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Location Domestic International
National Marine Science Centre Coffs Harbour Session 1 Session 1
Online Session 1 N/A

Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

7

Level of learning

Advanced

Former School/College

Former School of Environment, Science and Engineering

Pre-requisites

192 Credit Points in any SCU units AND MAT00211 - Environmental Information Analysis

Unit aim

Introduces students to the concepts and practice for planning, implementing, analysing and interpreting 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. 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:
 Procedures for establishing a study
 Allocating sampling effort
 Methods for sampling marine habitats
 Preserving, sorting and identifying samples
 Data management and analysis
 Summarising and reporting your data

Learning outcomes

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.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 explain the main steps in conducting ecological investigations
2 apply best-practice design considerations to ecological investigations
3 choose the most appropriate 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.

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

  1. explain the main steps in conducting ecological investigations
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  2. apply best-practice design considerations to ecological investigations
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  3. choose the most appropriate sampling methods for different marine habitats and organisms
    • GA1:
    • GA2:
    • GA4:
  4. design pilot studies to optimise the outcomes of ecological investigations
    • GA1:
    • GA2:
    • GA4:
  5. critically evaluate the quality of published research work
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  6. optimally present findings of studies.
    • GA1:
    • GA2:
    • GA4:

Prescribed texts

  • Kingsford, M & Battershill, C , 1998, Studying Temperate Marine Environments, Canterbury University Press. ISBN: 0–908812-54-X.
Prescribed texts may change in future teaching periods.