APP BIOL 2500WT - Research Skills for Applied Biology II
Waite Campus - Semester 1 - 2017
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General Course Information
Course Details
Course Code APP BIOL 2500WT Course Research Skills for Applied Biology II Coordinating Unit School of Agriculture, Food and Wine Term Semester 1 Level Undergraduate Location/s Waite Campus Units 3 Contact Up to 8 hours per week Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N Assumed Knowledge SCIENCE 1100WT Restrictions Available to Bachelor of Applied Biology & Bachelor of Applied Biology (Hons) students only Assessment Literature review; research proposal, research project presentation, laboratory book, tutorial exercises, test. Course Staff
Course Coordinator: Dr Tina Bianco-Miotto
Course Timetable
The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.
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Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate a scientifically based understanding of research skills utilised in applied biology.
2. Explain the scientific processes involved in applied biology research.
3. Critically analyse and synthesise the scientific literature on a chosen methodology.
4. Communicate in the context of the applied biology discipline.
5. Maintain an experimental notebook.
6. Develop and demonstrate competencies in standard laboratory methodologies.University Graduate Attributes
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:
University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s) Deep discipline knowledge
- informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
- acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
- accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
1,2,4,5,6 Critical thinking and problem solving
- steeped in research methods and rigor
- based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
- demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
2,3,5 Teamwork and communication skills
- developed from, with, and via the SGDE
- honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
- encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
2,4 Career and leadership readiness
- technology savvy
- professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
- forward thinking and well informed
- tested and validated by work based experiences
6 Intercultural and ethical competency
- adept at operating in other cultures
- comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
- able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
- demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
Not addressed Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
- a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
- open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
- able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
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Learning & Teaching Activities
Learning & Teaching Modes
The course is taught in the following way:
Lectures will introduce the key principles of practical research skills, including the theory and practice of research technologies commonly used in modern biology and examples of how they can be applied. These will be supported by weekly tutorials and workshops/practicals, in which the ‘soft skills’ of research including citation of published works, and writing scientific literature with appropriate citations and referencing will be developed. Tutorials will develop the skills needed by applied biologists such as calculations and primer design which will be put into practice during the practicals. Students will research a methodology routinely used in applied biology and present a written report highlighting how these methodologies have helped advance new science discoveries.Workload
The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.
A student enrolled in a 3-unit course, such as this, should expect to spend, on average 12 hours per week on the studies required. This includes both the formal contact time required to the course (e.g., lectures and practicals), as well as non-contact time (e.g., reading and revision).Learning Activities Summary
The course will cover topics on research methodologies commonly used in applied biology and will also cover communication of scientific literature. Students will learn the theory behind common laboratory methodologies, how these are applied and then build on this knowledge in laboratory practicals where they will use current technologies towards answering research questions in a laboratory setting. Students will learn about laboratory safety, how to maintain a laboratory note book, how to communicate their laboratory findings in a practical report and communicate a methodology in written and oral forms. Material covered in lectures is reinforced in tutorials and the laboratory practicals.Specific Course Requirements
None identified. -
Assessment
The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:
- Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
- Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
- Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
- Assessment must maintain academic standards.
Assessment Summary
Assessment Task Type of Assessment Percentage of Total Assessment for Grading Purposes Quiz Formative & Summative 5% Tutorial Exercises Formative & Summative 20% (2 x 10% each) Essay Formative & Summative 20% (5% draft + 15% final version) Prac Report Formative & Summative 10% Oral Presentation Formative & Summative 10% Practical Book Summative 15% Open Book Test Summative 20% Assessment Detail
Quiz (5%)
Students will complete a quiz in the first week on laboratory safety after lectures on this topic. This will aid in preparing students to think about laboratory safe practices which will be required for the practicals for the remainder of the semester.
Tutorial Exercises (20%)
Two tutorial exercises will be assessed. This includes one on calculations (10%) which is based on the student’s ability to calculate amounts of reagents for making solutions and preparing reactions relevant to the practicals such as making solutions or calculating master-mixes for PCR. The second tutorial exercise (10%) will be on qPCR and involves designing PCR primers and using online databases to find sequences and design the primers.
Essay (20%)
Students will complete a 2000 word essay or literature review on a methodology commonly used in applied biology research. The essay will consist of 12-15 primary (non-review) research articles. A draft of the essay (5%) is due in week 6 and students will receive feedback before completion of the final essay which is due in week 10 (15%). Students will be assessed on the ability to critically evaluate and synthesise the literature on a methodology related to the applied biology discipline.
Oral Presentation (10%)
Upon completion of the essay students will present their findings on their chosen methodology. The presentation is 8-10 minutes with 5 minutes for questions.
Prac Report (10%)
The students will be performing a practical that will span several weeks and methodologies from making solutions, making DNA, performing qPCR and analysing qPCR data. This will form part of a prac report with questions on each aspect of the practical. This will assess the student’s ability to explain scientific processes.
Prac Book (15%)
The laboratory prac book, which will be provided to the students, will be maintained by the student throughout the semester and students will be assessed on the accurate and detailed maintenance of the lab book, as well as answers to questions and calculations performed throughout the semester.
Open Book Test (20%)
The final 2 hour open book test will examine all components of the course. It will consist of multiple choice, short answer and long answer questions.Submission
If an extension is not applied for, or not granted then a penalty for late submission will apply. A penalty of 10% of the value of the assignment for each calendar day that the assignment is late (i.e. weekends count as 2 days), up to a maximum of 50% of the available marks will be applied. This means that an assignment that is 5 days late or more without an approved extension can only receive a maximum of 50% of the marks available for that assignment.Course Grading
Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:
M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme) Grade Mark Description FNS Fail No Submission F 1-49 Fail P 50-64 Pass C 65-74 Credit D 75-84 Distinction HD 85-100 High Distinction CN Continuing NFE No Formal Examination RP Result Pending Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.
Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.
Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.
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Student Feedback
The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.
SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
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Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
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