Weekly Online Quizzes

Due: Weekly 

Weighting: 24% (12 quizzes, 2% per quiz)

This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:

• Describe theoretical concepts in conservation biology and current conservation issues in Australia and abroad
• Communicate scientific research and issues in conservation to different target audiences in verbal and written form
• Demonstrate a capacity for undertaking literature-based research into key topics in conservation biology and synthesizing the current state-of-knowledge

On the day following each lecture (excluding course overview and summary lecture), a quiz will become available on iLearn (worth ~2%) that you will have 6 days to complete. The 12 online exercises will consist of short answers and multiple-choice questions that revise the topic of each lecture (including tutorial), encourage thinking and research skills, in alignment with the Austral Ark textbook chapters and any additional reading material. The exercises may involve consulting peer-reviewed literature discussed in lectures, external websites, and chapters within Austral Ark. 

The schedule for the availability and due dates of each online quiz will be available on iLearn. Note: quizzes become available before 5pm the day after each lecture and will close 6 DAYS LATER at 5pm.

Conservation Research Update: Presentation 

Due: Friday 3^rd of April at 17:00 pm, Week 6

Weighting: 26%

This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:

• Communicate scientific research and issues in conservation to various target audiences in verbal and written form
• Identify how research in conservation biology influences environmental management practices and assess how effectively this is undertaken
• Demonstrate a capacity for undertaking literature-based research into key topics in conservation biology and synthesising the current state-of-knowledge

Many conservation strategies lack up-to-date insights from recent research findings due to poor communication of science outside of academia. It is just as important that scientific research is understood by practitioners as it is to published it.

For this assessment, you are required to choose a specific topic of conservation interest recent (in the past five years) in Australia (or New Zealand/ Oceania). The topic you choose may, e.g., be in relation to a threatened/invasive species, a threatened habitat, or threatening processes such as fire, disease spread or human disturbance.

Your task is to give a 10-minute pre-recorded presentation (using powerpoint slides with audio only) to pitch an update on a conservation issue of interest, integrating scientific literature published in the last FIVE years around your topic.

Focus on the aspects of the scientific literature that relate to research insights related to conservation management of the topic you have chosen. The aim of your presentation is to provide a RESEARCH UPDATE AND SYNTHESIS of a specific conservation topic, supported by the peer-reviewed scientific data.

To be tractable and informative, your topic should be specific to a region, community or species. For example, a suitable research topic meeting these criteria might be “Recent advances in industrial technology to minimise environmental impacts caused by pollution in Australia”. Examples of a good presentation from previous years will be available on iLearn as an example of what is expected for this assignment.

Specifically, you will:

• Pitch your presentation to conservation decision-makers (e.g. land managers) who are scientifically literate, and have an interest in your chosen conservation topic. Keep it scientific, but relevant for management.
• Do a recent scientific literature search on the topic, provide brief background to your topic, collate and synthesise findings and conclusions.
• Communicate the contribution of recent research towards the understanding and management of your chosen conservation issue.
• See the marking rubric for more information on suggested structure and content and assessment weighing of various components.

Create slides for a PowerPoint presentation and record your oral presentation during the slide show using the continuous ‘record presentation’ function (for instructions: see here for Mac; and see here for PC).

Provide a citation list in the last slide of your presentation for all sources used to retrieve information for the presentation. The citation list will not count towards you allocated 10 minutes.

Please note that late submissions will be penalised (-5%/day for submission received after the deadline).

Conservation Research Update: Abstract

Due: Friday 3^rd of April at 17:00 pm, Week 6

Weighting: 10%

This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:

• Communicate scientific research and issues in conservation to different target audiences in verbal and written form
• Identify how research in conservation biology influences environmental management practices and assess how effectively this is undertaken
• Demonstrate a capacity for undertaking literature-based research into key topics in conservation biology and synthesising the current state-of-knowledge

Together with your Conservation Research Update Presentation (2a), submit an abstract of no more than 500 words that summarises your presentation, as if you were presenting it at an international scientific conference. Abstracts are a common way to explain your presentation in a short and interesting way and highlight the key points of your presentation and take-home messages. Abstracts should be written as a ‘mini’ research article, i.e. they should generally provide a brief background statement, information of what research was done and what the main findings were, followed by a concluding statement.

Conservation Biology in the Media Report

Up to 2000 words (including references)

Due: Friday May 8^th at 17:00 pm, Week 9

Weighting: 40%

This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:

• Describe theoretical concepts in conservation biology and current conservation issues in Australia and abroad
• Evaluate literature on conservation issues within peer-reviewed scientific literature and present them in the popular media
• Demonstrate a capacity for undertaking literature-based research into key topics in conservation biology and synthesising the current state-of-knowledge

Popular science articles remain an effective way to target the general public and to inform them of pertinent issues and/or exciting new discoveries. It is often difficult to translate scientific literature, that is full of specialist jargon, into material that is easily understood and captivating to read, and more importantly, accurately reflects the intended outcomes and message(s) of the research. As conservation biologists we must learn to better communicate our work to the public, the media, managers and policy makers. This task is designed to raise your awareness of these issues and ability to recognise and evaluate them by writing a popular science article on a relevant topic of your choice. 

In a report in your own words (up to 2000 word), you will write a popular science article to The Conversation (see “https://theconversation.com/au).

To do this, you will choose a recently (< 1 years old, i.e. 2019-2020) published scientific paper from a journal within conservation biology. Do not pick a review paper, your paper must be a primary research paper. The chosen journal article may focus on conservation issues occurring in any part of the world (i.e. not restricted to Australia or New Zealand). Please do not use review, perspectives, commentary or synthesis papers as the primary sources of information, but rather consult a primary research paper.

Assessment of your popular article is worth 36% and can be up to 2000 words.

Key requirements and guidelines:

• Write a popular science article (up to 2000 words) for The Conversation based on a recent research publication on a topic of your choosing related to conservation biology. 
• Write your popular article in the style of The Conversation. See tips and guidelines at: https://prezi.com/ie6qdpipaamx/science-how-to-write-for-the-conversation-and-pitch-your-piece/and the “Author Guide - The Conversation” on iLearn.
• Scientific articles should preferably be sourced from multidisciplinary and high-impact journals (e.g., Conservation Biology, Conservation Letters Current Biology, Biology Letters, Nature, Science, etc.).
• Consult the wider literature and provide additional citations to give background, support, and add to the information content of your popular article. 
• Here is a recent example of a popular article with a strong conservation focus: https://theconversation.com/plants-are-going-extinct-up-to-350-times-faster-than-the-historical-norm-122255
• Provide up to three relevant images (and acknowledge sources appropriately).
• Hyperlinks that allow further reading can be used (links to other The Conversation articles and peer-reviewed material encouraged; no links to Wikipedia)
• Reports must contain formatted citations and a reference list. 
• Your report must appeal to the right audience (intelligent, educated, curios – i.e. report should not be dumbing things down).
• The citation for the original research upon which your article is based must be provided at the end of your article.
• Reports must be submitted with a TurnItIn report (please consult Macquarie University’s policy with regards to Academic conduct, and specifically plagiarism (see this link for further information on plagiarism). TurnItIn cross-checks your assignments against a vast resource of information for verbatim copying of text.

Specific details that should be addressed in your report are:

• What is the conservation issue that researchers are addressing in the scientific paper that you are reporting on? Why is it significant and attracting media attention, i.e. ‘so what’? Give a brief background using a broader literature. 
• Your popular article must accurately reflect the research article it is based on.
• Obviously scientific methods cannot be described in detail within a popular article, but is excluding the methods creating a false image of what was performed, or is it adequately represented in your article? 
• Does your popular article reflect a sound conclusion, i.e. overall synthesis, of what was found in the research?

When writing your article avoid personal opinion and vague, general statements. Back up all statements with references as you will be largely assessed on scientific content and research capabilities.

Attendance at weekly lectures and tutorials is highly encouraged to enable face-to-face discussions with the invited speakers, interact with other students and enhance your learning experience. The lectures in this unit are entirely comprised of invited expert researchers who are active and renown in their fields, offering an excellent opportunity to connect with a diversity of researchers and expand knowledge.

Students will need access to a computer and basic office software (e.g. Microsoft Office or OpenOffice) to complete assessment tasks. An Internet browser will also be required to search for background information, for assignments and to complete online exercises and enable online course participation. Some tutorials may require a computer, which may be provided if needed. Course content and discussion boards etc. will be available through iLearn

The set, compulsory text required for this unit is: Austral Ark: The State of Wildlife in Australia and New Zealand (2015) Eds. A Stow, N Maclean, G. Holwell. Cambridge University Press. The text book is available for purchase on campus at the Co-op bookstore and an e-version is available via MQ’s library.

Other useful references:

Attiwill, P. & B. Wilson, Ecology: an Australian perspective. Oxford University Press, New York. 648 pp.

Burgman, M. and Lindenmayer, D. (1998): Conservation Biology for the Australian

Environment. Surrey Beatty & Sons, Sydney

Krebs, C.J. 1994. Ecology: the experimental analysis of distribution and abundance. 4th ed., Harper, New York. 800 pp