Students

BIOL1320 – Biological Basis of Behaviour

2020 – Session 2, Online with attendance for exam, North Ryde

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.

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Ken Cheng
Kate Barry
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
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.

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 basic functioning of the nervous system in animals, including the senses
  • ULO2: Explain the principles of evolution by natural selection and sexual selection
  • ULO3: Demonstrate an understanding of basic concepts and principles in genetics, epigenetics, perception, learning, human evolution, explanations in animal behaviour, and the topics on the nature of science, ethics, study skills, animal behaviour and on evolution and human behaviour presented in the unit
  • ULO4: Apply knowledge and skills to collect, analyse, and interpret scientific data including those presented in graphic form
  • ULO5: Extract key points from scientific papers and other forms of presentation and accurately communicate these to a general audience
  • ULO6: Comment critically on scientific papers and other forms of presentation with regard to life on our planet today

Assessment Tasks

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

final examination

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: exam period
Weighting: 35%

 

examination in the final exam period

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe the basic functioning of the nervous system in animals, including the senses
  • Explain the principles of evolution by natural selection and sexual selection
  • Demonstrate an understanding of basic concepts and principles in genetics, epigenetics, perception, learning, human evolution, explanations in animal behaviour, and the topics on the nature of science, ethics, study skills, animal behaviour and on evolution and human behaviour presented in the unit

Essay

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.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply knowledge and skills to collect, analyse, and interpret scientific data including those presented in graphic form
  • Extract key points from scientific papers and other forms of presentation and accurately communicate these to a general audience
  • Comment critically on scientific papers and other forms of presentation with regard to life on our planet today

Participation in pracs

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).

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe the basic functioning of the nervous system in animals, including the senses
  • Explain the principles of evolution by natural selection and sexual selection
  • Demonstrate an understanding of basic concepts and principles in genetics, epigenetics, perception, learning, human evolution, explanations in animal behaviour, and the topics on the nature of science, ethics, study skills, animal behaviour and on evolution and human behaviour presented in the unit
  • Apply knowledge and skills to collect, analyse, and interpret scientific data including those presented in graphic form
  • Extract key points from scientific papers and other forms of presentation and accurately communicate these to a general audience
  • Comment critically on scientific papers and other forms of presentation with regard to life on our planet today

Lab 2 quiz

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

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply knowledge and skills to collect, analyse, and interpret scientific data including those presented in graphic form

quizzes in textbook

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

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe the basic functioning of the nervous system in animals, including the senses
  • Explain the principles of evolution by natural selection and sexual selection
  • Demonstrate an understanding of basic concepts and principles in genetics, epigenetics, perception, learning, human evolution, explanations in animal behaviour, and the topics on the nature of science, ethics, study skills, animal behaviour and on evolution and human behaviour presented in the unit

brief comments

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 3 hours
Due: Week 3
Weighting: 2%

 

Brief comments on a short video

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Extract key points from scientific papers and other forms of presentation and accurately communicate these to a general audience
  • Comment critically on scientific papers and other forms of presentation with regard to life on our planet today

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

All lecture modules online, prerecorded, on iLearn and in Echo.

Pracs recorded, do-it-yourself style.

Unit Schedule

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!

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.

Changes from Previous Offering

All lecture modules pre-recorded and online. Do-it-yourself style with pracs that are recorded.