Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Laura Hurley
Contact via BIOL260@mq.edu.au
Julian May
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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
This unit is designed to appeal to a broad diversity of students, from those studying science to those in anthropology, arts, communication, education, psychology, sociology, etc. Indeed, we hope it will engage all students with an active interest in being alive! A scientific background is not required for students taking this unit, but we hope to provide students with a scientific approach to understanding sex. This unit takes a broad approach, using examples (some quite bizarre) from the animal and plant worlds. At the same time, it covers in depth the sexual biology and behavioural science of our own intriguing species.
All enrolment queries should be directed to Open Universities Australia (OUA): see www.open.edu.au
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.open.edu.au/student-admin-and-support/key-dates/
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
---|---|---|---|
Science Skills Quiz (Quiz 1) | 0% | No | Week 4 |
Textbook questions | 20% | No | every fortnight |
Poster assessment | 25% | No | Week 10 |
Peer Review | 5% | No | Week 12 |
Weekly Quizzes | 50% | No | Every Week |
Due: Week 4
Weighting: 0%
Workshop and Online Quizzes.
Workshop: provides information necessary for all assessments in this unit. Everyone should complete this and the quiz to demonstrate your grasp of what is needed for the assessments.
Quiz: 10 questions test your general science skills knowledge eg. referencing, plagiarism, basic science communication, library searches. Anyone can complete to test baseline knowledge. Students with no science background are recommended to first read Section One before attempting.
THREE ATTEMPTS TO PASS.
Due: every fortnight
Weighting: 20%
Answers to set questions submitted as a blog post.
2% each Topic, 4% each submission.
Due every fortnight -
Topic 2-3: end of week 4
Topic 4-5: end of week 6
Topic 6-7: end of week 8
Topic 8-9: end of week 10
Topic 10-11: end of week 12
Due: Week 10
Weighting: 25%
Based on a real data set (provided in iLearn), the idea is to take on the role of the researcher and present the research findings as if they are your own.
20% mark comes from convener
5% comes from your peers
Due: Week 12
Weighting: 5%
Marking your peer's posters!
You will be randomly allocated five peer posters and will be required to them online in iLearn.
Your ability to mark appropriately (compared to other students and the convener) will be graded.
Due: Every Week
Weighting: 50%
10 Quizzes for topics 2-11 (5% each) all are open from the beginning of semester.
Quizzes are due weekly, with a week’s quiz due by the end of the following week i.e. Week 2 Quiz is due before end of Week 3.
Quizzes test your knowledge of the content from the corresponding lectures.
You have only one attempt at each quiz!
Quizzes are timed with ~20 Questions to be completed in 25 min. A variety of question types are included, for example multiple choice, true/false, short answer matching.
Three lectures per week are delivered in person to on campus students. These lectures - audio with slides - will become available online on iLearn Echo360 ~1hr after recorded. Lecture slides will be posted in advanced.
2018 S2 times
Lecture 1 Thursday 12-1pm
Lecture 2 Thursday 1-2pm
Lecture 3 Friday 12-1pm
Textbook
This textbook was designed specifically for BIOL260, and you can purchase an ebook of the 4thedition from the publisher ($60) https://www.mheducation.com.au/9781308874012-aus-cust-ebook-the-science-of-sex-4e. Much of the lecture material corresponds with chapters in the text, and the associated readings and questions are taken directly from this book. There are also many hardcopies copies held in the reserve section of the library. Hardcopy were not ordered by Coop Bookshop this year, however the used second, third and fourth hardcopy editions are suitable for this unit, but the first edition is not.
Lectures denoted with * are prerecorded
Lecture |
Session Week |
Date 2018 |
Lecturer |
Specific topic |
1 |
1 |
2-Aug |
Lori H |
Unit outline |
2 |
1 |
2-Aug |
Lori H |
Assessment |
3 |
1 |
3-Aug |
Lori H |
Evolution |
4 |
2 |
9-Aug |
Mike G |
Why have sex? |
5 |
2 |
9-Aug |
Mike G |
Sex determination |
6 |
2 |
10-Aug |
Mike G |
Gonad development |
7 |
3 |
16-Aug |
Mike G |
Development of human genitalia |
8 |
3 |
16-Aug |
Mike G |
Hormones, cycles, puberty, pregnancy |
9 |
3 |
17-Aug |
Mike G |
Gametes, fertilisation, contraception |
10 |
4 |
23-Aug |
Mike G |
Love, neurobiology and orgasm |
11 |
4 |
23-Aug |
Mike G |
Sexually transmitted infections |
12 |
4 |
24-Aug |
Mike G |
Human mate choice |
13 |
5 |
30-Aug |
Lori H |
Animal reproduction |
14 |
5 |
30-Aug |
Lori H |
Animal mating systems |
15 |
5 |
31-Aug |
Lori H |
Sexual selection & sex roles |
16 |
6 |
6-Sept |
Lori H |
Mate competition |
17 |
6 |
6-Sept |
Lori H |
Mate choice |
18 |
6 |
7-Sept |
Malin A |
Current views on sex roles* |
19 |
7 |
13-Sept |
Matt B |
Sexual signals I |
20 |
7 |
13-Sept |
Matt B |
Sexual signals II |
21 |
7 |
14-Sept |
Matt B |
Sexual signals III |
MID-SEMESTER BREAK |
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22 |
8 |
4-Oct |
Simon G |
Multiple mating & Genitalia* |
23 |
8 |
4-Oct |
Simon G |
Sperm competition* |
24 |
8 |
5-Oct |
Simon G |
Cryptic choice* |
25 |
9 |
11-Oct |
Simon G |
Sexual conflict & SAC* |
26 |
9 |
11-Oct |
-- |
No Lecture |
27 |
9 |
12-Oct |
Kate B |
Sexual cannibalism |
28 |
10 |
18-Oct |
Andy B |
Sexual diversity I |
29 |
10 |
18-Oct |
Andy B |
Sexual diversity II |
30 |
10 |
19-Oct |
Andy B |
Sexual diversity III |
31 |
11 |
25-Oct |
Brian A |
Plant reproduction I |
32 |
11 |
25-Oct |
Brian A |
Plant reproduction II |
33 |
11 |
26-Oct |
Julia C |
Sexual deception in orchids* |
34 |
12 |
1-Nov |
TBA |
TBA Fun lectures on sex research happening on campus |
35 |
12 |
2-Nov |
TBA |
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36 |
13 |
8-Nov |
TBA |
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37 |
13 |
9-Nov |
TBA |
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.
The University recognises that students may experience events or conditions that adversely affect their academic performance. If you experience serious and unavoidable difficulties at exam time or when assessment tasks are due, you can consider applying for Special Consideration.
You need to show that the circumstances:
If you feel that your studies have been impacted submit an application as follows:
Outcome
Once your submission is assessed, an appropriate outcome will be organised.
You can withdraw from your subjects prior to the census date (last day to withdraw). If you successfully withdraw before the census date, you won’t need to apply for Special Circumstances. If you find yourself unable to withdraw from your subjects before the census date - you might be able to apply for Special Circumstances. If you’re eligible, we can refund your fees and overturn your fail grade.
If you’re studying Single Subjects using FEE-HELP or paying up front, you can apply online.
If you’re studying a degree using HECS-HELP, you’ll need to apply directly to Macquarie University.
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:
Undergraduate 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 shown in iLearn, 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.
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 improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
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Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.
This graduate capability is supported by:
As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Date | Description |
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25/07/2018 | Again clarification to "workshop" and "quizzes", also have tailored and updated information about delivery for the OUA students. |
18/07/2018 | I have changed when online quizzes are due to better test student learning across the semester. Further, I have made minor updates to lecture schedule to remove a lecture that was added to past years content. |
11/07/2018 | The ebook link had changed and needs tone updated. |