Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor
Jane Williamson
Contact via 0298508167
W21B 103
Administration
Caitlin Kordis
Coordinator
Kathryn Lee
Contact via kate.lee@sims.org.au
SIMS
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Credit points |
Credit points
4
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MMarScMgt or MConsBiol or GradDipConsBiol or MPlan or MSc
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit introduces students to current research undertaken in various disciplines of marine science in Australia. It is a multi-institutional unit taught at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS) with contributions from the four university partners of SIMS. Lectures and tutorials are taught by leading marine science researchers. Topics cover physical and biological oceanography, climate change, molecular ecology, aquaculture, marine biology and marine geosciences. In practical classes, students analyse and interpret remote-sensing data from the Integrated Marine Observing System, which provides comprehensive information on the biological and physical processes of Australia's coastal and oceanic waters.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
ASSESSMENT DETAILS
Details of assessments will be provided in class, on iLearn (Macquarie University's online unit management system) and/or through the TAMS Moodle.
ASSESSMENT SUBMISSION
Digital copies of all assessments will be required. Assessments will be run through Turnitin. As assessments need to be written in the student’s own words.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Plagiarism is the presentation of thoughts and work of another as one’s own.
Examples include:
All assessments need to be written in the student’s 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 will be imposed for each assessment and clearly defined in marking grades. Further penalties imposed by the Faculty disciplinary committee may range from a loss of all marks and the award of zero depending on the circumstances.
EXTENSIONS, PENALTIES AND DISRUPTION TO STUDIES
The deadlines for assignments are not negotiable. If an assignment is submitted late a penalty of -5% of the mark allocated for the assignment will be deducted per day (i.e. 6 days late = -30% of marks available). Submission must occur within one week (7 days) of the due date or the assignment will not be marked.
Students absent from more than one practical class without approval will be penalised 5% of their overall unit grade for every class missed.
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 as potentially serious and unavoidable disruption (e.g., upcoming surgery) speak to the unit staff early and apply for an extension before the due date.
UNIT COMPLETION
To pass this unit you must achieve an overall minimum grade of 50%.
SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMS
If you receive special consideration for the final exam, a supplementary exam will be scheduled in the interval between the regular exam period and the start of the next session. 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. You can check the supplementary examination information page on FSE101 in iLearn (bit.ly/FSESupp) for dates, and approved applicants will receive an individual notification one week prior to the exam with the exact date and time of their supplementary examination.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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Practical exercises in class | 30% | No | Weekly |
Written assignment | 20% | No | Week 10 |
Exam | 50% | No | TBA |
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 30%
You are required to hand in the results of your exercises as an electronic report before the
beginning of the practical class the week following the module's conclusion, or as instructed
by the lecturer. Results include graphs and figures that you have produced as well as short
answers to the questions listed in each practical session. Each practical module is worth
2.5%. Note some of the modules may be assessed over two weeks so they will be worth 5%.
The results of the IMOS practical (Week 1) are not assessed.
Due: Week 10
Weighting: 20%
You will complete a 1500 word written assignment, the outline of which will be available online early in the session. The assignment is due before the practical class in Week 10.
Due: TBA
Weighting: 50%
You will sit a closed book examination at the end of the unit. The exam format will be six short answer questions addressing the practical modules you have worked on during the semester.
STUDY COMMITMENT
All classes in BIOL877 are held on Thursdays at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS)
SEMINARS
A seminar series is built around current research questions in Australian marine science. Scientists from a number of disciplines will showcase their research and the most important research questions in their field in a one-hour weekly seminar.
Seminars take place weekly from 1.15pm to 2.15pm at SIMS.
PRACTICAL CLASSES
The practicals will introduce you to Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS), a national infrastructure facility that collects oceanographic data from Australia’s coasts and oceans. These data are made publicly available and used by scientists to explore and monitor biological and oceanographic processes in coastal and offshore marine environments.
Practical classes usually consist of a one-hour tutorial followed by a two-hour hands-on practical. They run weekly from 9.30am to 12.30pm at SIMS.
UNIT WEBSITE
The unit web page can be accessed via the student portal (log in at https://iLearn.mq.edu.au/login/MQ/). There you will find unit information, resource material, announcements, forums and dialogue facilities. You are encouraged to use the discussion and email facilities for communication amongst your fellow MQ students and the MQ unit convenor. Please check the unit website regularly for any announcements and additional resource material.
BIOL877 is unusual in that delivery of the unit spans four Universities. Because of this, you will also receive information through the TAMS Moodle, which will be explained to you by the Unit staff on the first day.
Lectures and information in the Practical classes will be recorded, although it is expected that you attend in person unless a prior arrangement has been made.
TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED
Students are expected to access all unit material through the iLearn and Moodle websites. Basic multimedia software (e.g., Windows Media Player, Quicktime) will be needed to listen to recorded lectures. Students will be required to use internet resources for sourcing information and to use the appropriate software.
As we are working with large freely available datasets, the practicals will all be computer-based. You are encouraged to bring your own laptop if you have one as it will be easier to continue your work at home from where you left off in class. We will be providing you with some software for use in some classes but in others, the work will be web-based or via electronic spreadsheets.
Before coming to class please do the following:
SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
Throughout this unit you will be required to install a variety of software. The software is provided for you but you will be required to install the software BEFORE the relevant class. Please try to install the software in the first week or two of classes so we can address any issues well in advance. The unit coordinator will be available to assist with software installation from 8.30am each Thursday morning at SIMS.
Further information about software installation will be provided in a separate handout.
ASSUMED KNOWLEDGE
This unit is data-intensive. You will be downloading, manipulating and analysing datasets with many thousands of observations. As a result, you need to be proficient in the use of Microsoft Excel and basic statistics. Please check the assumed knowledge section of the iLearn website prior to the practicals for online tutorials covering these topics.
WIRELESS ACCESS AT SIMS
A special wireless network has been set up for TAMS at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science.
SSID: TAMS
Password: tams2018
2018 Topics in Australian Marine Science (TAMS) Course Schedule |
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Semester week |
Date |
Tutorials/Practical (9:30am – 12:30pm) |
Lunch |
Seminars (1:15 – 2:15 pm) |
1 |
1-Mar-18 |
1. Welcome (Peter); 2. Course Overview/Expectations/Computing (Kate); 3. Introduction to the AODN Ocean Portal (AODN: Marty Hidas) |
Welcome lunch |
Marine Microbes around Australia (Justin Seymour) |
2 |
8-Mar-18 |
Introduction to R prac (Kate Lee) |
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World Harbour Project (Edwina Tanner) |
3 |
15-Mar-18 |
Physical Oceanography - Moorings (Matt Archer) |
SIMS Lab Tour |
Moorings (Matt Archer) |
4 |
22-Mar-18 |
Physical Oceanography - Radar (Matt Archer) |
DPI Age and Growth |
Fisheries Research and Management (John Stewart and Doug Ferrell) |
5 |
29-Mar-18 |
Introduction to R prac 2 (Kate Lee) |
Numerical modelling of surface processes in coastal environments (Tristan Salles) |
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6 |
5-Apr-18 |
Physical Oceanography - Gliders (Matt Archer) |
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Lagrangian Processes (Paulina Cetina-Heredia) |
7 |
12-Apr-18 |
Physical Oceanography - Argos and Drifters (Paulina Cetina-Heredia) |
Biological Oceanography (Iain Suthers) |
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Mid-semester break : 13 to 23 Apr |
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8 |
26-Apr-18 |
Zooplankton Ecology (Jason Everett) |
Animal Tracking (Kate Lee) |
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9 |
3-May-18 |
Zooplankton Ecology (Jason Everett) |
SIMS Visitors Centre |
Using Lagrangian processes to understand recruitment into NSW lobster fishery (Geoff Liggins) |
10 |
10-May-18 |
Animal Tracking (Kate Lee and Fabrice Jaine) |
IMOS animal tracking facility (Fabrice Jaine) |
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11 |
17-May-18 |
Animal Tracking (Kate Lee and Fabrice Jaine) |
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Shark Ecology (Vic Peddemors) |
12 |
24-May-18 |
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (Ziggy Marzinelli) |
Benthic Ecology (Ziggy Marzinelli) |
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13 |
31-May-18 |
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (Ziggy Marzinelli) |
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Geocoastal Research (Eleanor Bruce/ Ana Vila-Concejo) |
14 |
7-Jun-18 |
EXAM |
BBQ |
BBQ |
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
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This graduate capability is supported by:
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