Expected workload

Each three credit point unit at Macquarie is equivalent to 150 hours of study. In BIOL227, we have broken this down into the following activities.

Assignment submission

The written assessments (Practical Report and Field Trip Report) are to be submitted via the appropriate TURNITIN link on iLearn by 11:59 pm on the due date (i.e. paper copies of these assessments are NOT required by either internal or external students).

TURNITIN is a powerful online tool for the detection of plagiarism. It works by comparing the text of a submitted document (i.e., your assignment) with the work of your current classmates, past students in BIOL227 and other courses at Macquarie, as well as published material in books, journals and on the web.

To submit your assignment via turnitin:

1. Visit the Assessments tab in iLearn, look for the turnitin header and select the relevant assessment item (Practical Report or Field Trip Report)
2. Click on the Submit Paper tab.
3. Enter a Submission Title.
4. Select Submission Part if there are multiple parts available.
5. Click Browse and select the file you would like to submit.
6. Click Add Submission.

Academic Honesty

Presenting the work of another person as one’s own is a serious breach of the University’s rules and carries significant penalties. The University’s Academic Integrity Policy can be found at:

https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/academic-integrity

In this unit, we will be checking written work for plagiarism using TURNITIN. Penalties for plagiarism may include a zero mark for the assignment or in more extreme cases, failure of the unit.

Extensions, penalties and Special Consideration

Late assignments will attract a penalty of -10% of the total marks allocated to the exercise per day.

You may hand in your work after the due date and escape penalty only if you have an acceptable reason (usually a medical certificate). Discuss your problem with the Lecturer as early as possible before the due date.

Information about the Special Considerations policy and procedure is online at Policy Central: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work4/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration

All requests for Special Consideration should be submitted using the online form: ask.mq.edu.au

Final exam

If you receive special consideration for the final exam, a supplementary exam will be scheduled in the week of December 17-21 2018. By making a special consideration application for the final exam you are declaring yourself available for a resit during the supplementary examination period and will not be eligible for a second special consideration approval based on pre-existing commitments. Please ensure you are familiar with the policy prior to submitting an application. Approved applicants will receive an individual notification one week prior to the exam with the exact date and time of their supplementary examination.

Return of Assessment Tasks

Marked assignments and feedback will be available online through the turnitin submission link 2-3 weeks after assignment submission.

Grading

In order to pass this unit you must (a) attend and participate in the fieldtrip activities at Stanwell Tops, and (b) attain an overall grade of 50% or more.

Unit web page

Lecture slides and recordings (accessible through the APL Echo 360 block), unit readings, copies of all unit hand-outs and helpful resources for completion of assessments will be available electronically, through iLearn. Consequently, it is strongly recommended that you interact with the BIOL227/601 iLearn site unit at least weekly. To access the online unit, go to https://iLearn.mq.edu.au/login/MQ/ and type in your Macquarie OneID Username and password.

New to iLearn? You can find out more at: http://www.mq.edu.au/iLearn/student_info/

Experiencing technical difficulties? Visit: http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

Text books

While there is a text book that some lectures will follow, you do not need to purchase this as a copy will be in special reserve and online:

Begon M, Howarth RW, Townsend CR (2014) Essentials of ecology. 4th edition. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Cambridge. The 3rd (2008) edition is also acceptable, if you can come by it second hand.

Other text books also available in special reserve:

• Begon M, Harper JL, Townsend CR (1996) Ecology: individuals, populations and communities. 3rd Edition. Blackwell Science, Boston.
• Krebs CJ (2001) Ecology: the experimental analysis of distribution and abundance. 5^th Edition. Benjamin Cummings, Publishers, San Francisco, London
• Krebs CJ (2008) The ecological world view. 5^th Edition. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood
• Ricklefs R, Miller GL (2000) Ecology. 4^th Edition. WH Freeman and Co. New York.
• Underwood AJ (1997) Experiments in ecology: their logical design and interpretation using analysis of variance. Cambridge University Press, New York.

Lecture timetable  ***NB: All internal students are expected to attend every lecture

LB: Dr Linda Beaumont

KM: Dr Katherine McClellan

• There is only one off-campus overnight field trip this year (Sunday 23^th to Tuesday 25^th September), which all students must attend. Sign-up for the field trip is fully online. Please register through eStudent. Details of how to pay for the fieldtrip will be provided in the first practical (for internal students) or by email (for external students) and on iLearn.
• The turnitin plagiarism check for the written assessments will be available through iLearn
• There will be a mid-semester test that internal students will undertake in class, and external students will undertake online. This is designed to encourage problem-solving skills, reinforce lecture material and ensure students remain up-to-date.