Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Matthew Bulbert
Contact via matthew.bulbert@mq.edu.au
Caitlin Kordis
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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
This unit introduces students to the essential concepts in current biology. The unit forms the first step for students pursuing a career in the biological sciences, and provides a basis for students in other disciplines who wish to maintain an interest in this dynamic field. The theme of this unit is evolution. The first part of the unit is concerned with the origin of life and discusses current theories on how life may have arisen on a previously lifeless planet. We discuss evolutionary theory in detail including some of the genetic principles that underlie evolution. In the second part we introduce the major groups of organisms examining their diversity and how they function. In the final part we discuss the ecological interactions between organisms from the small scale to global patterns. Throughout the unit, these core concepts are illustrated with examples from current research. This unit is designed as a companion unit to BIOL115.
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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 | Hurdle | Due |
---|---|---|---|
Weekly Activities | 5% | No | Weekly |
Skills tests | 3% | No | Variable |
Oral presentation | 5% | No | Prac 5 |
Midsemester test | 15% | No | Intrl: Apr11th, Extrl: Apr15th |
Scientific journal article | 22% | No | Intrl: May 16, Extrl: May 23 |
Final exam | 50% | No | TBA |
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 5%
The Weekly Activities are accessible through iLearn and are designed to keep you up to date with the unit material and prepare you for assessments and Practicals. Weekly Activities are open for the week they are due as well as for one week prior to the week they are due (two weeks total). You have the option of two attempts and your mark will be the average of both. Due every week!
Note the Weekly activities have two components:
Component 1: Weekly quizzes: Multiple-choice quizzes based on content (2.5% calculated from the number of correct answers)
Component 2: Weekly tasks: Small tasks to help with understanding how science is communicated (2.5% calculated from the number of tasks completed).
Due: Variable
Weighting: 3%
Employers want to know students have a proficiency in a range of practical skills. Every second practical there will be a short skills test. They will range from how to search for scientific articles, how to set-up a microscope, how to apply the scientific method, how to plot data in excel, to how to interpret phylogenies. All skills tests will be based on skills that you have learnt in earlier practical’s. You will have a time limit to complete the task. During that time you can attempt the task as many times as you like until the tutor agrees the task has been completed satisfactorily. The mark will be on a pass/fail basis. For some items if you fail you will be excluded from using the apparatus until you show competency.
Due: Prac 5
Weighting: 5%
Group activities are not students favour activities but they are very important. It is very rare in the workplace that you find yourself working in isolation. Instead you are more likely to be working as a team. As a group of four you will present a scientific journal article from PLoS ONE using powerpoint slides to a small group of students during the Practical. This exercise is designed to help you develop your communication skills and for you to critically assess scientific literature. The presentation will be prescribed as follows: Individual 1 will brief us on the topic area of the research; Individual 2 will give us background to why the experiment is being done and the hypothesis and predictions; Individual 3 will present one of the major results of the paper, in their description they must provide what was done to get the result; and finally individual 4 will present how did their findings compare with the predictions made by the researcher and how this research compared with others. Each individual in the group will talk for 2 minutes. Your tutor will assess you and you will receive written feedback on your presentation style. Internals will give their presentations during Practical5
Due: Intrl: Apr11th, Extrl: Apr15th
Weighting: 15%
The mid-semester test will consist of multiple choice and short answer questions cover all Lecture material up to and including Lecture 10. The test will be conducted under exam conditions, that is, silently and with no communication between students. No written material, programmable calculators, mobile phones or electronic tablets may be brought into the exam room.
Due: Intrl: May 16, Extrl: May 23
Weighting: 22%
This challenging task is designed to develop your scientific writing style, and your numerical and graphing skills. During Practicals 2-4 you will collect data to statistically analyse and graphically present in this article. To write your scientific article you will have to locate, comprehend, discuss and cite scientific literature (and only scientific literature). You also have to submit your Scientific Journal Article to turnitin (instructions below). By the time this article is due you should be familiar with how to write each of the sections of a research paper, be apply to source original peer-reviewed articles and be familiar with adhering to formatting criteria for any given journal. For the purposes of this exercise you will be asked to submit to an in-house journal only available to Biol114 subscribers known as the Journal of Seedy Research.
Due: TBA
Weighting: 50%
A test on knowledge of lecture and practical material up to and including week 13
Lecture graphics and iLectures will be available on iLearn http://ilearn.mq.edu.au
iLearn™ is a web-based computer mediated communication package and can be accessed by most web browsers from inside or outside the University. iLearn and email will be the principle method of communication in this subject. We expect you to use iLearn for:
How do you log in? The URL for the iLearn login page is: http:/i/learn.mq.edu.au/. You will need to log in to iLearn each time you use it. Your user name is your student number.
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/campus_life/wellbeing/ for information on how to get assistance.
If you are having problems logging on after ensuring you have entered your username and password correctly, you should contact Student IT Help, http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/.
Lecture 1 Thursday 11 – 12 W2.4A Macquarie Theatre
Lecture 2 Friday 3 – 4 W2.4A Macquarie Theatre
All internal students are expected to attend both the Lectures each week! All externals must listen to both Lectures each week and attend if and when they can!
Monday 12 – 3 E8A 120 & E8A 160
Monday 3 – 6 E8A 120 & E8A 160
Tuesday 9 – 12 E8A 120 & E8A 160
Tuesday 2– 5 E8A 120 & E8A 160
Wednesday 9 - 12 E8A 120 & E8A 160
Wednesday 12 –3 E8A 120 & E8A 160
Wednesday 3 - 6 E8A 120 & E8A 160
Internal students must attend ONLY ONE of the above Practical sessions per week. You must attend the practical group you were allocated at enrolment, and stay in that group! If there is unexpected enrolment numbers we will offer an additional Monday afternoon practical session. Attendance of practicals is compulsory!
On-campus session 1 15 March (Sat) 9am - 4pm E8A 120
On-campus session 2 14 - 15 April (Mon & Tues) 9am - 4pm E8A 120
On-campus session 3 24 - 25 May (Sat & Sun) 9am - 4pm E8A 120
External students must attend ALL on-campus sessions!
Recommended unit materials
Textbook
The textbook for this unit is Principles in Biology by Nature Publishing - We are trialling a new e-textbook. Details for accessing and purchasing this text will be available via ilearn in the first week.
The unit has created a new skills test component which is meant to test the students proficiency at certain core research skills. Four practicals have been substantially modified to place a greater emphasis on selection, adaptation and their role in generation of diversity. A group assignment has been re-instated and the class experiment has been broadened in its score in an attempt to give students a greater appreciation of the role of competition.
LECTURE SCHEDULE
DATE LECTURER TOPIC
1. 06 / 03 / 14 Matthew Introduction to BIOL114
2. 07 / 03 / 14 Matthew The scientific process – how is it done?
3. 13 / 03 / 14 Matthew What is life and where did it come from?
4. 14 / 03 / 14 Matthew Evolution: What is it?
5. 20 / 03 / 14 Matthew Evidence for evolution and natural selection
6. 21 / 03 / 14 Matthew Basic genetic principles and genetic variation
7. 27 / 03 / 14 Matthew Evolutionary changeand how it is described
8. 28 / 03 / 14 Matthew The concept of species and speciation
9. 03 / 04 / 14 Matthew Cellular organisation and single-cell life
10. 04 / 04 / 14 Matthew Eukaryotes and multicellular life
11. 10 / 04 / 14 Matthew The “Left wall” of life
12. 11 / 04 / 14 Matthew Plants as living multi-cellular organisms
12 / 04 / 14 – 27 / 04 / 14 MIDSEMESTER BREAK
13. 01 / 05 / 14 Matthew Mid-semester Test
14. 02 / 05 / 14 TBA Curious plant biology
15. 08 / 05 / 14 Matthew Animals as living multicellular organisms
16. 09 / 05 / 14 Matthew Energy and growth in multicellular organisms
17. 15 / 05 / 14 Matthew Reproduction of multicellular organisms
18. 16 / 05 / 14 Matthew Life-history stages of plants and animals
19. 22 / 05 / 14 Matthew Behaviour of plants and animals
20. 23 / 05 / 14 Matthew Ecology and the environment
21. 29 / 05 / 14 James Woodford Milthorpe Lecture
22. 30 / 05 / 14 Matthew Population ecology
23. 05 / 06 / 14 Matthew Community ecology
24. 06 / 06 / 14 Matthew Ecosystems and the future of planet Earth
PRACTICAL TOPICS
Internals
Prac |
Date |
Activity |
Assessment Dates |
Pre-labs |
NO LABS FIRST WEEK |
Answer pre-prac questions in preparation for Prac 1 |
Weekly online activities Opens: 03/03/14 12 pm Closes: 10/03/14 12 pm *NB no quiz this week only task. |
1 |
10 - 12/03/14 |
Introduction to practicals Safety induction Library challenges Induction to digital microscopy |
Weekly online activities Opens: 10/03/14 12 pm Closes: 17/03/14 12 pm |
2 |
17 – 22/03/14 |
Scientific method Applying the scientific method BIOL114 exp and set-up Writing materials and methods |
Weekly online activities Opens: 17/03/14 12 pm Closes: 24/03/14 12 pm Skill test 1: Article search |
3 |
24 – 26/03/14 |
Early life on earth Stromatolites Cyanobacteria Phylogenies - display evolution BIOL114 exp data collection |
Weekly online activities Opens: 24/03/14 12 pm Closes: 31/03/14 12 pm Skill test 2: Microscope set-up |
4 |
31/03 - 02/04/14 |
Natural selection How does selection work? Consequences of selection BIOL114 exp data collection |
Weekly online activities Opens: 31/03/14 12 pm Closes: 07/04/14 12 pm
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5 |
07 - 09/04/14 |
Cells, cells, and more cells Bacteria, Protozoa, Plant and Animal BIOL114 exp data collection |
Weekly online activities Opens: 07/04/14 12 pm Closes: 14/04/14 12 pm Mini-oral presentation Mid-semester Test: lecture 11/04 |
Mid-semester break 12/04 to 27/04 |
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6 |
28/04 – 30/04/14 |
Scientific Research Report Data collation and analysis Plagiarism Prac-report due: Internals: May 16th @ 5 pm. Externals: May 23rd @ 5 pm |
Weekly online activities Opens: 28/04/14 12 pm Closes: 05/05/14 12 pm Skill test 3: Writing a paper |
7 |
05 – 07/05/14 |
Organisms and their environment I Reproductive success Offspring survival Evolutionary trade-offs |
Weekly online activities Opens: 05/05/14 12 pm Closes: 12/05/14 12 pm Skill test 4: Plotting data in EXCEL |
8 |
12 – 14/05/14 |
Organisms and their environment II Offspring survival Evolutionary trade-offs Diversity |
Weekly online activities Opens: 12/05/14 12 pm Closes: 19/05/14 12 pm Prac report due this week for: Internals: May 16th @ 5 pm. |
9 |
19 – 21/05/14 |
Organisms and their environment III The Arborgaine |
Weekly online activities Opens: 19/05/14 12 pm Closes: 26/05/14 12 pm Prac report due this week: Externals: May 23rd @ 5 pm Skill test 5: Interpreting phylogenies |
10 |
26 – 28/05/14 |
Meet & greet researchers in department; Tutors return prac-report to students BIOL114 Synthesis & discussion of final exam |
Weekly online activities Opens: 26/05/14 12 pm Closes: 02/05/14 12 pm |
Externals
External Schedule |
Dates |
Practicals |
Assessment |
On Campus Session 1 |
15 March (Sat) |
Pracs 1, 2
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Do weekly quizzes with internals as they become available Skill test 1: Article search – Prac2 |
On Campus Session 2 |
14-15 April (Mon & Tues) |
Pracs 3, 4, 6, 7
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Do weekly quizzes with internals as they become available Skill test 2: Microscope set-up – Prac3 Mid Semester Test April 15th @ 9 am Skill test 3: Writing a paper – Prac6 Skill test 4: Plotting data in EXCEL – Prac7 |
On Campus Session 3 |
24 – 25 May (Sat & Sun) |
Pracs 5, 8, 9, 10
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Do weekly quizzes with internals as they become available Mini-oral presentation – Prac5 Skill test 5: Interpreting phylogenies – Prac9 Prac report due May 23rd @ 11 am |
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.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
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.
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We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.
This graduate capability is supported by:
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