In this course, you will critically read the biological literature to better understand how to effectively present scientific findings. You will learn to evaluate arguments, methods and lines of evidence. You will assess how well the conclusions drawn from studies are justified. Strong emphasis will be placed on improving your scientific writing skills. This will involve exploration of:

• why it is worth learning to write well (Hint: to find out what you understand and develop your critical thinking)
• planning the structure of a piece of writing (Hint: You have to know which story you wish to tell)
• the curse of knowledge (Hint: you usually know more about a topic than your reader. This makes it easy to forget that you are failing to provide the reader with information that they need)
• the psychology of the reader (Hint: learn to read your own writing from the viewpoint of the average reader)
• basic rules of sentence construction to facilitate understanding, and to reduce ambiguity
• the value of extensive revision and editing

By reading articles on specific biological topics, this course will equip you to consider the following more deeply:

• the contestability of scientific knowledge
• science as a profession, enacted by real people
• how scientist evaluate evidence through critical reading & analysis
• how scientists collect, use and communicate evidence to support their arguments

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Engage in an independent investigation and evaluation of selected biology research topics.
2. Critically evaluate research literature and communicate the key findings.
3. Apply professional standards of conduct when writing about scientific research.
4. Write up scientific research in a manner than is easy to read and understand.
5. Improve your ability to provide feedback to others.

Research-Led Teaching

This is an in-person course that will help students to develop their writing skills and gain experience analysing scientific findings. Students will replicate key activities that are integral to the careers of almost all scientists. First, to identify a question of interest. Second, to locate and critically read the available literature. Three, to assess the available literature to summarise the existing research, identify gaps in knowledge, notice emerging trends, and propose new areas of study. Four, to write using language that is easy to read, and in a style that makes lines of argument easy to follow. Five, the ability to structure an article that will hold the interest of the reader.

Students will gain experience in writing, editing and revising their own writing. They will be challenged not just to collect facts but to construct logical arguments. This will, in part, be achieve by asking students to read sections of published articles. They will be challenged to critique the methods, and determine how well the conclusions fit with the lines of evidence provided. Students will gain direct experience by seeing how working scientists use and evaluate different types of evidence, and how these scientists then present their work to their peers.

To test their understanding, students will summarise short published studies by writing about them using their own words. The exact biological topics covered will vary, but there will be a focus on controversies in evolutionary biology. There will be a strong emphasis on independent study and writing. Throughout the course, students will gain experience writing and editing, and deciding how best to present their own arguments and ideas. The aim is for students to develop professional judgment in analysing and evaluating controversial issues.

Field Trips

None

Additional Course Costs

None

Examination Material or equipment

There is no exam for this course

Required Resources

None

Recommended Resources

Recommended student system requirements 

ANU courses commonly use a number of online resources and activities including:

• video material, similar to YouTube, for lectures and other instruction
• two-way video conferencing for interactive learning
• email and other messaging tools for communication
• interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities
• print and photo/scan for handwritten work
• home-based assessment.

To fully participate in ANU learning, students need:

• A computer or laptop. Mobile devices may work well but in some situations a computer/laptop may be more appropriate.
• Webcam
• Speakers and a microphone (e.g. headset)
• Reliable, stable internet connection. Broadband recommended. If using a mobile network or wi-fi then check performance is adequate.
• Suitable location with minimal interruptions and adequate privacy for classes and assessments.
• Printing, and photo/scanning equipment

For more information please see https://www.anu.edu.au/students/systems/recommended-student-system-requirements

Staff Feedback

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

• Comments and discussion on their work as they are doing it in workshops
• Written and verbal feedback on submitted work
• General feedback to class in workshops.

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). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Other Information

Referencing requirements

Referencing varies among assessment tasks. The style for the three written assignments and the capstone essay must conform to a generic journal style. Referencing will be discussed in the workshop in Week 1.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	The Nature of Science: Science as story telling	Workshop 1; Quiz 1 (practice only; not marked); Self-study: Read Chapter 1 of 'A Sense of Style' (16 pages)
2	Why write? Doesn't ChatGPT make it pointless?	Workshop 2: Quiz 2Read Chapter 2 of 'A Sense of Style' (30 pages)
3	Good Writing: The Classic Style	Workshop 3; Quiz 3; Writing Assignment 1 dueRead Chapter 3 of 'A Sense of Style' (20 pages)
4	The Curse of Knowledge	Workshop 4; Quiz 4 ; Read first half of Chapter 4 of 'A Sense of Style' (30 pages)
5	The Web, the Tree and the String. Part 1	Workshop 5; Quiz 5; Writing Assignment 2 due; Read second half of Chapter 4 of 'A Sense of Style' (32 pages)
6	The Web, the Tree and the String. Part 2	Workshop 6; Quiz 6 ; Submit Essay Outline;Read Chapter 5 of 'A Sense of Style' (48 pages)
7	Putting Sentences Together: telling a story	Workshop 7; Quiz 7; Writing Assignment 3 due
8	Critically Reading the Literature: From data to conclusions	Workshop 8; Quiz 8;
9	Summarising the Literature (History; Controversy; Narrative, Vote counting, Meta-analysis)	Workshop 9; Quiz 9
10	The Ethics of Research: Fraud, publication bias and other problems	Workshop 10; Quiz 10
11	Learning to Edit and Revise: Peer feedback on Capstone Essay drafts	Workshop 11; Quiz 11
12	What have We Learned? Final reflections on writing and presenting arguments	Workshop 12; Capstone Essay due

Tutorial Registration

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Learning Outcomes
Quiz 2	2 %	4,5
Quiz 3	2 %	4,5
Assignment 1: Write the Abstract for a scientific article	10 %	2,3,4
Quiz 4	2 %	4,5
Quiz 5	2 %	4,5
Assignment 2: Write a report that summarises a scientific article	10 %	2,3,4
Quiz 6	2 %	4,5
Quiz 7	2 %	4,5
Assignment 3: Write an Opinion piece that compares two studies	10 %	1,2,3,4
Quiz 8	2 %	4,5
Quiz 9	2 %	4,5
Quiz 10	2 %	4,5
Quiz 11	2 %	4,5
Capstone Essay	50 %	1,2,3,4

* 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 Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Guideline and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

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 Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

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.

Examination(s)

There is no exam for this course.

Assessment Task 1

Quiz 2

There will be ten quizzes (one per week) for weeks 2-11. They are each worth 2%.

Quizzes will be completed and handed in during the workshop.

Quizzes may include assessment and feedback on the writing of peers.

The date and time of the weekly workshops will be determined in conjunction with the students.

Quiz 2 will be completed in Week 2.

Assessment Task 2

Quiz 3

There will be ten quizzes (one per week) for weeks 2-11. They are each worth 2%.

Quizzes will be completed and handed in during the workshop.

Quizzes may include assessment and feedback on the writing of peers.

The date and time of the weekly workshops will be determined in conjunction with the students.

Quiz 3 will be completed in Week 3.

Assessment Task 3

Assignment 1: Write the Abstract for a scientific article

All students will be provided with the same published article. You will be asked to write an Abstract for the article. It should be a maximum of 300 words in length.

Information on marking criteria will be provided on the Wattle site.

The assignment will be due by the end of Week 4.

Assessments are usually returned 1 week from submission.

Assessment Task 4

Quiz 4

There will be ten quizzes (one per week) for weeks 2-11. They are each worth 2%.

Quizzes will be completed and handed in during the workshop.

Quizzes may include assessment and feedback on the writing of peers.

The date and time of the weekly workshops will be determined in conjunction with the students.

Quiz 4 will be completed in Week 4.

Assessment Task 5

Quiz 5

There will be ten quizzes (one per week) for weeks 2-11. They are each worth 2%.

Quizzes will be completed and handed in during the workshop.

Quizzes may include assessment and feedback on the writing of peers.

The date and time of the weekly workshops will be determined in conjunction with the students.

Quiz 5 will be completed in Week 5.

Assessment Task 6

Assignment 2: Write a report that summarises a scientific article

All students will be provided with the same published article. You will be asked to provide a summary of the article, and to include at least one critical comment about the article in your summary. Your written summary will be a maximum of 500 words. Information on marking criteria will be provided on the Wattle site.

The assignment will be due by the end of Week 6.

Assessments are usually returned 1 week from submission.

Assessment Task 7

Quiz 6

There will be ten quizzes (one per week) for weeks 2-11. They are each worth 2%.

Quizzes will be completed and handed in during the workshop.

Quizzes may include assessment and feedback on the writing of peers.

The date and time of the weekly workshops will be determined in conjunction with the students.

Quiz 6 will be completed in Week 6

Assessment Task 8

Quiz 7

There will be ten quizzes (one per week) for weeks 2-11. They are each worth 2%.

Quizzes will be completed and handed in during the workshop.

Quizzes may include assessment and feedback on the writing of peers.

The date and time of the weekly workshops will be determined in conjunction with the students.

Quiz 7 will be completed in Week 7.

Assessment Task 9

Assignment 3: Write an Opinion piece that compares two studies

All students will be provided with two short, published articles. You will be asked to write an Opinion piece in which you: (a) summarise both articles; (b) compare their conclusions; (c) draw your own conclusion about the two studies. Your Opinion piece will be a maximum of 1000 words. Information on marking criteria will be provided on the Wattle site.

The assignment will be due by the end of Week 8.

Assessments are usually returned 1 week from submission.

Assessment Task 10

Quiz 8

There will be ten quizzes (one per week) for weeks 2-11. They are each worth 2%.

Quizzes will be completed and handed in during the workshop.

Quizzes may include assessment and feedback on the writing of peers.

The date and time of the weekly workshops will be determined in conjunction with the students.

Quiz 8 will be completed in Week 8.

Assessment Task 11

Quiz 9

There will be ten quizzes (one per week) for weeks 2-11. They are each worth 2%.

Quizzes will be completed and handed in during the workshop.

Quizzes may include assessment and feedback on the writing of peers.

The date and time of the weekly workshops will be determined in conjunction with the students.

Quiz 10 will be completed in Week 10.

Assessment Task 12

Quiz 10

There will be ten quizzes (one per week) for weeks 2-11. They are each worth 2%.

Quizzes will be completed and handed in during the workshop.

Quizzes may include assessment and feedback on the writing of peers.

The date and time of the weekly workshops will be determined in conjunction with the students.

Quiz 11 will be completed in Week 11.

Assessment Task 13

Quiz 11

There will be ten quizzes (one per week) for weeks 2-11. They are each worth 2%.

Quizzes will be completed and handed in during the workshop.

Quizzes may include assessment and feedback on the writing of peers.

The date and time of the weekly workshops will be determined in conjunction with the students.

Quiz 11 will be completed in Week 11.

Assessment Task 14

Capstone Essay

You will choose a biological topic about which there is currently some controversy. If you took BIOL 8291 it will be related to a topic that you covered in this earlier course. The topic will be agreed upon between the course coordinator and yourself (by the end of Week 2). You will write an essay analysing the evidence that forms the basis for the controversy. The maximum length of the text is 4000 words. If you wish you can include figures and tables. You will submit an essay outline in Week 6. This will not be marked, but you will get feedback on it before writing the essay. The essay is worth 50%. Guidelines and a marking rubric will be available on Wattle.

The Capstone Essay will be due in Week 13.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignments. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

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 not permitted. If assessment tasks are submitted after the due date without an approved extension, a mark of 0 will be awarded.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material.

Returning Assignments

All assignments will be returned as hardcopy with feedback, usually within 2 weeks after submission.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted 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

Resubmission of assignments is not an available option.

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 Access 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