Late submissions will receive a 5% per day penalty including weekends and public holidays. If you submit the assessment task 10 days or more beyond the due date, without an approved extension, you will be awarded a maximum of 50% of the overall assessment marks.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).

For written assignments, there will be 5% leeway in the word limit (e.g., up to 100 words over 2000), but beyond that you will be penalised 5% of your report mark for every further 100 words over the limit.

Professor Anina Rich is the Convenor of the course. The course is taught through lectures and tutorials with support from web-based resources such as iLearn and the Active Learning Platform.

This unit involves essential on campus learning activities which will be delivered in accordance with a COVID Safe plan. You will be expected to attend relevant on campus activities unless the Public Health Order and/or University advice changes. Given the current COVID situation in NSW, all lectures for this unit will be delivered via Zoom (see iLearn for the link). It is likely that the first few tutorials will have to be transferred to online (via Zoom) also but that we will return to on-campus tutorials later in the Session. Please see the iLearn site for week-to-week information.

Please check eStudent to see which tutorial you are enrolled in, or if you want to change tutorial times.

With online lectures and activities, please make sure you have a microphone and webcam so that you can fully engage. You can blur your background if you like to maintain privacy. Please respect other people's privacy during these interactions - you must not record any video or audio of interactions during this course.

The lectures will include interactive activities using the Active Learning Platform within iLearn, which you will access on your own internet-enabled device. We will also have discussion groups, demonstrations of methods, and opportunities for questions. You are strongly encouraged to attend the lectures 'live' as then you can fully engage with the interactive aspects and have the opportunity to ask questions/engage in discussion.

The tutorials are a combination of research-intensive laboratory sessions, scientific method and writing training, and content review. They are designed to consolidate your learning from the seminars and learn other key skills required to complete the assessments, giving you research training in collecting, analysing and interpreting behavioural and neural data. The tutorials and assessments will support development of scientific written communication skills and an understanding of important aspects of experimental design and practice.

Attending both seminars and tutorials is crucial for doing well in COGS2040. The iLearn discussion board allows students to discuss topics in greater depth, to provide peer support, and to access additional learning resources and examples. There are opportunities to get feedback during the course including through the in-tutorial quizzes and the major Experimental Report; you can also get feedback on your understanding of key concepts during tutorials through interactions with your tutor, and during seminars with your lecturer.

Delivery

The timetable for lectures & tutorials can be found on the University web site at: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/

Lectures are held weekly (1.5 hours), starting in Week 1. Please check http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/ for time and iLearn for the Zoom link and password. Lecture recordings will be available via Echo360. Lectures will include interactive & small group activities.

Tutorials are held weekly (1.5 hours), starting in Week 1. Please check eStudent for the time and location of your tutorial. For weeks where we have to be online, the Zoom link and password will be available in iLearn.

Due to restrictions on the availability of resources in the laboratory and to health and safety regulations you should attend the tutorial to which you have been assigned. Although students might be able to occasionally attend a different tutorial, most classes are likely to be full, in which case those not attending their assigned tutorial will be asked to leave. Under these circumstances, no special provisions will be made for attendance at an alternative tutorial class.

Requests for tutorial changes: Changes to tutorials need to be done online via eStudent only. After week 2, no further changes will be made unless supporting documentation about the reason for changing is provided and there is space in the tutorial you wish to enrol in. Please note that changes to tutorials cannot be made by the unit convenor or tutor.

Readings

There is no set textbook for this unit. Instead, you will be asked to read a few relevant papers each week. The readings will be listed in iLearn and available via Leganto.

iLearn

You will need access to a computer that can reliably connect to the internet to access the unit's iLearn page. Through iLearn you will be able to attend the lectures (the Zoom link will be posted there for each week), access the interactive activities (Active Learning Platform) during lectures, lecture recordings (Echo360), additional readings, and feedback and marks for the assessment tasks. You are also required to submit one of the assessment tasks (Experimental Report) via iLearn, using the Turnitin submission tool. Please allow time to familiarise yourself with how to access iLearn and how to submit a Turnitin assignment.

Who can I ask if I have questions about the unit?

Your tutor can answer most of the questions that you may have about the unit, including questions about the unit in general and specific questions about the tutorials. If you experience difficulty in this unit, you should approach your tutor first. You can get in touch with your tutor before or after your tutorial, via email, or via the dialogue tool on iLearn. Please note that your tutor is your first point of contact for any of these questions.

For content questions, please ask your tutor first, then if they are unable to answer, contact the unit convenor via email. You can make an appointment via email to see Prof. Rich.

Do I need to look at iLearn? (short answer: Yes!)

iLearn will have the Zoom link for the lectures, and updates regarding the plan for each week's tutorial, so you need to look at it often.

You should check the iLearn web site at regular intervals for announcements, online quizzes, lecture slides, examples of relevant phenomena in picture, video and sound files and other supplementary learning materials. It also features a discussion board on which you may converse with other students about course material, or any other legitimate business related to COGS2040. The iLearn site also has the readings and the link to the Active Learning Platform activities for during the lecture as well as the links to Echo360, which will have the lecture recordings. The feedback and marks for the assessment tasks are also delivered via iLearn. It is recommended that you visit this site regularly and make full use of the facilities.

What does it take to do well in COGS2040?

You are expected to pay close attention to all lectures and to take notes to aid your retention of the material. Although Echo360 will be invaluable when attendance is impossible, it is recommended that you attend all lectures live at the scheduled time, particularly as we incorporate interactive activities, discussion and demonstrations within the lectures. Attending the lectures will help you keep up with the course and ensure you have all the information prior to your tutorial, which is how the course is designed to run. Review of the material (individually, or in group sessions) in the your own time will be essential to consolidate knowledge and enhance understanding.

Required reading should be completed before the relevant lecture. You will get a lot more out of each seminar and tutorial if you have completed the reading beforehand.

You also need to attend and engage with the tutorials, completing all the activities and making the most of the opportunities to develop research skills and consolidate understanding of the lecture and tutorial content.

Note: Assessment will be based on the successful understanding of material from lectures, tutorials and from the required reading. Please note that rote learning alone is unlikely to be a successful strategy, as the assessments will test for deeper appreciation of the course material in a variety of formats. Simply remembering the “facts” will not suffice. You need to demonstrate your understanding of the principles, and demonstrate the ability to apply such understanding in new contexts.

What material is examinable?

Questions on the mid-semester exam will come from topics covered during lectures, required readings and tutorials from the preceding weeks. Any additional supplementary readings are not directly examined but are likely to deepen and support your understanding of key concepts described in the lecture. The final exam will be cumulative, covering content from lectures, required readings and tutorials from the whole course.

How do I upload my assignment via iLearn?

You are required to submit your Experimental Report via iLearn, using the Turnitin submission tool. Please use the step-to-step guide on how to submit a Turnitin assignment.

What if I need an extension, medical leave and/or have a disruption to my studies?

The way the written assignment is structured should assist you in preparing the Experimental Report in time for the deadline. If you have an unavoidable situation where you need an extension, please note that it is your responsibility to notify the University of a disruption to your studies. Your tutor and convenor cannot give you an extension or special consideration - all requests for extensions, medical leave and/or disruption to studies should be made prior to the due date for the assignment directly via the University’s online Ask MQ system (as outlined in the Special Consideration Policy).

It is the right of each student to learn in an environment that is free of disruption and distraction. Please arrive to all classes on time, and if you are unavoidably detained, please enter the tutorial as quietly as possible to minimise disruption. Phones, pagers, and other electronic devices that produce noise and other distractions must be turned off prior to entering class. Where your own device (e.g., laptop) is being used for class-related activities such as accessing the Active Learning Platform activities, you are asked to close down all other applications to avoid distraction to you and others.

COGS2040 includes data and videos of human patients with brain damage and animal research. It is also a research-intensive course, involving delicate experimental equipment and data collection from other students. Please treat both the equipment and your fellow students with the utmost respect. If you are uncomfortable participating in any specific activity, please let your tutor know.

COVID safety precautions are in place for the in-person tutorials. Please make sure you follow all the guidelines carefully.

Statement on social inclusion and diversity

Social inclusion at Macquarie University is about giving everyone who has the potential to benefit from higher education the opportunity to study at university, participate in campus life and flourish in their chosen field. The University has made significant moves to promote an equitable, diverse and exciting campus community for the benefit of staff and students. It is your responsibility to contribute towards the development of an inclusive culture and practice in the areas of learning and teaching, research, and service orientation and delivery. As a member of the Macquarie University community, you must not discriminate against or harass others on the basis of their sex, gender, race, marital status, carers' responsibilities, disability, sexual orientation, age, political conviction or religious belief. All lecturers, tutors and students are expected to display appropriate behaviour that is conducive to a healthy learning environment for everyone. The Unit Convenor is an active supporter of equity and diversity at Macquarie University, including being a member of the Ally network, and is happy to provide additional support if needed.