This course equips biology students with skills in basic mathematics, statistics and computing in preparation for areas of biology which require quantitative data analysis. Such skills are important for experimental design and for analysing and interpreting quantitative datasets arising from modern bioinformatics and biological modelling. Topics covered include introductory calculus, linear algebra, probability and statistics, and elementary computer programming. Examples will be given of quantitative problems arising in biological contexts. Laboratory and/or field practicals may be used for data gathering.

Note: Graduate students attend joint classes with undergraduates but will be assessed separately

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Demonstrate a deep understanding of the mathematical reasoning underlying specific biological techniques.
2. Demonstrate accurate and efficient use of specific mathematical tools in the analysis of biological data.
3. Demonstrate capacity for original mathematical reasoning in a broader biological context.
4. Effectively communicate complex quantitative biology concepts to their peers and academic staff, through carefully written technical reports.

Research-Led Teaching

Mathematics and statistics are disciplines which inform many other disciplines, including biology and ecology. The content and skills gained through this course are natural companions to research-led teaching: the fundamental concepts learnt in calculus, linear algebra, probability, and statistics form basic building blocks for studying virtually all natural biological phenomenon. Furthermore, by learning elementary coding skills in R, we will investigate how these concepts are applied to real data sets that address real research problems in biology and ecology.

Examination Material or equipment

Only the following material/equipment are permitted to examinations related to this course: Unmarked English-to-foreign-language dictionary (no approval required); Calculator (non-programmable); One A4 page with handwritten notes on both sides.

Required Resources

All course materials will be made available on the Wattle site https://wattle.anu.edu.au. Students are free to use and modify the R code made available in the lecture notes when conducting your own analyses.

To log on to Wattle, you need to have an ANU ID (your student number) and a password (the same as for obtaining your e-mail). In order to access the class web page within Wattle, you will need to be formally enrolled in the course. The class web page will be updated with new information on a regular basis. Students are expected to regularly check the Wattle site for announcements and updates regarding the course.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• Written comments
• Verbal comments
• Feedback to the whole class, to groups, to individuals, focus groups

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Other Information

Please note all information on this outline is potentially tentative e.g., consultation hours, due and return dates of assessments etc...More final and update information will be available on the associated Wattle page when the course commences.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Lectures - Weeks 1-12 3 hours per week, except in weeks 7-9 where there will only be two hours a week.	Please see Assessment Tasks.
2	Workshops - Weeks 1-6 ; Weeks 10-12 2 hours per week, to review, implement, and extrapolate based on material learnt.	Please see Assessment Tasks.
3	Computer Labs - Weeks 7-9 3 hours per week, implementing and practising coding in R.	Please see Assessment Tasks.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Assigments in Part I (Calculus and Linear Algebra)	30 %	11/03/2019	20/05/2019	1,4
Mid-semester exam in Part I (Calculus and Linear Algebra)	20 %	20/05/2019	04/07/2019	1,4
Computer practical tests in Part II (R programming)	18 %	13/05/2019	27/05/2019	3,4
Assignment in Part II (R programming)	7 %	22/06/2019	04/07/2019	3,4
Assignment in Part III (Probability and Statistics)	10 %	22/06/2019	04/07/2019	2,4
In-class test in Part III (Probability and Statistics)	15 %	22/06/2019	04/07/2019	2,4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

There are no participation requirements involved in the Assessment Tasks.

Examination(s)

Please see Assessment Task 2 for the mid-semester exam.

Assessment Task 1

Assigments in Part I (Calculus and Linear Algebra)

3 written assignments worth 10% each. Please note all due dates and return of assessments is tentative.

Assignment 1

Due: Around 11 March 2019

Returned: Around 8 April 2019

Assignment 2

Due: Around 25 March 2019

Returned: Around 8 April 2019

Assignment 3

Due: Around 22 April 2019

Returned: Around 20 May 2019

Assessment Task 2

Mid-semester exam in Part I (Calculus and Linear Algebra)

1 formative mid-semester exam worth 20%. Please note all due dates and return of assessments are tentative. Check course Wattle site for more details.

Assessment Task 3

Computer practical tests in Part II (R programming)

2 sets of 40 minute pracs worth 9% each. Please note all due dates and return of assessments is tentative.

Set 1:

Due: Around 13 May 2019

Returned: Around 27 May 2019

Set 2:

Due: Around 13 May 2019

Returned: Around 27 May 2019

Assessment Task 4

Assignment in Part II (R programming)

1 computer-based assignment worth 7%. Please note all due dates and return of assessments are tentative. Check course Wattle site for details.

Assessment Task 5

Assignment in Part III (Probability and Statistics)

1 written assignment worth 10%. Please note all due dates and return of assessments are tentative. Check course Wattle site for details

Assessment Task 6

In-class test in Part III (Probability and Statistics)

1 in-class examination worth 15%. Please note all due dates and return of assessments are tentative.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

When possible, hard copies of the assignments will be returned to the students.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Assignments are not permitted to be resubmitted.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information. In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service — including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy. If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes. Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students