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. Exemplar articles will be available on the units Moodle page at the commencement of the term.

The complete assessment rubric will be available on the units Moodle site at the commencement of the term.

The assessment criteria primarily focuses on the following:

1. Accuracy of the information about the newly discovered species and its classification.
2. Relevance of the material.
3. Accuracy of referencing.
4. Correct English grammar.
5. Clarity of expression and ability to engage an audience.

You will complete three (3) short tests (10% each) based on the practical material covered during your practical laboratory/field sessions.

The timing of these assessments will vary according to your enrolment mode (On-campus or Mixed-mode). You must complete the relevant practical work before attempting the tests. A full schedule of practical work and associated tests will be available on the unit Moodle site for each enrolment mode and all practical tests will close at the end of Week 12.

These on-line tests will be based on the material covered in:

1. Field trip (untimed; short answer).
2. Laboratory Practicals 1 - 4 (30 minutes; multiple choice questions; one attempt only).
3. Laboratory Practicals 5 - 8 (30 minutes; multiple choice questions; one attempt only).

Answers to on-line tests will be assessed on the correctness, comprehensiveness and relevance of the answers.

Three tests will be conducted during practical laboratory classes. These tests will be based on a combination of practical skills and relevant theoretical knowledge in:

1. Practical 1 (Bacteria and protists). Correctly set up a microscope, prepare a wet mount of a protist and draw the specimen on the microscope slide.
2. Practical 3 (Flowering plants), Collect a plant specimen, complete an appropriate plant label and identify the specimen to Family.
3. Practical 6 (Identifying insects). Identify an insect to Order and draw the specimen, labelling the morphological features used in the identification.

Students will be assessed as Pass/Fail during the practical session.

Ability to perform the laboratory exercises to the required standard.

This end of unit quiz is based on lecture and study material covered during Weeks 1-12 (students are asked to revise the lecture and reading material associated with each week).

The end of unit online quiz is limited to 120 minutes for completion and must be submitted after completion. Answers will be automatically submitted after 120mins.

Quiz questions will be a combination ten (10) short and eight (8) long answer questions. Short answer questions will form 20% and long answer questions 80% of total available marks. 

Answers will assessed on there completeness, relevance and correct application of biological knowledge.