CQUniversity Unit Profile
ZOOL12009 Invertebrate Zoology
Invertebrate Zoology
All details in this unit profile for ZOOL12009 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
General Information

Overview

The invertebrates are the largest and most diverse group of animals on Earth, being found in all environments and habitats. This unit provides an overview of the biology, ecology, and taxonomy of the various invertebrate phyla, linking adaptation and evolutionary history to understand the origins and proliferation of this great diversity of life.

Details

Career Level: Undergraduate
Unit Level: Level 2
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 8
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Prerequisite BIOL11099 Living Systems or BIOL11102 Life Science Laboratory

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 - 2021

Mixed Mode
Rockhampton

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.

Class and Assessment Overview

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

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Written Assessment
Weighting: 20%
2. Practical Assessment
Weighting: 30%
3. Online Quiz(zes)
Weighting: 50%

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.

Previous Student Feedback

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 Email

Feedback

Students appreciated the efficiency with which alternate unit content delivery and assessments were developed, implemented, and explained after suspending face-to-face teaching in week 2 of term.

Recommendation

While the teaching format will hopefully return to normal in 2021, it is worth keeping a clear record of the changes that were made in 2020 (including when and how) to facilitate efficient similar changes if required in the future.

Feedback from Moodle feedback

Feedback

A student considered that the presentation of the lecture slides could be improved from a visual arts perspective.

Recommendation

While the focus of the unit is on delivering high-level and accurate content, there are certainly slides that can be visually improved. In 2020, the unit content was revised and updated in accordance with current scientific understanding. In 2021, the focus will be on updating the visual presentation of the content.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Define terminology associated with the study of invertebrate zoology
  2. Describe the structural and functional organisation of animals from the various invertebrate phyla
  3. Explain the evolutionary history of the invertebrates, including their adaptations to particular environments and their ecology
  4. Identify the major invertebrate taxa and explain the evolutionary and physiological basis for the taxonomic classification of these animals
  5. Acquire practical skills in the study of invertebrates by conducting basic scientific research on invertebrate abundance, distribution, behaviour, and ecology in both field and laboratory settings.
Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Written Assessment - 20%
2 - Practical Assessment - 30%
3 - Online Quiz(zes) - 50%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
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 - Written Assessment - 20%
2 - Practical Assessment - 30%
3 - Online Quiz(zes) - 50%
Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

There are no required textbooks.

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:
  • CQUniversity Student Email
  • Internet
  • Unit Website (Moodle)
Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts
Andrew Irving Unit Coordinator
a.irving@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 Begin Date: 08 Mar 2021

Module/Topic

1. Unit overview

2. Why study invertebrates?

Chapter

Study guide chapter 1

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 2 Begin Date: 15 Mar 2021

Module/Topic

3. Invertebrates and the environment

4. Taxonomy and evolution of the invertebrates

Chapter

Study guide chapters 2 & 3

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 3 Begin Date: 22 Mar 2021

Module/Topic

5. Protozoans

6. Porifera

Chapter

Study guide chapters 4 & 5

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 4 Begin Date: 29 Mar 2021

Module/Topic

7. Cnidarians

8. Coral reefs

Chapter

Study guide chapter 6

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 5 Begin Date: 05 Apr 2021

Module/Topic

9. Platyhelminthes

10. Of worms and coelomes

Chapter

Study guide chapters 7 & 8

Events and Submissions/Topic

Vacation Week Begin Date: 12 Apr 2021

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 6 Begin Date: 19 Apr 2021

Module/Topic

11. Arthropoda part 1: Introduction

12. Arthropoda part 2: Uniramia

Chapter

Study guide chapter 9

Events and Submissions/Topic

Short Essay: The contribution of 'lower' invertebrates to human populations Due: Week 6 Friday (23 Apr 2021) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 7 Begin Date: 26 Apr 2021

Module/Topic

13. Arthropoda part 3: Crustaceans

14. Annelida

Chapter

Study guide chapters 9 & 10

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 8 Begin Date: 03 May 2021

Module/Topic

15. Mollusca part 1: Introduction

16. Mollusca part 2: Gastropoda

Chapter

Study guide chapter 11

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 9 Begin Date: 10 May 2021

Module/Topic

17. Mollusca part 3: Cephalopoda


Chapter

Study guide chapter 11

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 10 Begin Date: 17 May 2021

Module/Topic

18. The Lophophorates

19. Echinodermata

Chapter

Study guide chapters 12 & 13

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 11 Begin Date: 24 May 2021

Module/Topic

20. Hemichordates and Chordates

Chapter

Study guide chapter 14

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 12 Begin Date: 31 May 2021

Module/Topic

21. Unit review

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Practical report: Invertebrate research project Due: Week 12 Friday (4 June 2021) 11:45 pm AEST
Review/Exam Week Begin Date: 07 Jun 2021

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

End-of-term Online Quiz Due: Review/Exam Week Monday (7 June 2021) 9:00 am AEST
Exam Week Begin Date: 14 Jun 2021

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Term Specific Information

This unit comprises a series of lectures and an 'at-home' practical assignment in lieu of a more traditional residential school. Unless otherwise stated, lectures will be given live, and will be recorded for later viewing on the unit's Moodle page.  In some instances, lectures may be pre-recorded. The practical assignment for this unit will run in conjunction with ad hoc live Zoom sessions and pre-recorded videos, which will provide additional instructions and allow you to get feedback on progress throughout the term. The unit's Moodle page will the the key access point for all relevant information and communication regarding all aspects of the unit.

Assessment Tasks

1 Written Assessment

Assessment Title
Short Essay: The contribution of 'lower' invertebrates to human populations

Task Description

This written assignment requires you to complete a concise 1000 word essay, and is worth 20 % of your unit grade.
“Lower invertebrates”, so called because they have persisted since the early history of life on Earth, provide many benefits to humans (e.g. medical applications, food and resources, understanding how life on Earth ‘works’, etc.), as well as many detriments (infections, parasites, food spoilage, etc.). Your task is to summarise how a lower invertebrate (as an individual species or a higher taxonomic level) contributes to the benefit or detriment of human populations.
You are free to choose any invertebrate/outcome/field of research that interests you, but ensure your topic is based on a ‘lower’ invertebrate. This includes the protozoans, poriferans, cnidarians, platyhelminthes, nematodes and nemerteans, which will be described in detail in lectures.
Additional information regarding assessment requirements, hints, and submission guidelines will be provided on the unit's Moodle site.


Assessment Due Date

Week 6 Friday (23 Apr 2021) 11:45 pm AEST

Submit your work as a Word document (.doc or .docx) via Moodle


Return Date to Students

Week 8 Friday (7 May 2021)

Your work will be marked and returned to you via Moodle


Weighting
20%

Minimum mark or grade
50 %

Assessment Criteria

This concise essay assignment will be marked against the following criteria:
1. The overall clarity of the essay with respect to structure and presentation (including any figures or tables), grammar and spelling.
2. Clearly describing how a 'lower' invertebrate of your choosing affects human populations, either positively or negatively.
3. The extent to which the essay demonstrates research of the topic outside of the lecture content.
4. Appropriate acknowledgment of sources in the text and accurate representation in the reference list, using the Harvard referencing style.
5. Effectively summarising information within the 1000 word limit.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Submit your work as a Word document (.doc or .docx) via Moodle

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Define terminology associated with the study of invertebrate zoology
  • Describe the structural and functional organisation of animals from the various invertebrate phyla
  • Explain the evolutionary history of the invertebrates, including their adaptations to particular environments and their ecology


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Critical Thinking
  • Information Literacy
  • Information Technology Competence

2 Practical Assessment

Assessment Title
Practical report: Invertebrate research project

Task Description

This practical assessment comprises a written report summarising the practical work you will complete during the course of the term. This assessment is worth 30% of your unit grade.
This assessment will require you to complete an 'at-home' research project involving invertebrates. You will be given a choice of the type of project to do, but you will need to demonstrate that you have a clear hypothesis with an appropriate test and interpretation, regardless of your final choice. Instruction, guidance and feedback will be available throughout the term via pre-recorded videos uploaded to Moodle as well as regular live Zoom sessions (see Moodle for scheduled dates). This assignment will combine your conceptual and planning skills with further development of skills in practical field sampling, measurement, data analysis and communication.


Assessment Due Date

Week 12 Friday (4 June 2021) 11:45 pm AEST

Submit your work as a Word document (.doc or .docx) via Moodle


Return Date to Students

Exam Week Friday (18 June 2021)

Your work will be marked and returned to you via Moodle


Weighting
30%

Minimum mark or grade
50 %

Assessment Criteria

Your practical report will be assessed against the following criteria:

1. Abstract (clear, concise summary of context, hypothesis, results and conclusions).
2. Introduction (Relevant context provided, starting with a broad focus of observations and models and narrowing to
a clear, well-articulated hypothesis for a manipulative experiment).
3. Methods (adequate description and justification of methods used so experiment could be repeated).
4. Results (Concise description of results, ordered logically and presented in graphs/tables, as well as basic
statistical analyses).
5. Discussion (Logical structure that discusses the key results and their meaning before placing results in a broader
context and identifying biases/improvements/further fields of study etc).
6. References (cited appropriately throughout text, 10 minimum, no web pages unless of the data repository-type).
7. Spelling & grammar.
8. Word count (keeping to guidelines in each section).


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Submit your work as a Word document (.doc or .docx) via Moodle

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Define terminology associated with the study of invertebrate zoology
  • Describe the structural and functional organisation of animals from the various invertebrate phyla
  • Identify the major invertebrate taxa and explain the evolutionary and physiological basis for the taxonomic classification of these animals
  • Acquire practical skills in the study of invertebrates by conducting basic scientific research on invertebrate abundance, distribution, behaviour, and ecology in both field and laboratory settings.


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Information Literacy
  • Team Work
  • Ethical practice

3 Online Quiz(zes)

Assessment Title
End-of-term Online Quiz

Task Description

You are required to complete and end-of-term online quiz that is worth 50 % of your unit grade.  The quiz will be akin to a traditional examination where you will be asked multiple questions that may relate to any element of the unit content presented during term. 

During the scheduled University review/exam weeks, the quiz will be available for 24 hours during which you must begin and complete the assessment within a 3-hour time period.  The exact 24 hours that the quiz will be available will be advertised during term (note that the Monday 7th June identified in this unit profile is a place-holder date only).  The quiz will automatically close at the end of your 3 hours, or at the end of the 24-hour opening period, whichever is sooner.

Additional details and practice questions will be provided throughout term and on Moodle.


Number of Quizzes

1


Frequency of Quizzes

Other


Assessment Due Date

Review/Exam Week Monday (7 June 2021) 9:00 am AEST

Complete your quiz on Moodle by clicking the appropriate assessment link


Return Date to Students

Exam Week Friday (18 June 2021)

Your work will be marked and returned to you on Moodle


Weighting
50%

Minimum mark or grade
50 %

Assessment Criteria

Your grade in this assignment will be determined through your written demonstration of your grasp of the entire unit's content.  Each question in the quiz will have a certain number of marks allocated to it.  Questions will be a combination of short- and long-answer format, as well as short-essay style questions that give you the chance to show your deeper understanding of a particular topic.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Submit your answers via Moodle when you are ready

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Define terminology associated with the study of invertebrate zoology
  • Describe the structural and functional organisation of animals from the various invertebrate phyla
  • Explain the evolutionary history of the invertebrates, including their adaptations to particular environments and their ecology
  • Identify the major invertebrate taxa and explain the evolutionary and physiological basis for the taxonomic classification of these animals


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Information Literacy

Academic Integrity Statement

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?