This unit will have 12 two-hour lectures (No lectures for week 9) and 10 one-hour tutorials (No tutorials for weeks 1, 7 and 9).

For online students, online discussion forums take the place of weekly face-to-face tutorials. As a rule, then, you should plan to spend about an hour each week responding to the discussion questions and to your classmates' posts, and devising your own questions and discussion points in response to the set readings for each week. 

Class participation marking criteria:

• Outstanding contributor: Contributions in class reflect extensive preparation. Ideas offered are usually substantive; provide major insights and direction for class discussion. Challenges are substantiated and persuasive. Makes an important contribution to class discussion overall.
• Good contributor: Contributions in class reflect thorough preparation. Ideas offered are often substantive; provide useful insights and some direction for class discussion. Challenges are substantiated and often persuasive. Makes a significant contribution to class discussion overall.
• Adequate contributor: Contributions in class reflect adequate preparation. Ideas offered are sometimes substantive; provide some insight but rarely offer direction for class discussion. Challenges are sometimes presented, substantiated and persuasive. Makes a contribution to class discussion overall.
• Unsatisfactory contributor: Contributions in class reflect inadequate preparation. Ideas offered are rarely substantive; rarely provide insight but do not offer useful direction for class discussion. Contributions may be distractions rather than constructive. Does not make a positive contribution to class discussion overall.
• Non-participant: This person says little or nothing in class. There is not an adequate basis for evaluation. Makes no contribution to discussion.

(Adapted from Tyler, J. (2004) Class Participation Assessment Guide. Department of Education, Brown University).

Grading: Students will receive a grade for participation at the end of term. Interim report will be given on week 7.

A multiple-choice online quiz need to be answered for weeks 4, 7 and 13. Questions will be based on the weekly required readings. Quiz opens Friday 5pm for weeks 4, 7 and 13 and closes 48 hours later. 

Assessment:

This assessment task will be assessed by the following criteria set out in the following learning outcomes:

1. A working knowledge of some of the current major issues connecting philosophy, evolutionary biology and culture. 
2. The ability to understand and critically evaluate the theories and arguments studied, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and develop an appreciation of the ways in which these positions have developed in response to identification of problems in other view.
3. An ability to understand and critically evaluate theories and arguments in the philosophy of biology.
4. An ability to express and expound the existing positions studied clearly and lucidly.
5. Students should start to develop their own philosophically informed views on the issues studied and defend their views, clearly and courteously in response to critical evaluation from others in discussion and in writing.

Grading: Students have to submit answers to all quiz question for weeks 4, 7 and 13. 

Grade: Between 1 to 100. 

Students will write a 500-word plan or outline for their essay. This will contain the main thesis, arguments and evidence to support it, potential objections and reply to these objection, a summary and a list of references. A guide for how to write such a plan will be made available on iLearn.

Assessment:

This assessment task will be assessed by the following criteria set out in the following learning outcomes:

1. A working knowledge of some of the current major issues connecting philosophy, evolutionary biology and culture. 
2. The ability to understand and critically evaluate the theories and arguments studied, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and develop an appreciation of the ways in which these positions have developed in response to identification of problems in other view.
3. An ability to understand and critically evaluate theories and arguments in the philosophy of biology.
4. An ability to express and expound the existing positions studied clearly and lucidly.
5. Students should start to develop their own philosophically informed views on the issues studied and defend their views, clearly and courteously in response to critical evaluation from others in discussion and in writing.

Submission Instructions: Your essay plan should be submitted online via Turnitin. A link to Turnitin will be available on iLearn.

Feedback: Convenors/lecturers/tutors will provide detailed feedback within a week of submission to help students improve their final essay.

Grading:  0 to 10%.

Students will write a research essay of 2,000 words which provides a careful critical examination, based on reasons, argumentation and evidence, of one of the topics covered in the course. A list of essay questions will be made available on iLearn. There will be a guide on how to write a successful essay on iLearn.

Assessment: This assessment task will be assessed by the following criteria set out in the following learning outcomes:

1. A working knowledge of some of the current major issues connecting philosophy, evolutionary biology and culture. 
2. The ability to understand and critically evaluate the theories and arguments studied, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and develop an appreciation of the ways in which these positions have developed in response to identification of problems in other views
3. An ability to understand and critically evaluate theories and arguments in the philosophy of biology.
4. An ability to express and expound the existing positions studied clearly and lucidly
5. Students should start to develop their own philosophically informed views on the issues studied and defend their views, clearly and courteously in response to critical evaluation from others in discussion and in writing

Submission via Turnitin, with link on iLearn.

Grading: Students will receive a grade out of 100 for the paper. A grading rubric will be available on iLearn.