Overview
Successful completion of this unit will provide students with an understanding of the diversity of life at the level of cells and whole organisms, together with an appreciation of a range of fundamental themes in contemporary biology, including biodiversity, ecology, heredity and evolution. In the practical component, students will gain hands-on experience of relevant laboratory and practical procedures.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2018
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Residential Schools
This unit has a Compulsory Residential School for distance mode students and the details are:
Click here to see your Residential School Timetable.
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Moodle course evaluation and student communication
Students found seeing and experiencing living organisms in their natural habitat during their field trip was beneficial in enhancing their understanding of the course material.
Recommend to continue to include a field trip as part of the practical learning component
Feedback from Moodle course evaluation
Students found the time limit on the theory quizzes too short.
The time limit will be increased to allow students more time with the quiz
Feedback from Moodle course evaluation and student communication
Students enjoyed the practical laboratory sessions which enhanced their theoretical knowledge.
Practical laboratory session to follow the same format being in line with the lecture material
Feedback from Moodle course evaluation and student communication
Students found the unit very information heavy with 3 hours of lecture material and a lot of reading.
Revisit unit structure and work load
- Describe the organization of living organisms at the cellular and whole organism level
- Explain the fundamentals of selected core themes, including cell theory, emergent properties, heredity, evolution and biodiversity and demonstrate their application across the biological and environmental sciences
- Describe the concepts underlying current understanding of the diversity and systematics of living organisms, using appropriate sources and terminology
- Carry out a range of laboratory and practical procedures relating to the diversity of life
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 10% | ||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 20% | ||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||
| 4 - Examination - 50% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 10% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 20% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||||||||
| 4 - Examination - 50% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Campbell Biology: Australian and New Zealand Edition
Edition: 10th (2015)
Authors: Reece, JB., Meyers, N., Urry, LA., Cain, ML., Wasserman, SA., Minorsky, PV., Jackson, RB & Cooke, BN.
Pearson Australia
Melbourne Melbourne , Victoria , Australia
ISBN: 9781486007042
Binding: Hardcover
Additional Textbook Information
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Electronic copies of the textbook will be available as an alternative to the hard copy.
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
j.wake@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to living systems
Heirarchy of classification
Evolution by natural selection
Chapter
Study Guide Topics 1, 2 & 3
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Cell theory
Prokaryotes
Chapter
Study Guide Topics 4 & 5
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Endosymbiosis
Protists and multicelluarity
Algae
Chapter
Study Guide Topics 6 & 7
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Plants move onto land - Bryophytes and Monilophytes
Chapter
Study Guide Topic 8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Gymnosperms and Angiosperms
Chapter
Study Guide Topic 9
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Aquatic macrophytes and the move back to water
Fungi
Chapter
Study Guide Topics 10 & 11
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Before the Bilateria
Platyhelminths and Nematodes
Chapter
Study Guide Topics 12 & 13
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Annelids
Molluscs
Chapter
Study Guide Topics 14 & 15
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Arthropods
Echinoderms
Chapter
Study Guide Topics 16 & 17
Events and Submissions/Topic
Bundaberg students will attend compulsory practical sessions from 8.30am to 4.30pm each day from Friday 11th to Sunday 13th May.
Module/Topic
Chordates and vertebrates
Mammals to humans
Chapter
Study Guide Topics 18 & 19
Events and Submissions/Topic
Mixed mode students will attend a compulsory residential school from Sunday 20th to Wednesday 23rd May including a field trip to North Keppel Island.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Mixed mode students will attend a compulsory residential school from Sunday 20th to Wednesday 23rd May including a field trip to North Keppel Island.
Rockhampton and Bundaberg students will attend a compulsory field trip to North Keppel Island on 24th May.
Geraldton students will attend a compulsory residential school in Geraldton from 24th to 27th May including a field trip.
Module/Topic
Biomes and biodiversity
Origin of living systems and life beyond our planet
Review
Chapter
Study Guide Topics 20 & 21
Events and Submissions/Topic
Media item on an organism recently discovered in Australia Due: Week 12 Monday (28 May 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Rockhampton students will attend internal practicals during the term and a field trip to North Keppel Island on 24th May.
Bundaberg students will attend practical sessions in Bundaberg from 11th to 13th May and will travel to Rockhampton for the field trip to North Keppel Island on 24th May.
Mixed mode students will attend a four day residential school (including a field trip) in Rockhampton from 20th to 23rd May.
Geraldton students will attend a four day residential school (including a field trip) from 24th to 27th May.
1 Online Quiz(zes)
There will be two timed, multiple choice online quizzes based on the lecture material from the first four weeks of term. You will be given two attempts at each quiz and the highest mark will be taken. As the questions will be taken randomly from a question bank, you may not get the same questions for each attempt.
Theory Quiz 1 will open in Week 2 and Theory Quiz 2 will open in Week 4. Both quizzes will close at the end of Week 5 on Friday 6th April at 23.45 AEST. Quiz 1 and Quiz 2 will each be worth 5% of the total course mark.
2
Week 5 Friday (6 Apr 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 6 Friday (20 Apr 2018)
These quizzes will be assessed on the correctness of the answers.
- Describe the organization of living organisms at the cellular and whole organism level
- Explain the fundamentals of selected core themes, including cell theory, emergent properties, heredity, evolution and biodiversity and demonstrate their application across the biological and environmental sciences
- Describe the concepts underlying current understanding of the diversity and systematics of living organisms, using appropriate sources and terminology
- Communication
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
2 Practical Assessment
Three tests based on the material covered in the field trip (Practical Test A) and the practical laboratory sessions (Practical Tests B and C) will be conducted online and close at the end of week 12. However, you may submit your answers anytime after the relevant online test opens (dates to be advised) and you have completed the relevant sessions. In total, this assessment is worth 20%. The test based on the field trip (Practical Test A) will be untimed and consist of short answer questions. It is worth 6% of the total marks for the unit. The tests based on the practical laboratory sessions (Practical Tests B and C) are timed, multiple choice questions and are worth 7% each (total 14% of unit marks). Only one attempt at each test will be permitted.
Week 12 Friday (1 June 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Review/Exam Week Friday (8 June 2018)
Answers will be assessed on the correctness, comprehensiveness and relevance of your answers.
- Describe the organization of living organisms at the cellular and whole organism level
- Explain the fundamentals of selected core themes, including cell theory, emergent properties, heredity, evolution and biodiversity and demonstrate their application across the biological and environmental sciences
- Carry out a range of laboratory and practical procedures relating to the diversity of life
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
3 Written Assessment
This assessment requires you to research an organism that has been discovered in Australia (including surrounding waters) within the last ten years and write a 500 word article for a popular science magazine. Your article should include a description of the scientific classification (kingdom, phylum etc) and the characteristics associated with organisms in that group (approximately 200 words). In the remaining words (approximately 300), you should describe what is interesting about the organism, what makes it different from other similar organisms, the significance of the discovery, or other relevant information that will attract and keep the audience's attention. At the end of the article, you must provide a list of the references you have used, but do not use any in-text referencing except to refer to the scientific paper that describes the species that has been discovered. As well as uploading your assignment as a Word document, you must upload a pdf of the original paper where the species is described.
Week 12 Monday (28 May 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Exam Week Monday (11 June 2018)
The complete assessment rubric will be available on the Moodle site and the criteria will include:
- Accuracy of the information about the newly discovered species and its classification
- Relevance of the material
- Accuracy of referencing
- Correct English grammar, clarity of expression and ability to engage an audience.
- Describe the organization of living organisms at the cellular and whole organism level
- Explain the fundamentals of selected core themes, including cell theory, emergent properties, heredity, evolution and biodiversity and demonstrate their application across the biological and environmental sciences
- Describe the concepts underlying current understanding of the diversity and systematics of living organisms, using appropriate sources and terminology
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
Examination
No calculators permitted
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
