Flinders University ENVS 8732 Environmental Impact Assessment Workbook

This student workbook is designed for the ENVS 8732 Environmental Impact Assessment course at Flinders University. It guides students through a series of nine weekly readings, each focusing on a key aspect of EIA, such as the state of the art, common sense in assessment, public participation, and strategic environmental assessment. Each week, students are required to read a journal article, write a précis summarizing the article's main points, evaluate the article's strengths and weaknesses, and reflect on how their understanding of the topic has evolved through the reading and class discussions. The workbook provides structured space for these activities, encouraging students to connect lecture material, readings, and discussions. The aim is to foster a deeper understanding of EIA principles and practices, as well as to develop critical thinking and analytical skills relevant to environmental science. The workbook also includes instructions and guidelines for effective reading, writing précis, and reflection, as well as a schedule of set readings. The workbook is submitted throughout the semester for feedback and grading, contributing to the overall assessment of the course. This assignment is available on Desklib, a platform offering AI-based study tools for students.

ENVS 8732
Environmental Impact
Assessment
2018 Student Workbook
Topic Convenor: Wil Van Deur
Name: _________________________________
ID: _________________________
Flinders University  Adelaide

Student Workbook
Guidelines for using this Workbook
The purpose of the Workbook is to support your learning in this topic by encouraging you to connect and
consolidate information from lectures, set weekly readings and supporting readings. You are
encouraged to reflect upon what you have a learned and how you have learned on a weekly basis.
There are 9 sections in the Workbook corresponding to the 9 set weekly readings. Each section
provides space for you to précis the article, to evaluate it and to explain what you learned about the
topic or how your thinking changed about a topic as a consequence of reading, discussing and thinking
about the topic under discussion—i.e. your reflection. There are tips provided on the following pages
about writing précis, opinion pieces and reflective pieces.
All writing MUST be in your own words. Cutting and pasting from support materials is not
acceptable. Large quotes are also unacceptable.
Each week follow the steps below:
1. Read the set weekly reading (available each week in FLO) early in the week.
2. Complete the sections of this Workbook to record your analysis of the allocated journal article.
3. After you have attended the tutorial for the week, write the ‘reflection’ section of the Workbook.
If you follow the steps and complete the appropriate sections of the Workbook each and participate fully
in the online discussions you will progress through the topic at an appropriate pace.
With these 9 journal article readings, you will be able to earn a total of 35 marks.
Student Workbooks will submitted (uploaded on FLO) in Week 3 in order to provide you with formative
(non-graded) feedback about your progress. You will re-upload your Workbook during the semester,
with all work submitted at the end of semester for grading.
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Student Workbook
Ideas for reading effectively and for approaching the Student Workbook task
Before using the Student Workbook
Before you commence writing you need to understand the purpose of the week’s journal article:
 Where is it set (what is the context)?
 What is its central message (the problem is set out to investigate); the purpose of the paper?
 What evidence do the authors use to support their arguments (is the paper primarily a literature review, a
piece of empirical research or a survey?
 See if you can recite for yourself a brief summary or synthesis.
If you find the journal articles difficult to read use the resources in the ‘Topic Resources and Support
Tools’ link on FLO. There are useful tips to help you make sense of the content of the articles.
Writing a précis
A précis is a tightly focused summary of an argument expressed by a piece of academic writing. A
précis is NOT a summary of each paragraph in the original work, in the same sequence as the original
work. Be sure to include the main idea or purpose cited within the set reading. Use your own words, but
do not include your opinion. Avoid using phrases like ‘this article states…’. Do not make an argument
in the précis; only restate the author’s argument in the third Person and in the past tense.
 What was the central point of the paper?
 What is the context of the paper
 How is the paper structured?
 What key concepts or ideas are raised by the article?
Write an evaluation of the paper
You are asked to make a judgement about the quality of the paper and to evaluate its effectiveness.
Consider the following questions as a guide to help you make your assessment. Try to use your own
style using the points below to help you.
 Did the author achieve what they set out to?
 How easy was the article to read?
 Is the paper well organised? Were ideas clearly expressed; was the structure logical and well thought
through?
 Are the methods described in sufficient detail?
 How well are tables and figures used to explain ideas?
 Was the article convincing through the evidence it provided? If so, give examples
 Was the article credible? How would you know?
Avoid using formulaic responses to these questions.
Writing a reflection
After you have completed the requirements for class discussion (i.e. read the article, written a précis,
perhaps read more widely, had a discussion either in class or on FLO) you then need to reflect on how
your thinking about topic under discussion for the week has changed. You need to express HOW your
thinking has changed.
 What do you know now that you didn’t before?
 How did the class discussion affect your thoughts about the topic?
 Were ideas raised in lectures or discussion that you hadn’t thought about before?
 Did you disagree with ideas raised? Etc.
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Student Workbook
Schedule of set journal articles
Week Week
Beginning
Reading
1 23 July Reading one
Morgan, R. K. (2012), 'Environmental impact assessment: the state of the
art', Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 5-14.
2 30 July This week bring your completed workbook precis/evaluation and draft
journal article review of Morgan 2012 to class to discuss.
3 6 Aug Reading two
Beattie, R. (1995). "Everything you already know about EIA (but don't
often admit)", Environmental Impact Assessment Review, vol. 15, 109-
114.
4 13 Aug Reading three.
Ross, A., Morrison-Saunders, A. & Marshall, R. (2006), ‘Common sense in
environmental impact assessment: it is not as common as should be’,
Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, March, pp. 3-10.
5 20 Aug Reading four
Wiklund, H. (2011), 'Why High Participatory Ideals Fail in Practice: A
Bottom-Up Approach to Public Nonparticipation In EIA', Journal of
Environmental Assessment Policy and Management, vol. 13, no. 02, pp.
159-178.
6 27 Aug Reading five
Madeleine Marara, Nick Okello, et al. (2011). ‘The importance of context
in delivering effective EIA: Case studies from East Africa.’ Environmental
impact assessment review 31(3): 286-296.
7 3 Sept Reading six
Middle, G. & Middle, I. (2010), 'A review of the use of environmental offset
as a policy mechanism in the environmental impact assessment process
(EIA) in Western Australia', Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, vol.
28, no. 4, pp. 313-322.
8 11 Sept Reading seven
Ahammed, A. K. M. R. & Nixon, B. M. (2006), 'Environmental impact
monitoring in the EIA process of South Australia', Environmental
Impact Assessment Review, vol. 26, pp. 426– 447.
Mid-Semester Break 18 September—29 September
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Student Workbook
9 2 October Reading eight
Tetlow, M. and Hanusch M., (2012), ‘Strategic environmental
assessment: the state of the art’, Impact Assessment and Project
Appraisal, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 15–24.
10 9 October Reading nine
Pope, J., A. Bond, A. Morrison-Saunders and F. Retief (2013).
"Advancing the theory and practice of impact assessment: Setting the
research agenda." Environmental Impact Assessment Review 41: 1-9.
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Student Workbook
Reading One
Week Week Beginning Topic Mark
1 23 July Morgan, R. K. (2012), 'Environmental impact
assessment: the state of the art', Impact Assessment
and Project Appraisal, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 5-14.
N/A
Précis of the article
Use the ‘précis’ criteria on p.3 to complete this section.
Your evaluation
Use the ‘evaluation’ criteria on p.3 as a guide to complete this section.
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Student Workbook
Your Reflection
Use the ‘reflection’ criteria on p.3 as a guide to complete this section.
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Student Workbook
Week Week
Beginning
Topic
2 30 Jul Use this week to write your draft journal article review for Morgan, R. K.
2012, 'Environmental impact assessment: the state of the art', Impact
Assessment and Project Appraisal, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 5-14. (subheadings
and dot points will be adequate)
For ideas on how to write a successful review see:
Hay, I. 2006, Communicating in Geography and the Environmental
Sciences, 3rd Edition, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, pp. 52-64.
Journal Article Review DRAFT
Complete this section BEFORE WEEK 2 CLASS
Your approach to the review (and reviews of others) will be discussed in class so
it is important to attempt this task. It will inform your actual graded review due
later in the semester.
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Student Workbook
DRAFT JOURNAL ARTICLE REVIEW (Outline of ideas)
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Student Workbook
Reading Two (Upload your Student Workbook at the end of this week)
Week Week Beginning Topic
3 6 Aug Beattie, R. (1995). "Everything you already know about EIA (but
don't often admit)", Environmental Impact Assessment Review, vol.
15, 109-114.
Précis of the article
Use the ‘précis’ criteria on p.3 to complete this section.
Your evaluation
Use the ‘evaluation’ criteria on p.3 as a guide to complete this section.
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Student Workbook
Your Reflection
Use the ‘reflection’ criteria on p.3 as a guide to complete this section
SUBMIT YOUR WORKBOOK THIS WEEK FOR FEEDBACK
.
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Student Workbook
Reading Three
Week Week Beginning Topic
4 13 August Ross, A., Morrison-Saunders, A. & Marshall, R. (2006), ‘Common
sense in environmental impact assessment: it is not as common as
should be’, Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, March, pp. 3-
10.
Précis of the article
Use the ‘précis’ criteria on p.3 to complete this section.
Ross, Morrison-Saunders and Marshall (2006) in the article entitled “Common sense in environmental
impact assessment: it is not as common as should be” deal with the issues that are relevant for
reviewing the practices that are linked with the assessment of the environmental impact within the given
business organisations. The article in discussion is composed in the format of the journal article. The
article discusses the ten majorly debased currencies that are related to the malpractices within the
environmental impact assessment that are maintained within the organisation. The articles also aim to
discuss the ideas that have been put forth by the eminent scholars regarding the issues that are related
to the environmental impact assessment of the company in discussion.
Your evaluation
Use the ‘evaluation’ criteria on p.3 as a guide to complete this section.
The authors of the article in discussion is known to have achieved the set target for the completion of
the study. The article was easy to read and maintained a logical flow of information in its course flow.
The given article also maintained a logical flow in the expression of the facts that are placed within the
given organisation. The article is well organised with a clear expression of the ideas within the article.
The article describes the methods that have been used in the article with proper detail and uses the
tables and the charts in order to put forth a proper and credible paper. The article has been known to
have maintained its credibility. This is relevant in the choice of the sources that are undertake by the
authors to continue with the study.
Your Reflection
Use the ‘reflection’ criteria on p.3 as a guide to complete this section
The concerned article has helped me to gain knowledge on the issues that are related to the
implementation of the impacts of the environmental issues that are related to the companies in
discussion. The article has helped me to gain knowledge on the issues that are related to the issues
that might arise out of the reviewing of the assessment of the environmental impacts within the given
company. The class discussions have helped me in learning the impacts and the ways to deal with the
impacts of the environmental assessment of the company.
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Student Workbook
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Student Workbook
Reading Four
Week Week Beginning Topic
5 20 August Wiklund, H. (2011), 'Why High Participatory Ideals Fail in Practice: A
Bottom-Up Approach to Public Nonparticipation In EIA', Journal of
Environmental Assessment Policy and Management, vol. 13, no. 02, pp.
159-178.
Précis of the article
Use the ‘précis’ criteria on p.3 to complete this section.
Wiklund (2011) in the article entitled “Why High Participatory Ideals Fail in Practice: A Bottom-Up
Approach to Public Nonparticipation In EIA” attempts a discussion on the matters that are related to the
non-participation of the concerned residents in the assessment of the environmental impacts. The
article also aims to throw light on the unchartered area of the reasons that are shared by the clientele
for the non-participation in the matter. The article discusses the reasons that are provided by the
concerned residents for the non-participation in the surveys that are conducted by the concerns. The
article also focusses on the strategies that might be implemented in order to deal with the proper
participation of the external stakeholders of the concerned organisation in discussion.
Your evaluation
Use the ‘evaluation’ criteria on p.3 as a guide to complete this section.
The authors of the article in discussion is known to have achieved the set target for the completion of
the study. The given article also maintained a logical flow in the expression of the facts that are placed
within the given organisation. The article is well organised with a clear expression of the ideas within
the article. The article describes the methods with proper detail and uses the tables and the charts in
order to put forth a proper and credible paper. The article has been known to have maintained its
credibility through the choice of the sources that are undertake by the authors to continue with the
study.
Your Reflection
Use the ‘reflection’ criteria on p.4 as a guide to complete this section
The article has helped me in gaining knowledge on the various issues that are cited by the residents of
the area as well as the external stakeholders of the company. These issues are majorly related to the
nonparticipation of the external stakeholders of the organisation in the assessment of the environmental
assessments within the organisation. The article as well as the discussions that had taken place in the
class has helped me in gaining knowledge on the matters that are related to the discussion on the
designing and the management of the schemes that are related to the public participation in the
business organisation.
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Student Workbook
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Student Workbook
Week Week Beginning Topic
6 27 August Madeleine Marara, Nick Okello, et al. (2011). ‘The importance of
context in delivering effective EIA: Case studies from East Africa.’
Environmental impact assessment review 31(3): 286-296.
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Student Workbook
Reading Five
Week Week Beginning Topic
7 3 September Middle, G. & Middle, I. (2010), 'A review of the use of environmental
offset as a policy mechanism in the environmental impact
assessment process (EIA) in Western Australia', Impact Assessment
and Project Appraisal, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 313-322.
Précis of the article
Use the ‘précis’ criteria on p.4 to complete this section.
Your evaluation
Use the ‘evaluation’ criteria (p.4) as a guide to complete this section.
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Student Workbook
Your Reflection
Use the ‘reflection’ criteria on p.4 as a guide to complete this section
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Student Workbook
Reading Six
Week Week Beginning Topic
8 10 September Ahammed, A. K. M. R. & Nixon, B. M. (2006), 'Environmental impact
monitoring in the EIA process of South Australia', Environmental
Impact Assessment Review, vol. 26, pp. 426– 447.
Précis of the article
Use the ‘précis’ criteria on p.4 to complete this section.
Your evaluation
Use the ‘evaluation’ criteria (p.4) as a guide to complete this section.
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Student Workbook
Your Reflection
Use the ‘reflection’ criteria on p.4 as a guide to complete this section
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Student Workbook
Reading Seven
Week Week Beginning Topic
9 1 October Tetlow, M. and Hanusch M., (2012), ‘Strategic environmental
assessment: the state of the art’, Impact Assessment and Project
Appraisal, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 15–24.
Précis of the article
Use the ‘précis’ criteria on p.4 to complete this section.
Tetlow and Hanusch (2012) in the article entitled “Strategic environmental assessment: the state of the
art” discusses the present state of the activities that are included in the fields of the strategic
environmental assessment or the SEA. The given paper follows the structure of a journal article. The
article is majorly based on the existing literature on the environmental assessment. The article aims to
discuss the rapid evolution of the strategic environmental assessments in the present-day scenarios.
The authors suggest that the implementation of the strategic environmental assessment is extremely
beneficial to the concerned activities within the given organisation. The strategic environmental
assessments within the given company aims at the contribution to the betterment of the processes of
decision making within the given organisation. The authors suggest the utility of the processes might
falter in some cases and have been going through the required reforms in order to deal with the issues
that might be faced by the concerned employees of the given business organisations.
Your evaluation
Use the ‘evaluation’ criteria (p.4) as a guide to complete this section.
The authors of the article in discussion is known to have achieved the set target for the completion of
the study. The article was easy to read and maintained a logical flow of information in its course flow.
The given article also maintained a logical flow in the expression of the facts that are placed within the
given organisation. The article is well organised with a clear expression of the ideas within the article.
The article describes the methods that have been used in the article with proper detail and uses the
tables and the charts in order to put forth a proper and credible paper. The article has been known to
have maintained its credibility. This is relevant in the choice of the sources that are undertake by the
authors to continue with the study.
Your Reflection
Use the ‘reflection’ criteria on p.4 as a guide to complete this section
The article has helped me to learn about the various matters that are related to the strategic
assessment of the environmental issues that might affect the given organisation. The article has also
helped me to learn about the valuation and the importance of the communication within the given
organization. The class discussion also helped me to gain clarity on the processes of implementing the
strategic assessment of the organisational environment.
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Student Workbook
Reading Eight
Week Week Beginning Topic
10 8 October Pope, J., A. Bond, A. Morrison-Saunders and F. Retief (2013).
"Advancing the theory and practice of impact assessment: Setting
the research agenda." Environmental Impact Assessment Review
41: 1-9.
Précis of the article
Use the ‘précis’ criteria on p.3 to complete this section.
Your evaluation
Use the ‘evaluation’ criteria on p.3 as a guide to complete this section.
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Student Workbook
Your Reflection
Use the ‘reflection’ criteria on p.4 as a guide to complete this section
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Student Workbook
ENVS 3732 (8732) Tutor assessment of tutorial participation
Week Week
Beginning
Reading Mark
1 23 July Reading one
Morgan, R. K. 2012, 'Environmental impact assessment: the state
of the art', Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, vol. 30, no.
1, pp. 5-14.
Formative
assessment
NGP
2 30 July This week bring your completed workbook precis/evaluation and draft
journal article review of Morgan 2012 to class to discuss.
Formative
assessment
NGP
3 6 Aug Reading two
Beattie, R. 1995. "Everything you already know about EIA (but don't
often admit)", Environmental Impact Assessment Review, vol. 15, 109-
114.

4 13 Aug Reading three
Ross, A., Morrison-Saunders, A. & Marshall, R. (2006), ‘Common
sense in environmental impact assessment: it is not as common as
should be’, Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, March, pp.
3-10.

5 20 Aug Reading four
Wiklund, H. (2011), 'Why High Participatory Ideals Fail in Practice:
A Bottom-Up Approach to Public Nonparticipation In EIA', Journal
of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management, vol. 13, no.
02, pp. 159-178.

6 27 Aug Reading five
Madeleine Marara, Nick Okello, et al. (2011). ‘The importance of
context in delivering effective EIA: Case studies from East Africa.’
Environmental impact assessment review 31(3): 286-296.
7 3 Sept Reading six
Middle, G. & Middle, I. (2010), 'A review of the use of
environmental offset as a policy mechanism in the environmental
impact assessment process (EIA) in Western Australia', Impact
Assessment and Project Appraisal, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 313-322.

8 10 Sept Reading seven
Ahammed, A. K. M. R. & Nixon, B. M. (2006), 'Environmental
impact monitoring in the EIA process of South Australia',
Environmental Impact Assessment Review, vol. 26, pp. 426– 447.

Mid-Semester Break 19 September—2 October
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Student Workbook
9 1 October Reading eight
Tetlow, M. and Hanusch M., (2012), ‘Strategic environmental
assessment: the state of the art’, Impact Assessment and Project
Appraisal, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 15–24.

10 8 October Reading nine
Pope, J., A. Bond, A. Morrison-Saunders and F. Retief (2013).
"Advancing the theory and practice of impact assessment: Setting the
research agenda." Environmental Impact Assessment Review 41: 1-9.

Mark /35
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