Assessment details

Details of assessments will be provided on iLearn and in class.

Assignment submission

All assignments will be digitally submitted through the appropriate Turnitin submission link on iLearn. No hardcopy / paper submissions are needed. All assessments need to be written in the students own words. For the taxonomic key you will need to submit four drawings. You will need to  make a high quality scan of your scientific drawings (e.g. use the library photocopier / scanner and email yourself a copy) then "paste" the digital copy into your assignment before submission.

Academic honesty

All assessments need to be written in the students own words. The penalties imposed by the University for plagiarism are serious and may include expulsion from the University. ANY evidence of plagiarism WILL be dealt with following University policy. Penalties for plagiarism range from a loss of marks to awarding of a zero depending on the level of plagiarism and reporting to Faculty disciplinary committee.

Extensions, penalties and Disruptions to Studies

The deadlines for assignments are not negotiable. If an assignment is submitted late a penalty of -10% of the mark allocated for the assignment will be deducted per day that any work is submitted late (i.e. 5 days late = -50% of marks available).

If you experience a serious and unavoidable disruption to your studies and require an extension for an assessment please submit a Disruptions to Studies notification via ask.mq.edu.au with supporting documentation, and a Professional Authority Form completed by your health care professional. If you anticipate a potentially serious and unavoidable disruption (e.g. upcoming surgery) speak to the unit convenor early and apply for an extension before the due date.

If you apply for Disruption to Study for your final examination, you must make  yourself available for the week of July 24 – 28, 2017 to sit a supplementary exam. If you are not available at that time, there is no guarantee an additional examination time will be offered. Specific examination dates and times will be determined at a later date.

Unit completion

To pass this unit, students need to achieve an overall minimum grade of 50%.

Required unit materials

The work carried out during practical classes is an important and integral part of the course. You must read, download and either print the prac notes to bring to each class, or bring them on a laptop or tablet.

You will also need a practical notebook with unlined pages that you will use to draw organisms, record data and observations from field and laboratory classes. We recommend you use an A4 bound notebook with alternate unlined pages for drawing (i.e. a botany notebook). Loose pages are not suitable. You may also bring your own dissecting kits to class, although some equipment will also be provided.

You will need enclosed shoes for every practical class in accordance with standard laboratory safety procedures. Without which you will not be allowed entry to the laboratory.

Recommended readings

There are a number of books (also available in the library) that cover various aspects of BIOL316:

• Richard C. Brusca; Wendy Moore; Stephen M. Shuster (2016) Invertebrates. Sinauer Associates, Inc., Sunderland, Massachusetts U.S.A.
• Ruppert EE, Fox RS & RD Barnes (2004) Invertebrate zoology: a functional evolutionary approach. 7th ed. Sunders College Publishing (3 copies available in Special Reserve)
• Ponder W & D. Lunney (1999) The Other 99%: The Conservation and Biodiversity of Invertebrates. Transactions of the Royal Zoological Society of NSW. Surrey beattie & Sons, Chipping Norton
• Pechenik, J.A. Biology of the invertebrates. 6th ed. Boston, Mass.: McGraw-Hill, 2010.
• Anderson, D.T. (Ed). Invertebrate zoology. 2nd ed. South Melbourne, Vic.: Oxford University Press, 2001
• Moore, J. Introduction to the invertebrates. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001.
• Romoser, W.S. & Stoffolano, J.G. The science of entomology. 4th ed. Boston, Mass.: WCB McGraw-Hill, 1998.
• Choe, J.C. & Crespi, B.J. (Eds). The evolution of mating systems in insects and arachnids. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 1997.
• Herrera, C.M. & Pellmyr, O. Plant-animal interactions: an evolutionary approach. Oxford: Blackwell Science, 2002.

UNIT WEBPAGE, TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED

Website

iLearn and email will be the principle method of communication in this subject. You will need stable access to the internet to access iLearn: http://ilearn.mq.edu.au/. You will need to log in to iLearn each time you use it. Your user name is your student number.

We expect you to use iLearn to:

• Regularly check subject announcements
• Access weekly reading and videos
• Download lecture materials
• Download laboratory materials
• Download reference materials
• Check your grades

If you are having trouble accessing your online unit due to a disability or health condition, please go to the Student Services Website at http://students.mq.edu.au/support/health_and_wellbeing/disability_service/ for information on how to get assistance. If you cannot log in after ensuring you have entered your username and password correctly, you should contact Student IT Help, Phone: (02) 9850 4357 (in Sydney) or 1 800 063 191 (outside Sydney).

Lecture topics**

Lecture 1 Monday 1pm in E7B100

Lecture 2 Tuesday 8am in E6A102

** Lecture topics may change to accommodate guest lectures schedules

Internal practical schedule

Tuesday (10am-1pm or 2pm-5pm) E8A 160

External practical schedule – (9am-5pm) E8A 120

Session 1 (week 5): Saturday 1 April

Sessions 2-5 (mid-session break): Wednesday 26 to Saturday 29 April

New lectures have been added on Eco Physiology, Navigation, Immunology and the two Communication lectures have been unpacked into four lectures. New pracs are being developed on navigation with an associated prac report. Learning outcomes tweaked for new content and assessments.