Students

COGS100 – Introduction to Cognitive and Brain Sciences

2019 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor and Lecturer
Mark Williams
Australian Hearing Hub 3.511
Convenor and Lecturer
David Kaplan
Australian Hearing Hub 3.822
Bianca De Wit
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
[Admission to BHumanSc or BAdvSc or BClinSc or BMedScs or BSpHLSc or BPsych(Hons) or BA or BSc or BPsych(Hons)LLB or BPsych(Hons)BHumanSc or BComBPsych(Hons) or BBABPsych(Hons) or BA-Psych or BA-PsychBHumanSc or BA-PsychBEd(Prim) or BA-PsychLLB or BALLB or BABSc or BBABA or BBABA-Psych or BE(Hons)BA or BABCom or BComBA-Psych or BSc-Psych or BScLLB or BActStudBSc or BComBSc or BE(Hons)BSc or BScGlobalCh or BA-PsychBSpHLSc or BABEd(Prim) or BABEd(Sec) or BPsych(Hons)BSpHLSc or BScBEd(Sec) or BSpHLScBHumanSc] or [12cp including COGS101]
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit provides an intensive introduction to the fundamentals of modern neuroscience, with a focus on the structure and function of the human brain. Topics include neuroanatomy, neural signalling, sensory processing, and the neural control of movement.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • 1. Explain key terminology and basic principles of neuroscience.
  • 2. Describe the basic structure and function of the central nervous system with an emphasis on the human brain.
  • 3. Understand the core methods employed in neuroscience.
  • 4. Analyse and interpret scientific information and research in neuroscience.
  • 5. Demonstrate and apply basic experimental research skills.

General Assessment Information

Late Penalty

Late submission of an assignment will attract a penalty of 5% of the maximum mark for every day that the assignment is late (including weekend days). For example, if the assignment is worth 40 marks and your assignment is submitted 2 days late, a penalty of 2x5%x40 = 4 marks will be applied and subtracted from the awarded mark for the assignment. Work submitted more than 14 days after the submission deadline will not be marked and will receive a mark of 0. Please note that it is the student’s responsibility to notify the University of a disruption to their studies and that requests for extensions for assignments must be made via the University’s Ask MQ System (as outlined in the Disruption to Studies Policy). 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Weekly Online Quizzes 10% No Weeks 2-12
Lab Reports 15% No Weeks 8, 10, 13
Mid-term Exam 25% No Week 7 (in Lecture)
Final Exam 50% No Session 1 examination period

Weekly Online Quizzes

Due: Weeks 2-12
Weighting: 10%

Short multiple choice quizzes completed online each week prior to the tutorials and lecture. There will be 10 quizzes in total (no quizzes in Weeks 1 and 7). Full points will be awarded for a quiz if at least 50% of the questions are answered correctly on each quiz. If less than 50% of the questions are answered correctly, no points will be awarded for that quiz. No make-up quizzes are permitted, but the 2 lowest quizzes will be dropped without penalty. See "Delivery and Resources" section for additional information.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 1. Explain key terminology and basic principles of neuroscience.
  • 2. Describe the basic structure and function of the central nervous system with an emphasis on the human brain.

Lab Reports

Due: Weeks 8, 10, 13
Weighting: 15%

Highly structured reports describing the what, how, why of the experiment previously conducted in lab. Lab reports are designed to help you think critically about research in neuroscience and develop skills to communicate scientific information in a clear and concise manner. (600 words max)


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 3. Understand the core methods employed in neuroscience.
  • 4. Analyse and interpret scientific information and research in neuroscience.
  • 5. Demonstrate and apply basic experimental research skills.

Mid-term Exam

Due: Week 7 (in Lecture)
Weighting: 25%

Multiple choice exam during the scheduled lecture time. 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 1. Explain key terminology and basic principles of neuroscience.
  • 2. Describe the basic structure and function of the central nervous system with an emphasis on the human brain.

Final Exam

Due: Session 1 examination period
Weighting: 50%

Multiple choice and short answer questions covering lecture, assigned textbook reading, and tutorial content over the entire semester.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 1. Explain key terminology and basic principles of neuroscience.
  • 2. Describe the basic structure and function of the central nervous system with an emphasis on the human brain.
  • 3. Understand the core methods employed in neuroscience.
  • 4. Analyse and interpret scientific information and research in neuroscience.

Delivery and Resources

Delivery

Lectures are held weekly, starting in Week 1. Lectures run from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Fridays in the Macquarie Theatre, 21 Wallys Walk.

Lecture slides will be uploaded just before the lecture time under the lecture link in the relevant week below. Lecture recordings will be available through Echo360.

Textbook

Purves D. et al. (Eds.) (2017) NEUROSCIENCE, 6th edition. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

iLearn

You will need access to the internet to access the unit's iLearn page. Through iLearn you will be able to access the lecture recordings (Echo360), additional readings, and feedback and marks for the assessment tasks. You are also required to submit two of the assessment tasks (commentary paper 1 and commentary paper 2) via iLearn, using the Turnitin submission tool. Please allow time to familiarise yourself with how to access iLearn and how to submit a Turnitin assignment. ​

Weekly online quizzes

This unit has weekly online quizzes designed to keep you on track during the fast-paced semester. Quizzes will be graded either as full credit or no credit; no partial credit will be given. To receive full credit on a quiz, you must correctly answer at least 50% of the multiple-choice questions. If you correctly answer less than 50% of the questions, you will receive no credit for that quiz. No make-up quizzes will be permitted (with the exception of officially approved Disruption to Studies requests). However, your 2 lowest quizzes will be dropped at the end of the semester.

As indicated above, quizzes must be completed online each week prior to the lecture. Each quiz will be open until 12:00 midnight Thursday night, the night before the relevant lecture. Only quizzes completed before this deadline will be recorded. These quizzes are open book, and you may take each quiz multiple times before the deadline, but only the first submitted attempt for each quiz will be counted. You will receive feedback as to your correct and incorrect answers at the completion of each quiz.  There are no quizzes during the week of the Mid-term Exam (Week 7), the mid-semester break, and the final wrap-up discussion (Week 13).

The quizzes are delivered through iLearn, so you need to have access to a reliable computer with connection to the Internet. Technical difficulties will not be accepted as a reason for special consideration.

To access the online quizzes:

  1. Navigate to the appropriate week in iLearn (e.g., Week 2) and click on that week’s quiz (e.g., Week 2: Vision quiz).
  2. Read the information provided about what Chapters or page numbers that quiz will cover (it’s open book!), and note the date and time the quiz will close.
  3. Click “Attempt quiz now” to begin. After answering each multiple-choice question, click “Save and review”.
  4. Next, ensure you have answered each question (i.e., “Answer saved”). If you have not answered a question (i.e., “Not yet answered”), click “Return to attempt”.
  5. Once you are satisfied that you have answered every question, click “Submit all and finish”. This will submit your quiz for scoring and log your grade.
  6.  Finally, you can carefully review your feedback to note which questions you did and did not answer correctly. The correct answer for each question will be given.
  7.  Click “Finish review” to exit. Remember, you can attempt the quiz again by selecting “Re-attempt quiz”, but only your first attempt will count towards your grade.

Recommended resource on academic honesty

The learning skills team at Macquarie University has designed an Academic Integrity Module for you to enrol in to help you learn about:

  • What "academic integrity" is and why it's important
  • Acceptable and unacceptable academic behaviours at university
  • What 'plagiarism' is and key strategies to avoid it
  • Your responsibilities in relation to academic integrity and your rights under the Macquarie University Academic Honesty Policy.

Policies and Procedures

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).

Student Code of Conduct

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

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

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.

Graduate Capabilities

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • 1. Explain key terminology and basic principles of neuroscience.
  • 2. Describe the basic structure and function of the central nervous system with an emphasis on the human brain.
  • 3. Understand the core methods employed in neuroscience.
  • 4. Analyse and interpret scientific information and research in neuroscience.
  • 5. Demonstrate and apply basic experimental research skills.

Assessment tasks

  • Weekly Online Quizzes
  • Lab Reports
  • Mid-term Exam
  • Final Exam

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • 4. Analyse and interpret scientific information and research in neuroscience.

Assessment tasks

  • Lab Reports
  • Final Exam

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • 3. Understand the core methods employed in neuroscience.
  • 4. Analyse and interpret scientific information and research in neuroscience.
  • 5. Demonstrate and apply basic experimental research skills.

Assessment task

  • Lab Reports

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Assessment task

  • Lab Reports

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about the unit

Your tutor can answer most of the questions that you may have about the unit, including questions about the unit in general and specific questions about the tutorials. If you experience difficulty in this unit, you should approach you tutor first. You can get in touch with your tutor before or after your tutorial, via email, or via the dialogue tool on iLearn. Contact details for tutors can be found at the top of this unit guide. Please note that your tutor is your first point of contact for any of these questions. The unit convenor is to be contacted only when absolutely necessary, and is to be contacted during the specified contact hours or via email only.

Questions about uploading assignments via iLearn

You are required to submit your Lab Reports via iLearn, using the Turnitin submission tool. Please use the following step-to-step guide on how to submit a Turnitin assignment. 

Requests for extensions, medical leave and/or disruption to studies

Please note that it is the student’s responsibility to notify the University of a disruption to their studies. All requests for extensions, medical leave and/or disruption to studies should be made prior to the due date for the assignment, are to be made via the University’s online Ask MQ system (as outlined in the Disruption to Studies Policy). 

Requests for tutorial changes

Changes to tutorials need to be done online via eStudent only. After week 2, no further changes will be entertained unless supporting documentation about the reason for changing is provided and there is space in the tutorial you wish to enrol in. Please note that changes to tutorials cannot be made by the unit convenor or tutor.

Changes since First Published

Date Description
20/03/2019 Unit Learning Outcomes 4 and 5 were added to address the hands-on labs undertaken in tutorials and the associated lab reports completed in COGS100.
28/02/2019 Error regarding quiz timing.