Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Ken Cheng
Contact via ken.cheng@mq.edu.au
Other Staff
Katherine McClellan
Contact via katherine.mcclellan@mq.edu.au
Other Staff
Phil Taylor
Contact via phil.taylor@mq.edu.au
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Credit points |
Credit points
3
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
The greatest show on the Planet. This unit is a suitable introductory science unit for all students. It offers an integrative approach to the amazing world of behaviour. Basic mechanisms are covered, together with function and evolution. Lecture topics include: micro- and macro-evolution; evolutionary origins of behaviour; basic neuroscience; learning, brain and behaviour; and topics in animal behaviour. Lectures culminate with some reflections on the lives of humans in our modern world and the role of culture in human evolution.
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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:
Name | Weighting | Due |
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Review questions | 11% | Weekly |
online test | 5% | week 4 |
Lab exercise 1 | 6% | Early: See unit guide |
Lab exercise 2 | 7% | See unit guide |
Draft commentary | 1% | See unit guide |
Final commentary | 23% | Sunday 1 June 2014 |
exam | 47% | final exam period |
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 11%
For each week’s lectures, a set of review questions are posted on the course web site. It is your task to download the questions, answer them, and upload them onto iLearn again. Due date for Week n review questions is end of Week n+1, defined as Sunday 23:55.
Late submissions will be given 10% of what each week's review questions are worth (i.e., 0.1 marks).
Sunday of Week 13 is last day for any submission to count at all.
Due: week 4
Weighting: 5%
The online test is more pedagogical than evaluative in practice. It consists of 10 multiple choice questions, and gives a flavour of the kind of question to expect on the final exam. The online test will concern lecture materials from Weeks 1 and 2.
Due: Early: See unit guide
Weighting: 6%
A library exercise to be done in the first prac, and summarising two papers
Due: See unit guide
Weighting: 7%
Exercise on reading graphs to be done in the second prac, and drawing a graph and writing a caption
Due: See unit guide
Weighting: 1%
The commentary article is a short news commentary on a recent article, meant as an opinion piece for a popular audience.
Due: Sunday 1 June 2014
Weighting: 23%
The commentary article is a short news commentary on a recent article, meant as an opinion piece for a popular audience.
Due: final exam period
Weighting: 47%
The final exam consists of multiple-choice questions, on lectures from Week 3 to Week 13.
Lectures
2 h per week live, Thursdays 2-4 at Mason Th or Fridays 1-3 at X5B T1, plus 1 h per week recorded, found on iLearn
Practicals
Practicals take place every two weeks on Mondays and Tuesdays, 9-6, in E5A 220
One stream will run in Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, while a second stream will run in Weeks 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13. Details of pracs will be supplied at each prac.
You must wear closed-in shoes to pracs. And no food or drinks allowed in labs for pracs.
Bring your laptop if you have one: you can use them during pracs and our supply is limited.
It is now University policy that the University issued email account will be used for official University communication. All students are required to access their University account frequently.
What is new this year?
A new lecture on human mating is featured, with a dynamo guest lecturer. We have a new edition of what is still a new textbook, now in its second year. The class is now oriented much more as a Planet unit. Two new writing assignments based on pracs have been designed. A good part of class time will feature live discussions based largely on thought-provoking video clips linking lecture topics to issues in our daily lives and in our society and world at large. And we are introducing a bit of fun in a mystery animal contest and a movie contest.
Lecture schedule
R = pre-recorded lecture, not given live in class but made in a ‘studio’. They are on iLearn, and you should listen to these lectures on your own each week. In case of problems with the videos, contact your unit convenor via the dialogue link in iLearn.
Week |
Lecture |
Topic |
Teacher |
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1 |
1.1 |
Overview and intro |
Cheng |
3 Mar- |
1.2R |
How science 'works' |
Cheng |
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1.3R |
Ethics |
Cheng |
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1.4 |
Good study habits |
Cheng |
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2 |
2.1R |
Brief history |
Taylor |
10 Mar- |
2.2 |
Tinbergen's explanations |
Taylor |
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3 |
3.1 |
Darwin and Evolution |
Taylor |
17 Mar- |
3.2R |
Evolution on a small scale |
Taylor |
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4 |
4.1R |
Evolution on a large scale |
Taylor |
24 Mar- |
4.2 |
Evolution of behaviour |
Taylor |
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5 |
5.1R |
Nervous system 1 |
Taylor |
31 Mar- |
5.2 |
Nervous system 2 |
Taylor |
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6 |
6.1R |
Senses |
Taylor |
7 Apr- |
6.2 |
Perception |
Cheng |
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Midsemester break 14-27 April |
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7 |
7.1 |
Genetics and epigenetics |
Cheng |
28 Apr- |
7.2R |
Learning: Basics |
Cheng |
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8 |
8.1R |
Cognitive approaches to learning |
Cheng |
5 May- |
8.2 |
Animal behaviour 1 |
Cheng |
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9 |
9.1R |
Communication |
Taylor |
12 May- |
9.2 |
Sexual selection |
Taylor |
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10 |
10.1R |
Animal behaviour 2 |
Cheng |
19 May- |
10.2 |
Human evolution |
Downey |
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11 |
11.1 |
Human mating |
Sulikowski |
26 May- |
11.2R |
Food and humans |
Cheng |
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12 |
12.1R |
Culture, altruism, morality |
Cheng |
2 Jun- |
12.2 |
Rise of civilisation and its influence on the Planet |
Cheng |
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13 |
13.1 |
Summary and review |
Cheng |
9 Jun- |
13.2 |
Course song! |
Cheng |
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
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