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Location Domestic International
National Marine Science Centre Coffs Harbour Session 2,  3 Session 2,  2,  3

Unit Summary

Unit type

PG Coursework Unit

Credit points

24

AQF level

9

Level of learning

Advanced

Former School/College

Former School of Environment, Science and Engineering

Unit aim

Develops concepts and practice to enable planning, implementation, analysis and interpretation of field surveys and experiments 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. The unit culminates in the implementation of a field experiment designed during teaching sessions within the unit.

Unit content

  • Procedures for establishing a study
  • Allocating sampling effort
  • Methods for sampling different marine habitats and populations/communities
  • Data analysis and management
  • Summarising and reporting 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 surveys and field experiments
2 Apply best-practice design considerations to the review of papers summarising ecological surveys and field experiments
3 Choose the most appropriate sampling method for different target populations/communities
4 Design a field experiment to test a specific ecological issue
5 Present a research proposal in the format required for an external grant application
6 Respond to peer review of a research proposal in the format required for a nationally competitive grant scheme
7 Implement an ecological survey or field experiment including analysis and write-up

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

  1. Explain the main steps in conducting ecological surveys and field experiments
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
  2. Apply best-practice design considerations to the review of papers summarising ecological surveys and field experiments
    • GA1:
    • GA2:
    • GA4:
    • GA5:
  3. Choose the most appropriate sampling method for different target populations/communities
    • GA1:
    • GA2:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
  4. Design a field experiment to test a specific ecological issue
    • GA1:
    • GA2:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
  5. Present a research proposal in the format required for an external grant application
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
  6. Respond to peer review of a research proposal in the format required for a nationally competitive grant scheme
    • GA1:
    • GA2:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
  7. Implement an ecological survey or field experiment including analysis and write-up
    • GA1:
    • GA2:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:

Prescribed texts

  • Prescribed text information is not currently available.

  • Prescribed text information is not currently available.
Prescribed texts may change in future teaching periods.