Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Ken Cheng
Kate Barry
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---|---|
Credit points |
Credit points
10
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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
BIOL1320 is a suitable introductory science course of interest for all students, designed for the 'free' zone. Canvassing a range of topics relevant to today's society in a manner accessible to all students, this journey teaches students the skills to communicate to a general audience. In contents, it offers an integrative approach to the amazing world of behaviour. Basic mechanisms are covered, together with function and evolution. Lecture topics include explanations of behaviour, evolution, evolutionary origins of behaviour, basic neuroscience, perception, learning, brain and behaviour, and topics in animal behaviour. Lectures culminate with some reflections on the lives of humans in our modern world and the role of culture in human evolution. |
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 |
---|---|---|---|
final examination | 35% | No | exam period |
Essay | 29% | No | Week 5; Midsemester week 1; Week 10 |
Participation in pracs | 5% | No | Week 5; Midsemester week 1; Week 10 |
Lab 2 quiz | 2% | No | Week 11 |
quizzes in textbook | 27% | Yes | Various weeks |
brief comments | 2% | No | Week 3 |
Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: exam period
Weighting: 35%
examination in the final exam period
Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: Week 5; Midsemester week 1; Week 10
Weighting: 29%
You will develop an essay summarising a scientific article. The essay will be developed and submitted in steps, with feedback given at each step. You will be expected to incorporate the feedback into the next draft.
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 0 hours
Due: Week 5; Midsemester week 1; Week 10
Weighting: 5%
Submitting certain tasks in pracs, tasks that are not graded for quality, that is, assessed as done (gaining all allotted marks) or not done (no allotted marks at all).
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 1 hours
Due: Week 11
Weighting: 2%
quiz in iLearn on reading information from graphs in scientific articles
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 4 hours
Due: Various weeks
Weighting: 27%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)
quiz questions in each chapter of the e-textbook
Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 3 hours
Due: Week 3
Weighting: 2%
Brief comments on a short video
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
All lecture modules online, prerecorded, on iLearn and in Echo.
Pracs recorded, do-it-yourself style.
All lecture modules online, prerecorded, on iLearn and in Echo.
Pracs in Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12.
Week 1 Course contents, the nature of science, ethics, and study skills
Week 2 Brief history, Tinbergen's 'why' questions
Week 3 Evolution: Darwin, Evolution on a small scale
Week 4 Evolution on a large scale, Evolution of behaviour
Week 5 Genetics, Epigenetics, Neuroscience
Week 6 Neuroscience, Senses
Week 7 Perception, Learning 1
Week 8 Learning 2, Animal behaviour 1
Week 9 Animal behaviour 2, Communication
Week 10 Sexual selection, Human evolution
Week 11 Human behaviour: family, sociality, behavioural economic games, gene-culture co-evolution
Week 12 Darwinian psychiatry, Guns, Germs, and Steel
Week 13 Course song!
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).
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 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
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 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.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
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
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.
All lecture modules pre-recorded and online. Do-it-yourself style with pracs that are recorded.