Students

COGX1010 – Delusions and Disorders of the Mind and Brain

2020 – Session 1, Fully online/virtual

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, any references to assessment tasks and on-campus delivery may no longer be up-to-date on this page.

Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.

Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Anne Castles
anne.castles@mq.edu.au
Vince Polito
vince.polito@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit is designed to provide you with an understanding of the basic cognitive disorders and higher-level delusions that can arise either developmentally or as a result of brain injury. You will learn about the characteristic features of these disorders and delusions, and about how the patterns of symptoms displayed can be accounted for in terms of models of normal cognitive processing. Where relevant, you will be familiarised with theories about the underlying cases of the conditions, and with experimental investigations of the efficacy of particular treatments. Patterns of similarities and differences of conditions will be critically examined. Conditions covered include: dyslexia, specific language impairment (SLI), aphasia, amnesia, agnosia, synaesthesia, autism, auditory hallucination, delusion and schizophrenia. All enrolment queries should be directed to Open Universities Australia (OUA): see www.open.edu.au

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:

  • ULO1: Describe the characteristic features of a range of delusions and cognitive disorders.
  • ULO2: Explain key concepts and theories about the underlying causes of a range of delusions and cognitive disorders.
  • ULO3: Analyse the strengths and weaknesses of competing explanations and theories of a range of delusions and cognitive disorders.
  • ULO4: Critique popular or prejudicial claims about delusions, disorders, and the mind from an informed and evidence-based perspective.

Assessment Tasks

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Assessment details are no longer provided here as a result of changes due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.

Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students

General Assessment Information

More Information about the Mid Semester Exam

  • The mid-semester exam will be an online exam, held in week 7. The exact date and timing will be announced on iLearn.
  • The exam will consist of 30 multiple choice questions on content from the first half of the course.
  • Feedback: Mid-Semester Exam scores will be posted on iLearn after grading is complete. We will provide a score but no individual feedback on the mid-semester exam. We will provide general feedback on topics and advice on particular areas that need further study.

 

More Information about the Final Exam (End of the Semester)

  • The Final Exam will be an online exam, held during the Macquaire University Examination period. The exact date and timing details will be announced on iLearn.
  • The exam will cover all online lecture content and readings.
  • The exam will have two sections: Part one consists of 30 multiple choice questions. Part two will consist of 3 essay questions
  • Feedback: Final Exam scores will be posted on iLearn at the end of semester.

 

More Information about the Online Quizzes

  • There are quick online quizzes embedded within the lecture content from week 2 to week 12.
  • These ask about the basic course content.
  • Quizzes are open until the end of week 12, but we encourage students to complete quizzes every week.
  • Your first attempt for each quiz is what counts toward the grade, but additional attempts are allowed in order to revise content.
  • The two lowest quiz scores do not count toward calculation of the assessment grade.
  • Feedback: You will be shown your score for each quiz immediately after completion.

 

More Information about Online Participation

  • Most weekly modules contain an embedded activity within the online lecture content. In these activities you will be asked to make a post reflecting on a question or sharing relevant personal experiences. The online participation score is based on your level of engagement with these weekly activities.
  • Feedback: Online Participation scores will be available on iLearn at the end of semester.

 

Late assignment submission

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 7 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 requests for extensions for assignments must be made via the University’s Ask MQ System (as outlined in the Special Consideration Policy).

Delivery and Resources

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Any references to on-campus delivery below may no longer be relevant due to COVID-19.

Please check here for updated delivery information: https://ask.mq.edu.au/account/pub/display/unit_status

The lectures will be fully online via iLearn, with interactive activities, and each topic in the course will be delivered by experts in the field of cognitive science. It is essential that students have adequate access to the internet as most of the course material and activities are accessed online in the form of:

  • Video interviews
  • Audio and video lectures
  • Unit readings (note that there is no prescribed textbook for this unit)
  • Online activities and quizzes
  • Online database research
  • Participation in online discussion forums

Access to a reasonably fast internet connection would be ideal, given the large amount of video content. Also, please note that in order to access Resources and Activities in your online unit, you will need a browser such as Firefox or Chrome. iLearn will operate on the following browsers, it is recommended that you upgrade your browser to the most recent version:

  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
  • Internet Explorer 8 or later

Unit Schedule

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

The unit schedule/topics and any references to on-campus delivery below may no longer be relevant due to COVID-19. Please consult iLearn for latest details, and check here for updated delivery information: https://ask.mq.edu.au/account/pub/display/unit_status

  • Topic 1: Dyslexia
  • Topic 2: Aphasia
  • Topic 3: Specific Language Impairment
  • Topic 4: Agnosia
  • Topic 5: Amnesia
  • Topic 6: Autism
  • Topic 7: Disorders of the Self
  • Topic 8:Delusions
  • Topic 9: Modelling Delusions With Hypnosis
  • Topic 10: Schizophrenia
  • Topic 11: Synaesthesia

Note that the lectures for all topics are fully online and are accessible through the relevant section on the iLearn page.

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:

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 help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

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.