Overview
This unit prepares students for university study in the environmental, biomedical or life sciences. Students will gain an introductory understanding of the main concepts in modern biology, particularly as they relate to humans. This unit covers a range of topics including cell theory, organ systems, genetics, taxonomy, ecology and environmental science.
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 2 - 2021
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).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Non-award 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 Unit Evaluations
1) Many students enjoyed the unit, finding the experience fun, interesting, and relevant. Often students report enjoying the unit so much that they consider a biology-related career as a result.
1) Continue with current delivery, maintaining currency.
Feedback from Unit Evaluations
2) The lectures contain a lot of content.
2) Split the Week 4 lecture on homeostasis and the requirements for Assessment 2 into two separate lectures, the first dealing with an understanding of homeostasis and the other on the details of the assessment. Brain breaks will continue to be used, brain based learning strategies taught, and drop-in sessions made available for follow-up. These will support student management of content.
Feedback from Unit Evaluations
3) The last question of Assessment 3 is a short essay-style opinion piece on sustainability which some students found unnecessary having written an assessment essay earlier in the unit.
3) Replace this opinion piece question with a continuation of summative quiz-style questions and incorporate this assessment as an online test in Moodle rather than a take-home open book test.
Feedback from Unit Evaluations
4) Some students who have not completed the Essay Writing for University unit prior to this unit may find Assessment 2 challenging.
4) LNGE40049 (EWU) is recommended as a pre-requisite for this unit; however, individual support is provided for students who struggle with academic writing through drop-in sessions and online resource provision. Examples of resources include the unit's Essay Writing Handbook, and academic communication resources provided by CQUniversity's Academic Learning Centre.
Feedback from Unit Evaluations
5) Students have found the lectures and drop-in sessions a friendly and interactive experience that support understanding. The wide range of resources available to students has received positive feedback.
5) Students will continue to be encouraged to participate in the learning community and the unit.
- Demonstrate an introductory level understanding of the main concepts in modern biology, particularly as they relate to humans
- Locate relevant research on a topic to then prepare an essay following academic writing conventions for scientific essays
- Write short notes to demonstrate your understanding of the meaning of key terms, concepts and processes in biology
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 40% | |||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 40% | |||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 20% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Self Management | |||
| 2 - Communication | |||
| 3 - Information Literacy | |||
| 4 - Information Technology Competence | |||
| 5 - Problem Solving | |||
| 6 - Critical Thinking | |||
| 7 - Cross-Cultural Competence | |||
| 8 - Ethical Practice | |||
| 9 - 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 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 40% | |||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 40% | |||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 20% | |||||||||
Textbooks
Introductory Biology
Edition: 2 (2020)
Authors: School of Access Education
CQUniversity Publishing Unit
Rockhampton Rockhampton , QLD , Australia
Binding: Spiral
Additional Textbook Information
The Introductory Biology study guide will also be available directly on the Moodle page for this unit as a single downloadable pdf file. It is made up of the 12 weekly modules combined and which you can also find separately within the weekly tile folders in Moodle for the term. We strongly advise you to print out your own copy. You will need a hard copy to complete activities and take notes. The study guide cannot be purchased from the CQUniversity Bookshop. Your Access Coordinator will provide you with advice on printing options.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Access to a computer is recommended
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
d.b.vaughan@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Module 1. Introduction; Living organisms and levels of organisation
Chapter
1
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 2. Biological molecules
Chapter
2
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 3. The cell - the building block of life
Chapter
3
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 4. Homeostasis and your essay on body temperature regulation
Chapter
4
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 1 Due: Monday, Week 4 (2 August 2021) 11:45pm AEST
Module/Topic
Module 5. Cell membranes
Chapter
5
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 6. Genetics: DNA structure and function
Chapter
6
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 7. The cell cycle: Cell division—mitosis and meiosis; heredity
Chapter
7
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 2 Due: Monday, Week 7 (30 August 2021) 11:45pm AEST
Module/Topic
Module 8. Cell differentiation and tissues
Chapter
8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 2 Academic essay Due: Week 8 Monday (6 September 2021) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Module 9. Organ systems and the skeletal system
Chapter
9
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module10. Taxonomy, evolution and diversity
Chapter
10
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 3 Due: Monday, Week 10 (20 September 2021) 11:45pm AEST
Module/Topic
Module 11. Ecology
Chapter
11
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 12. Environmental science and sustainability
Chapter
12
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 3 Written assessment: answers to questions (open book) Due: Week 12 Tuesday (5 October 2021) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 4 Due: Monday, Exam Week (11 October 2021) 11:45pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
The Unit Coordinator for this term is:
David Vaughan, d.b.vaughan@cqu.edu.au, +61 7 4930 9680, Building 32/G.29, Rockhampton North campus.
If you have Apple iBooks, I recommend you download the free eBook E. O. Wilson's Life on Earth.
1 Online Quiz(zes)
There are four (4) online quizzes to be completed in Moodle.
These quizzes contain multiple choice, matching and short answer questions that cover the content from each weekly module/topic. Each quiz is time limited to 1 hour for completion. Refer to your unit notes while completing the quiz, but do not search the internet for answers.
Quizzes become unavailable after the due date unless an extension has been granted.
4
Other
Quiz 1 by Week 4 (Monday, 2 August 2021, 11:45pm AEST); Quiz 2 by Week 7 (Monday, 30 August 2021, 11:45pm AEST); Quiz 3 by Week 10 (Monday, 20 September 2021, 11:45pm AEST); Quiz 4 by Revision/Exam Week (Monday, 11 October 2021, 11:45pm AEST)
Interim results are provided online immediately after completion and checked manually within 2 weeks.
Marks are given for correct answers.
- Demonstrate an introductory level understanding of the main concepts in modern biology, particularly as they relate to humans
- Write short notes to demonstrate your understanding of the meaning of key terms, concepts and processes in biology
- Self Management
- Communication
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Critical Thinking
- Ethical Practice
2 Written Assessment
Write an academic essay of 1500-2000 words to explain the biological concept of homeostasis using body temperature homeostasis as an example. Illustrate your answer by referring to body temperature homeostasis in the human body.
For details, read the Essay Writing Handbook for BIOL40108 in Moodle.
Requirements for your essay
- Use a variety of quality academic resources, including journals, relevant to the topic.
- Write in your own words, i.e., paraphrase/summarise the information from the sources rather than relying excessively on quotes or copying words.
- Use Times New Roman in font size 11 or 12 and 1.5 line spacing.
- Include a title page containing your name, student number, unit name and code, lecturer name, due date and your word count (excluding the title page and reference list).
- Avoid using headings, dot points or numbered lists.
- Write in complete sentences and paragraphs using clear, concise and correct English.
Week 8 Monday (6 September 2021) 11:45 pm AEST.
Three weeks after the due date or three weeks after submission if submitted after the due date.
The marking sheet (marking criteria) can be downloaded from the unit Moodle site.
- Demonstrate an introductory level understanding of the main concepts in modern biology, particularly as they relate to humans
- Locate relevant research on a topic to then prepare an essay following academic writing conventions for scientific essays
- Self Management
- Communication
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Critical Thinking
- Ethical Practice
3 Written Assessment
Provide short answers or write a short essay in response to set questions relating to the entire unit up to and including week 11. The questions will be available for download from Moodle by Friday of week 10, 24 September 2021. This is an open book assessment.
To complete this assessment, you can refer to your unit materials as it is open book, but do not search the internet for answers.
Week 12 Tuesday (5 October 2021) 11:45 pm AEST.
Two weeks after the due date or two weeks after submission if submitted after the due date.
Marks are given for correct answers. The essay question will include a component based on communication skills. All written work should be presented using correct grammar and spelling in standard English. Marks will be deducted for answers copied from the internet.
- Demonstrate an introductory level understanding of the main concepts in modern biology, particularly as they relate to humans
- Locate relevant research on a topic to then prepare an essay following academic writing conventions for scientific essays
- Write short notes to demonstrate your understanding of the meaning of key terms, concepts and processes in biology
- Self Management
- Communication
- Information Technology Competence
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Ethical Practice
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?
