Students

PSYM7761 – Advanced Issues in Physiological Psychology

2023 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Christina Perry
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MRes
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
PSYH4461
Unit description Unit description
The aims of this seminar are to introduce and develop students' understanding and awareness of current topics in contemporary neuroscience. Students will develop the ability to critically evaluate, present and discuss research papers. This seminar series will cover a wide range of topics in the field of neuroscience such as neural stem cell research, transgenic research, neural basis of emotions, anxiety disorders, depression and drug addiction. Essay and presentation topics will be allocated or guided by the students' own interest in neuroscience.

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: Be able to express a basic understanding of the fundamentals of brain function with reference to physiology and pharmacology.
  • ULO2: Apply knowledge of brain function to understanding the underpinnings of mental illness, neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases
  • ULO3: Critically analyse journal articles on mental illness, neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases based on their methodological design, reasoning and data
  • ULO4: Clearly and efficiently communicate the reasoning, methodological design, and outcome of a research paper

General Assessment Information

 

Grade descriptors and other information concerning grading are contained in the Macquarie University Assessment Policy.

All final grades are determined by a grading committee, in accordance with the Macquarie University Assessment Policy, and are not the sole responsibility of the Unit Convenor. 

Students will bea awarded a final grade and a mark which must correspond to the grade descriptors specified in the Assessment Procedure (clause 128). 

To pass this unit, you must demonstrate sufficient evidence of achievement of the learning outcomes, meet any ungraded requirements, and achieve a final mark of 50 or better. 

Further details for each assessment task will be available on iLearn.

Essay

Topics for the essay will be provided via iLearn on Monday 20th March (Week 5).  Students may select one from three possible questions. Please submit a copy or your essay via the turnitin link in iLearn. Essays will be returned by the end of Week 10.

A copy of the assignment must be kept as proof that the assignment was completed and submitted. Assignments will not be accepted after the return of marked assignments.

Late Submissions: Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penatly (OF THE TOTAL POSSIBLE MARK) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of '0' will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11:55 pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical concern. 

For example:

Number of days (hours) late

Total Possible Marks

Deduction

Raw mark

Final mark

1 day (1-24 hours)

100

5

75

70

2 days (24-48 hours)

100

10

75

65

3 days (48-72 hours)

100

15

75

60

7 days (144-168 hours)

100

35

75

40

>7 days (>168 hours)

100

-

75

0

 

 

Penalty for exceeding word limit: For each 100 words over the word limit a penalty of 5% will be applied (i.e.you have 99 words on page 9 before penalty). This means that for this assignment that is worth 50%, a 5% penalty will result in the loss of 5% (0.05) x 50 = 2.5 marks from the total mark (50) for the assignment.

Research Presentation

Oral presentations will be made during the allocated class time (Tuesday 4-7pm).  Topics will be allocated in week 1, however specific papers will be allocated in class the week prior to the scheduled presentation. Thus all students have one week to prepare their research presentation. Timing is included in the assessment rubric, and marks will be deducted for any presentations that exceed the allocated time. 

Late submission of time sensitive tasks, such as scheduled performance assessments/presentations, will be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application.  

Student Participation/Quiz

All students will be expected to read the allocated papers prior to class, regardless of whether or not they are presenting. Following each presentation there will be 5-10 minutes of questions and discussion, and all students will be expected to contribute to this discussion. There will be an online quiz in week 7 and 13, which will be made available at 8pm on the Tuesday of the corresponding week (shortly following the scheduled class). The quizzes will not be timed, but all responses will be submitted automatically at 11:55 on Friday of that week. Questions, which may take the format of short answer or multiple choice, will be drawn from materials covered in oral presentations, class discussion and research papers.

Late submission of time sensitive tasks, such as timetabled tests, will be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application, however no further submissions will be accepted once the outcomes have been released.  

Special Consideration

If you are unable to complete an assessment task on or by the specified date due to circumstances that are unexpected, unavoidable, significantly disruptive and beyond your control, you may apply for special consideration in accordance with the special consideration policy. Applications for special consideration must be supported by appropriate evidence and submitted via AskMQ.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Research Presentation 35% No 28/05/2023
Essay 50% No One of weeks 2-13
Quiz 15% No Week 7 and Week 13

Research Presentation

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 28/05/2023
Weighting: 35%

 

Students will critically analyse a relevant research paper and present and discuss their argument with the class.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Be able to express a basic understanding of the fundamentals of brain function with reference to physiology and pharmacology.
  • Apply knowledge of brain function to understanding the underpinnings of mental illness, neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases
  • Critically analyse journal articles on mental illness, neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases based on their methodological design, reasoning and data
  • Clearly and efficiently communicate the reasoning, methodological design, and outcome of a research paper

Essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 47 hours
Due: One of weeks 2-13
Weighting: 50%

 

Students are required to submit an essay critically evaluating research topics on an advanced physiological psychology issue.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Be able to express a basic understanding of the fundamentals of brain function with reference to physiology and pharmacology.
  • Apply knowledge of brain function to understanding the underpinnings of mental illness, neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases
  • Critically analyse journal articles on mental illness, neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases based on their methodological design, reasoning and data
  • Clearly and efficiently communicate the reasoning, methodological design, and outcome of a research paper

Quiz

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Week 7 and Week 13
Weighting: 15%

 

Multiple quizzes will be held online and will assess material covered in oral presentations, class discussions, and research papers that are read prior to class.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Be able to express a basic understanding of the fundamentals of brain function with reference to physiology and pharmacology.
  • Apply knowledge of brain function to understanding the underpinnings of mental illness, neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases
  • Critically analyse journal articles on mental illness, neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases based on their methodological design, reasoning and data

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

 As a student enrolled in this unit, you will engage in a range of face-to-face and online learning activies, including reading, in-class presentations and class discussions. 13 x 3-hour classes are scheduled as face-to-face and will include in-class discussion. These are an essential part of PSYH4461/PSYCM7761 and cannot be delivered online. All students are therefore required to come to campus to participate in these sessions. If you are unable to attend class in person due to unavoidable reasons (quarantine, illness, etc.), you should consult the convenor, and if appropriate apply for Special Consideration through AskMQ. Reasonable adjustments will be made for students with approved special consideration.

Reading Material

Throughout the semester, journal articles will be assigned to individual students to analyse and present in class. All students are expected to read these articles even if they are not presenting that week, since questions in the quizzes may be drawn from the assigned articles. These articles are all available online through the Macquarie University Library, and specific links will be made available in iLearn each week. 

Technology Used

Active participation in the learning activities throughout the unit will require students to have access to a table, laptop, or similar device. Students who do not own their own laptop computer may borrow one through the university library.

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/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

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

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

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

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.

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 based on their sex, gender, race, marital status, carers' responsibilities, disability, sexual orientation, age, political conviction or religious belief. All staff and students are expected to display appropriate behaviour that is conducive to a healthy learning environment for everyone.

Professionalism

In the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, professionalism is a key capability embedded in all our courses.

As part of developing professionalism, students are expected to attend all small group interactive sessions including clinical, practical, laboratory, work-integrated learning (e.g., PACE placements), and team-based learning activities. Some learning activities are recorded (e.g., face-to-face lectures), however you are encouraged to avoid relying upon such material as they do not recreate the whole learning experience and technical issues can and do occur. As an adult learner, we respect your decision to choose how you engage with your learning, but we would remind you that the learning opportunities we create for you have been done so to enable your success, and that by not engaging you may impact your ability to successfully complete this unit. We equally expect that you show respect for the academic staff who have worked hard to develop meaningful activities and prioritise your learning by communicating with them in advance if you are unable to attend a small group interactive session.

Another dimension of professionalism is having respect for your peers. It is the right of every student to learn in an environment that is free of disruption and distraction. Please arrive to all learning activities on time, and if you are unavoidably detained, please join activity as quietly as possible to minimise disruption. Phones 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, you are asked to close down all other applications to avoid distraction to you and others. Please treat your fellow students with the utmost respect. If you are uncomfortable participating in any specific activity, please let the relevant academic know.


Unit information based on version 2023.02 of the Handbook