BECOME A STUDENT REP IN BIOL1310!

What does a student rep do?

• Works with students and convener to improve the unit experience for students

• Communicates with students about any issues

• Summarises feedback and issues for convener

• Works with convener to find solutions

• Meets with convener, other unit reps and Head of Department

Why should you nominate?

• Develop your leadership skills

• Develop your communication skills

• Learn to receive and provide feedback

• Network with other unit reps

• Be an active contributor to Biology units

Express your interest by emailing the First Year Teaching Coordinator Kate Barry at biol1310@mq.edu.au!

iLEARN

The primary means of communication for this unit is via iLearn^TM, which can be accessed by most web browsers from inside or outside the University.

We expect you to use iLearn for:

• Doing the Weekly Quizzes

• Regularly checking subject announcements (at least twice per week)

• Discussing the unit and its content with staff and other students

• Downloading Lecture and Practical materials

• Downloading reference materials

Logging in to iLearn

• The iLearn login page is: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/

• Username: your student number

• Problems? Please contact Student IT Help

• Need extra help due to a disability/health condition? Please visit the Student Services

  Website : https://students.mq.edu.au/support/wellbeing

UNIT COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS

Minimum requirements include:

1. Submit all assessments and attempt all exams

2. Attend and participate in all practical sessions (this is a hurdle requirement)

Missed Practicals

If you know you will miss a practical or if you missed one, please email the First Year Coordinator: biol1310@mq.edu.au

There may be alternative practical slots available for you to catch up on the missed practical, including attending the on-campus session. Please contact the First Year Coordinator to ensure there is room for you.

Overall grades

The University grading is: fail (F <50%), pass (P 50%-64%), credit (CR 65%-74%), distinction (D 75%-84%) and high distinction (HD 85%-100%).

Special Consideration

If you apply for Special Consideration for your final examination, you must make yourself available from mid July to the end of July, 2020. If you are not available at that time, there is no guarantee an additional examination time will be offered. Specific examination dates and times will be determined at a later date.

Assignment submission, Turnitin and Plagiarism

This is a paperless unit so no paper submissions will be required. All written assignments will be submitted through iLearn via a Turnitin link.

Turnitin is an online program that detects plagiarised pieces of work by comparing your writing with other published work including:

• websites, books, journal articles

• other submitted assignments - from across the world in the current or past years

Plagiarism involves using the work of another person and presenting it as one's own. To avoid plagiarism,

1. prepare your work well ahead of the due date,

2. write in your own words (no copy paste),

3. cite the source of the information you are writing about.

Do not under any circumstances lend your work to another student. If that student plagiarises your work you too may be liable.

The penalties imposed by the University for plagiarism are serious and may include expulsion from the University.

A full outline of the Universities policy on plagiarism is found at http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/doc s/academic_honesty/policy.html.

The Academic Integrity Module for Students is an iLearn resource created by Learning Skills 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. Once you enrol in the Academic Integrity Module for Students, you can access it from your iLearn course list under the category 'Skill Building and Help Resources'.

Extensions and penalties

10% will be deducted for each day an assignment is late. If you are unable to submit the assignment by the due date, then an extension must be sought before the due date unless this is absolutely impossible. To support your extension you will be asked to submit a special consideration request via ask.mq.edu.au.

RESOURCES and SUPPORT

How to find the answers

1. Please read the unit outline.

2. Consult iLearn - often the majority of questions have already been asked and answered.

3. If the answer to a question will benefit others, please post it on iLearn. We will answer it in time.

4. First Year Coordinator: questions about practical class allocations, mark queries and organising alternative times for assessments or extensions.

5. Scientific officer: only during practical classes and only technical questions.

6. Tutor: questions throughout practical sessions and specific queries about assignments.

7. Unit convenors: lecture content, withdrawal, personal issues.

8. Unexpected adjustments made during the course will announced via announcements somake sure you check iLearn regularly.

EMAIL PROTOCOL

1. Always put the subject in the subject line i.e. BIOL1310 – if you do not do this you risk the email not being noticed.

2. Please be courteous and patient - we will endeavour to reply to your email within 48 hours.

Text Book

The textbook for BIOL1310 (and BIOL1610) is Campbell Biology (11th Edition, Australian and NZ edition).

The book is available in hard copy from the campus co-op shop (for around $170) or as ebook (for around $60).

The textbook comes with an electronic resource called 'Mastering Biology' (for an extra cost), which includes animations, exercises and a question bank for study. We recommend the use of Mastering Biology to fully engage with the material, but will not use it formally during the course.

The text book is also available in the library and there might be earlier editions available second hand that are also suitable.

WRITING AIDS

Pechenik’s guide to writing about biology is also recommended for this course as well as the following website.

http://abacus.bates.edu/~ganderso/biology/resources/writing/HTWsections.html

This website is comprehensive and will be incredibly useful throughout the semester.

OTHER HELP Macquarie University offers lots of help for your to develop your academic skills. Here is a list:

https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/skills-development

See iLearn for the most current lecture and prac schedule.

Oncampus dates (for externals only)

• Saturday April 4th: 9am-5pm

  • Pracs 1, 2, 3

• Sunday April 5th: 9am-5pm

  • Mid-semester test for external will run from 9:15-10:15am

  • Pracs 4 and 6 (not 5!)

• Saturday May 16th: 9am-5pm

  • Pracs 5, 8, 9

• Sunday May 17th: 9am-5pm

  • Pracs 10, 11, 12

  • We will discuss the prac report and the final exam

All pracs will be run in Science Labs 106, 110 and 112, 6 Wallys Walk (E8C).