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Unit of Study BIO03101 - Survey Design (2016)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Enrolment information

    Offered only at the Nat Marine Science Centre in a 3 week intensive mode, with a compulsory one week residential held outside the normal ext residential weeks.

Unit description

Develops advanced skills associated with the planning, implementation, analysis and interpretation of surveys in the marine environment. The logical approach to survey design is emphasised and practised in field exercises, and common statistical methods are applied to the analysis of class data. Integrated understanding is developed through the design of experiments to address specific, topical issues. Quality assurance/quality control of data is practised including proofing, and short- and long-term data storage and management.

Unit content

The schedule of topics is spread between lectures, field studies, workshops and laboratory classes: 
Topic 1: Procedures for establishing a study 
Topic 2: Allocating sampling effort 
Topic 3: Methods for sampling marine habitats 
Topic 4: Preserving, sorting and identifying samples 
Topic 5: Data management and analysis 
Topic 6: Summarising and reporting your data

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
National Marine Science Centre Coffs Harbour Session 1 Session 1

Learning outcomes and graduate attributes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
Learning outcome count Learning outcome description GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 demonstrate advanced understanding of the logical sequence of ecological investigations
2 apply best-practice design considerations to ecological investigations
3 make informed judgement about optimal sampling methods for different marine habitats and organisms
4 design pilot studies to optimise the outcomes of ecological investigations
5 critically evaluate the quality of published research work
6 optimally present findings of studies for a range of different communication types
7 reflect on the primary concepts of the unit and demonstrate informed judgement to develop a series of experiments to address an environmental issue.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. demonstrate advanced understanding of the logical sequence of ecological investigations
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  2. apply best-practice design considerations to ecological investigations
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  3. make informed judgement about optimal sampling methods for different marine habitats and organisms
    • GA1:
    • GA2:
    • GA4:
  4. design pilot studies to optimise the outcomes of ecological investigations
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  5. critically evaluate the quality of published research work
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
  6. optimally present findings of studies for a range of different communication types
    • GA1:
    • GA2:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
  7. reflect on the primary concepts of the unit and demonstrate informed judgement to develop a series of experiments to address an environmental issue.
    • GA1:
    • GA2:
    • GA4:

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.