation

• Remember to dress as if you were presenting to a professional audience.