BVB202 Experimental Design and Quantitative Methods
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | BVB202 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | SEB113 or MAB101 or MAB141 or MXB101 or MXB107 or (MZB103 and (MZB104 or MZB105)) |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| CSP student contribution | $1,164 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $4,968 |
| International unit fee | $6,216 |
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2025, Gardens Point, Internal
| Unit code: | BVB202 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | SEB113 or MAB101 or MAB141 or MXB101 or MXB107 or (MZB103 and (MZB104 or MZB105)) |
| Coordinator: | Grant Hamilton | g.hamilton@qut.edu.au |
Overview
The skills to design, carry out, analyse and interpret experiments are fundamental for scientists. This is particularly important for students of biology and environmental science since environmental variability is an inherent element of the systems that they will need to understand. This unit builds on first year knowledge of the theory of science and the scientific method developed in first year. With field trips it provides real world experience in problem assessment, formulation of testable hypotheses, and experimental design. These critical skills are used and further developed in later units.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Identify biological and/or environmental problems and formulate robust research questions and hypotheses.
- Plan and design quantitative biological and environmental experiments.
- Employ analytical and statistical skills and draw upon First Nations Peoples scientific knowledge to develop solutions to environmental and biological problems.
- Communicate scientific results to a specialist audience using accepted written and visual formats.
- Use statistical software to analyse biological and environmental data.
Content
Biological and environmental problems can be complex and involve considerable uncertainty. The need to determine if an effect is occurring against a background of variability has given rise to a variety of approaches that are widely used in science. These methods assist scientists in making decisions.
Using real world examples and data that you have gathered, a range of topics will be covered within the unit including:
- Correct use of appropriate statistical software
- Methods for summarising biological and environmental data
- Sampling strategies for the collection of biological and environmental data
- Hypothesis testing and alternatives
- Designing, planning and analysing experiments
- Probability and probability distributions
- Communicating scientific results.
Learning Approaches
Lecture and workshop: Alternate weeks throughout semester
Practicals: Weekly throughout semester
As a second year unit this unit builds upon the foundational knowledge learned in the first year of the degree. In this unit, you are expected to take responsibility for your learning and undertake some self-directed learning to uncover answers to your questions. You can expect to spend between 10 - 15 hours per week on average involved in preparing for and attending all scheduled classes, completing assessment tasks, and undertaking your own independent study to consolidate your learning.
Working in groups and individually, you will be guided by lecturers and tutors in the use of appropriate theory and software. You will work collaboratively with peers to identify different kinds of problems, and individually and in groups, design and analyse experiments for different kinds of problems in biological and environmental systems. This will be conducted in parallel with a series of data gathering exercises that may involve field trips and other tasks. These analyses and exercises will engage you in the kinds of activities that you might undertake when employed in biological or environmental fields or when undertaking further study. You will also communicate the results of your analyses in an appropriate scientific format. Your report writing skills will be developed by individual and group work, and refined with feedback from peers, tutors and lecturers.
It is important to appreciate that the knowledge you learn will not remain static: new techniques will be developed over time that will influence the design, planning and subsequent analysis of experiments. Therefore you will be directed to online and audiovisual resources that will enable you to develop your analytical skills in the current unit and to keep abreast of new techniques as they develop into the future.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Assessment is designed to provide feedback to you progressively throughout the semester. This will involve a mix of written and oral feedback from lecturers and tutors on your weekly worksheets and the mid semester quiz. You will also receive structured written feedback from peers, and oral feedback from tutors and lecturers on your practice report, and written and oral feedback from lecturers and tutors on your final report.
Assessment
Overview
Assessment in this unit has been designed to assist you to develop an understanding of the concepts and techniques that are essential for the design, analysis and interpretation of experiments in biological and environmental settings. In most weeks you will have the opportunity to collaborate with your peers to practice recognising and analysing problems using appropriate software. You will then be asked to individually submit answers to set problems for assessment and feedback.
To assist you to develop your report writing skills you will be asked to write a short practice report that will be shared with a designated peer supporter who will provide structured feedback. Tutors and lecturers will also be available to provide feedback on this report. Towards the end of semester each individual will be asked to write a Research Plan, documenting and summarising plans and expected outcomes of a research project. Towards the end of semester each individual will be asked to write a short scientific report for assessment.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Problem Solving Task
A brief series of problems given weekly. These involve using calculations to solve exercises or designing experiments in a biological or environmental context. They require the type of problem to be identified, the correct analytical technique to be used and the results to be correctly interpreted.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Research Plan
You are required to write a research plan for the planned project or experiment that you will undertake. This plan should document and summarise your planned actions for the project, the experimental design and state the expected outcomes of the project/experiment.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Scientific Report
This assessment item consists of a short scientific report that will use the data collected during fieldwork or other classroom exercises, or is otherwise supplied.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
A range of learning materials to support your learning in this unit will be available online in your Canvas unit site. This unit has a recommended textbook, the details of which are listed below.
Resource Materials
Recommended text(s)
Townend, J. 2002. Practical statistics for environmental & biological scientists. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit. You will be made aware of evacuation procedures and assembly areas in the first few lectures. In the event of a fire alarm sounding, or on a lecturer's instruction, you should leave the room and assemble in the designated area that will be indicated to you.
The unit may involve fieldwork. Risk assessments for field trips identify several low impact risks, including: travel; slips and trips; animal bites, and animal and plant stings. Safety considerations associated with field trips will be discussed in pre-trip briefings with printed notes related to safety issues being distributed where appropriate. You should be conscious of your health and safety at all times whilst on campus or in the field.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.ST01 Bachelor of Science
- Develop a broad, multidisciplinary understanding of science and a specialised, in-depth knowledge of at least one discipline.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO5, Problem Solving Task, Research Plan, Scientific Report - Recognise First Nations Peoples of Australia as the nation’s first scientists, whose knowledge and contributions are valued.
Relates to: ULO3, Problem Solving Task, Research Plan, Scientific Report - Use higher order thinking skills to design, plan, and conduct investigations and evaluate data to address scientific questions and challenges.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Problem Solving Task, Research Plan, Scientific Report - Develop and demonstrate key competencies in scientific practices and relevant technologies.
Relates to: ULO3, ULO5, Problem Solving Task, Research Plan, Scientific Report - Communicate scientific findings, concepts and evidence-based reasoning to diverse audiences using a variety of methods.
Relates to: ULO4, Research Plan, Scientific Report
SV02 Bachelor of Science
- Develop a broad, multidisciplinary understanding of science and a specialised, in-depth knowledge of at least one discipline.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO5, Problem Solving Task, Research Plan, Scientific Report - Recognise First Nations Peoples of Australia as the nation’s first scientists, whose knowledge and contributions are valued.
Relates to: ULO3, Problem Solving Task, Research Plan, Scientific Report - Use higher order thinking skills to design, plan, and conduct investigations and evaluate data to address scientific questions and challenges.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Problem Solving Task, Research Plan, Scientific Report - Develop and demonstrate key competencies in scientific practices and relevant technologies.
Relates to: ULO3, ULO5, Problem Solving Task, Research Plan, Scientific Report - Communicate scientific findings, concepts and evidence-based reasoning to diverse audiences using a variety of methods.
Relates to: ULO4, Research Plan, Scientific Report