Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Adam Stow
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Credit points |
Credit points
10
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
130cp at 1000 level or above including BIOL2110
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
Ongoing advances in molecular technology, statistics and bioinformatics have revolutionized our ability to gather and apply genetic information. This unit deals with the distribution of genetic variation among individuals, populations and species, and the relevance of such variation to evolutionary processes. Specific topics include selection and adaptive potential; mutation; inbreeding; population divergence; speciation; effective population size and extinction risk. Approaches to the study of genetic variation are explored at levels ranging from pedigree analysis to molecular genomics. Particular emphasis is placed on the importance of evolutionary genetics to the conservation, management and restoration of wild populations. Learning in this unit enhances student understanding of global challenges identified by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) Life on Land |
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:
To pass this unit you must achieve a total mark equal to or greater than 50% We strongly encourage all students to actively participate in all learning activities. Regular engagement is crucial for your success in this unit, as these activities provide opportunities to deepen your understanding of the material, collaborate with peers, and receive valuable feedback from instructors, to assist in completing the unit assessments. Your active participation not only enhances your own learning experience but also contributes to a vibrant and dynamic learning environment for everyone. Late Assessment Submission Penalty Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark of the task) will be applied for each day a written report or presentation 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. The submission time for all uploaded assessments is 11:55 pm. A 1-hour grace period will be provided to students who experience a technical concern. For any late submission of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, and/or scheduled practical assessments/labs, please apply for Special Consideration. The Special Consideration Policy aims to support students who have been impacted by short-term circumstances or events that are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive, and which may affect their performance in assessment. If you experience circumstances or events that affect your ability to complete the assessments in this unit on time, please inform the convenor and submit a Special Consideration request through https://connect.mq.edu.au.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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Scientific Report | 20% | No | Week 11 |
Commentary Article | 5% | Yes | Week 3 |
Seminar | 15% | No | 29/4/2025 |
Problem Tests | 30% | No | Weeks 6 and 13 |
Final Examination | 30% | No | TBA |
Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 34 hours
Due: Week 11
Weighting: 20%
You are required to prepare a scientific manuscript based on the data analysed in the practical class. Further information, discussion and resources (including a marking rubric) will be provided prior to and during the practical class.
Assessment Type 1: Professional writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 6 hours
Due: Week 3
Weighting: 5%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)
You are required to write a short commentary article on a published paper dealing with genetic variation and conservation. This will require a short literature search to identify a relevant paper from among the leading journals in conservation genetics (incl. Science, Nature, PNAS, PLOS biology, Evolution, Molecular Ecology, Conservation Biology, Conservation Genetics + many others). You should then familiarize yourself with the paper and its methodologies and write a commentary in the style of those appearing in the ‘Perspectives’ section of the journal Science. This is an early assessment task, with assessment criteria weighted for participation and genuine effort (given the early stage of unit material delivery).You willsubmit this assignment via TURNITIN.
Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 8 hours
Due: 29/4/2025
Weighting: 15%
You are required to give an oral presentation using Powerpoint, based on one to several topical research paper(s) in conservation/ecological genetics. Conference presentations are a primary means of communicating knowledge in science, and these sessions will be conducted in the manner of a formal scientific conference. Time limits will be strictly enforced, and will constitute part of the assessment criteria for this task.
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 16 hours
Due: Weeks 6 and 13
Weighting: 30%
Students will submit two mathematical problem sets based practical work.
Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 38 hours
Due: TBA
Weighting: 30%
You will be tested on your knowledge of course content, including information from all lectures and practical class, plus prescribed reading from the textbook (Frankham et al.) and other sources.
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
Lectures will be mostly given live online (via zoom) with recordings available via ECHO. In some instances the lecture will be pre-recorded and the convenor will be available via zoom to discuss during the scheduled lecture time (check ilearn for details). Tutorials will be face-to-face and online. Resources will be made available via ilearn.
Week 1 Lectures commence (first two lectures are pre recorded)
Practicals/Tutorials commence week 3
We will communicate with you via your university email and through announcements on iLearn. Queries to convenors can either be placed on the iLearn discussion board or sent to the unit convenor via the contact email on iLearn.
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.
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 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 connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
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.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Academic Success 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.
Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:
Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.
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.
We value student feedback to be able to continually improve the way we offer our units. As such we encourage students to provide constructive feedback via student surveys, to the teaching staff directly, or via the FSE Student Experience & Feedback link in the iLearn page
Date | Description |
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20/02/2025 | The due date for the seminars has been changed |
Unit information based on version 2025.05 of the Handbook