Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Chemistry & Molec Biosciences
Project work in specialised areas of biotechnology under supervision of an appropriate staff member in any discipline contributing to the biotechnology program.
Scientific research underpins progress in biotechnology. This course provides an opportunity for students to undertake a small 2-unit workplace-, laboratory-, or computer bassed-project on an aspect of biotechnology. Under the supervision of an appropriate staff member, students will gain experience in analysing relevant literature, designing a research proposal, planning experiments, undertaking research, assessment of results, writing a research report and presenting a research seminar. The course thus provides an introduction to research methodology and the transition to professional or research work.
Course requirements
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
Permission of Director, Biotechnology Program.
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
The Biotechnology Program Coordinator's permission is required to enrol in this course.ﾠ
This course is delivered by directed study under academic supervision and there is no generic timetable. Student and supervisor will arrange to meet at regular intervals to monitor progress.
Students are required to find a research project supervisor, ﾠmeet with the supervisor and agree upon a topic, and advise the Course Coordinator BEFORE the end of week 2 of semester.
In week 1, students must meet with their supervisor to agree on a timetable for attendance in the laboratory or workplace setting. For a 2 unit project laboratory attendance should be a minimum of 10 hours per week. Students must also provide their supervisor with a copy of the Course Profile (CP) at this meeting.
Students should contact their individual supervisors directly for matters relating to their research project work, research report or seminar presentations.
It is the supervisor's responsibility to supervise the research project, negotiate a date and venue for the seminar presentation to be held at the end of semester, provide a mark for the seminar presentation and laboratory performance.ﾠ
The supervisor is also required to nominate two examiners for the research report, one of which can be the Course Coordinator, and inform the course coordinator of the other examiner.
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to provide students the opportunity to develop their independent research skills through a biotechnology project, including preparing and delivering a research seminar, and preparing and delivering a research report.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
develop skills in project planning and management, design and execution of experiments, and hypothesis formulation, for a biotechnology research project;
LO2.
develop skills on information acquisition and critical analysis in biotechnology;
LO3.
record the planning and outcome of experiments in a manner suitable for scientific research;
LO4.
develop skills in creating and presenting a clear and concise oral presentation of a research project;
LO5.
develop skills in writing a research report.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation |
Research Seminar
|
10% |
Completion of seminar Week 12 - Week 13 Submission of slides - 2:00pm 4/11/2024 |
| Notebook/ Logbook, Practical/ Demonstration, Project |
Laboratory Research Performance & Notebook
|
20% |
4/11/2024 2:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Project |
Research Report
|
70% |
4/11/2024 2:00 pm |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Research Seminar
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 10%
- Due date
Completion of seminar Week 12 - Week 13
Submission of slides - 2:00pm 4/11/2024
- Learning outcomes
- L04
Task description
Oral presentations are a richer medium than written documents. They allow you to establish stronger contact with the audience and better convince them of your viewpoint through verbal and nonverbal delivery, as well as the ensuing interaction. Preparing effective oral presentations, like writing effective scientific papers, takes time, but it is time well invested. This assessment item will give you a chance to start building your oral presentation skills.
Students are to present a 10-15 minute seminar to a laboratory meeting or to the research group, on research undertaken throughout the semester. The seminar can take place during weeks 12-13 at a time convenient for the laboratory or research group, and supervisor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in assessment
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of Generative AI may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
See ADDITIONAL COURSE GRADING INFORMATION for the hurdle/s relating to this assessment item.Submission guidelines
Submit your slides through the submission point in Blackboard. Before submitting your assessment item please name your file in the following way. FAMILY NAME_GivenName_StudentID_CourseCode_AssignmentName For example: Bob Smith (ID: 54329876) would name his ABCD1234 essay 1 in the following way. SMITH_Bob_54329876_ABCD1234_Essay1
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Applications for Extensions
Information on applying for an extension can be found here: my.UQ Applying for an extension.
Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.
If you are unable to provide approved documentation to support your application by the due date and time, you must still submit your application by the deadline but with an attached Word document that outlines why you cannot provide the approved documentation by the deadline. You will then need to acquire and upload the approved documentation to your request within 24 hours. Please note: When an extension request has been submitted and is pending, students are expected to continue to work on the assessment item, with the aim of submitting by the requested due date and time.
Prolonged Absence
If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester.
Extensions with Student Access Plans (SAP)
For extensions up to 7 days, your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, extension requests longer than 7 days (for any one assessment item) will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g. a medical certificate.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved.
In most instances one or more hurdles will apply to your assessment item so you will need to submit it to fulfil the requirements of the course regardless of how late it is and the mark you are likely to be awarded.
Laboratory Research Performance & Notebook
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia
- Category
- Notebook/ Logbook, Practical/ Demonstration, Project
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
4/11/2024 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
General guidance on how to perform laboratory/project work, and your responsibilities as part of a research team, will be given by your supervisor or the person appointed to act as your mentor for this course. Please do not hesitate to ask for their advice if you are uncertain of any aspects of your project – rules and manners, how to obtain specialised chemicals or commercially purified enzymes, how to use a piece of equipment/software, how to maintain a notebook, etc.
You need to maintain a record of the work you are doing (commonly using a laboratory notebook) as evidence that the work has been conducted. Recording your work allows others to see the details of what you have done, avoids needless repetition of experiments/data collection, facilitates progression of the work when you have moved on and is needed in support of future publication.
You are expected to keep a comprehensive record of your day-to-day work, fully dated and indexed. This notebook will contain protocols, details of exactly how work was performed day-to-day (including appropriate weightings, volumes, photographs, search strategies etc.), all raw data (or a note of where voluminous data collections, such as chart recorder traces, are held).
If your project is literature or computationally based you are still required to maintain a notebook as a record of the work you are doing.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
See ADDITIONAL COURSE GRADING INFORMATION for the hurdle/s relating to this assessment item.Submission guidelines
Submit your laboratory notebook (or a record of your work) directly to your project supervisor by the due date and time.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Applications for Extensions
Information on applying for an extension can be found here: my.UQ Applying for an extension.
Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.
If you are unable to provide approved documentation to support your application by the due date and time, you must still submit your application by the deadline but with an attached Word document that outlines why you cannot provide the approved documentation by the deadline. You will then need to acquire and upload the approved documentation to your request within 24 hours. Please note: When an extension request has been submitted and is pending, students are expected to continue to work on the assessment item, with the aim of submitting by the requested due date and time.
Prolonged Absence
If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester.
Extensions with Student Access Plans (SAP)
For extensions up to 7 days, your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, extension requests longer than 7 days (for any one assessment item) will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g. a medical certificate.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved.
In most instances one or more hurdles will apply to your assessment item so you will need to submit it to fulfil the requirements of the course regardless of how late it is and the mark you are likely to be awarded.
Research Report
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Project
- Weight
- 70%
- Due date
4/11/2024 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L05
Task description
The objective of your report is to provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your research initiative, analytical and interpretative skills, grasp of techniques, and clarity of expression and presentation. Your report will be prepared using a word processor: page margins will be set to 2cm all round, pages will be numbered, font of 12pt Calibri or Times New Roman (or equivalent) is acceptable, line spacing of 1.5 will be used. One of the arts of scientific writing is to organise ideas and results concisely and with least repetition. The total length, exclusive of references figures and tables, i.e. consisting of the text for the Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion and Conclusions, should not exceed 15 pages (excluding the bibliography). There may be instances, such as industrial placement, where an alternative format is justified, this should be agreed with the course coordinator.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
See ADDITIONAL COURSE GRADING INFORMATION for the hurdle/s relating to this assessment item.Submission guidelines
Submit your Research Report through the course Turnitin submission point in Blackboard. Before submitting your assessment item to Turnitin please name your file in the following way. FAMILY NAME_GivenName_StudentID_CourseCode_AssignmentName For example: Bob Smith (ID: 54329876) would name his ABCD1234 essay 1 in the following way. SMITH_Bob_54329876_ABCD1234_Essay1
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Applications for Extensions
Information on applying for an extension can be found here: my.UQ Applying for an extension.
Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.
If you are unable to provide approved documentation to support your application by the due date and time, you must still submit your application by the deadline but with an attached Word document that outlines why you cannot provide the approved documentation by the deadline. You will then need to acquire and upload the approved documentation to your request within 24 hours. Please note: When an extension request has been submitted and is pending, students are expected to continue to work on the assessment item, with the aim of submitting by the requested due date and time.
Prolonged Absence
If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester.
Extensions with Student Access Plans (SAP)
For extensions up to 7 days, your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, extension requests longer than 7 days (for any one assessment item) will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g. a medical certificate.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved.
In most instances one or more hurdles will apply to your assessment item so you will need to submit it to fulfil the requirements of the course regardless of how late it is and the mark you are likely to be awarded.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Student has made little attempt to address the requirements for this topic. Written submissions and performance are incomplete or unsatisfactory. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 0% |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Student fails to demonstrate relevant knowledge or understanding of the underlying concepts associated with this topic. The student shows little evidence of the skills and understanding expected of a graduate. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 30% |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: The student demonstrates a limited knowledge of the topics being assessed. The student shows little aptitude to continue in this area, but has benefited from the exercise and may be able to apply this knowledge for other purposes. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 45% |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student's answer to the topic is unambiguous and addresses the specific question(s) or issue(s) being examined. Performance in the assessment instrument(s) demonstrates basic knowledge and comprehension of the underlying concepts of the topic being examined. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 50% |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: In addition to the criteria for a grade of 4, the student demonstrates in his or her assessment a superior understanding of some of the underlying concepts of the topic(s) being examined. The student has shown some competence in addressing the assessment criteria. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 65% |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: In addition to the criteria for a grade of 5, the student demonstrates a higher level of understanding of the factual and conceptual information available from the literature or other appropriate sources (e.g. the student's own experimental data). A good attempt has been made to dissect and integrate different aspects of that knowledge, resulting in well-balanced and appropriate conclusions and a commendable attempt to synthesize ideas. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 75% |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Reserved for an outstanding performance which demonstrates a level of achievement superior to a grade of 6, and includes a substantial and original synthesis of ideas based on a critical analysis of the subject matter available to the student. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 85% |
Additional course grading information
Assessment Hurdle
In order to pass this course:
1. Students must obtain an overall course mark of 50% or more; and
2. Students must complete and submit ALL learning tasks and assessment items.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Assessment Submission
It is the responsibility of the student to ensure the on time, correct and complete submission of all assessment items.
Please ensure you receive and save the submission confirmation for all submitted items, you may be asked to produce this as evidence of your submission.
Turnitin
By submitting work through Turnitin you are deemed to have accepted the following declaration “I certify that this assignment is my own work and has not been submitted, either previously or concurrently, in whole or in part, to this University or any other educational institution, for marking or assessment”.
All students must ensure they receive their Turnitin receipt on submission of any assessments. A valid Turnitin receipt will be the only evidence accepted if one or more of your submissions are missing. Without evidence, the assessment will receive the standard late penalty, or after seven days, will receive zero. In the case of a Blackboard outage, please contact the Course Coordinator as soon as possible to confirm the outage with ITS.
Assessment/Attendance
Please notify your Course Coordinator as soon as you become aware of any issue that may affect your ability to meet the assessment/attendance requirements of the course. The my.UQ website and the Electronic Course Profile (ECP) for your course also provide information about your course requirements, the rules associated with your courses and services offered by the University.
Important Note - Project Progression
Please note that extensions are only rarely granted. Extensions will typically only be granted if you suffer from a significant illness, if a close family member develops a serious illness, or for family bereavement. Extensions will not routinely be granted at many weeks or months after an illness or other event, on the basis that such interruptions are part of life.
Research projects are not about completing a set body of work within an indefinite timeframe. Rather, you are given a period of time to learn about a topic, gain experience in practical research skills, analyse data, develop your own independent thoughts and conclusions based on this analysis, and write a report that communicates all of this to your examiners.
We expect that you will develop skills that allow you to adjust your plans “on the run” – everyone will experience things that do not go according to plan at some point, and it is a necessary skill in scientific research to be able to respond to change, whether it is an experiment that did not work because someone switched the incubator off over the weekend, or an event that prevented your attendance at the University or impacted your priorities.
What is important is that you adjust your plans appropriately, and in close consultation with your supervisor, so that you have sufficient time to analyse and write up what data you have obtained into a report that best demonstrates your knowledge and development as a scientist.
Note: If your application for extension is due to significant unforeseen circumstances in your laboratory a detailed written statement outlining the circumstances is required from your supervisor. This can be included in your application. Applications due to unforeseen circumstances will not be accepted without a supervisor's statement.
A note for repeating students in this course
Any student who enrols in a course must not be given exemption or partial credit from their previous attempt(s) for any individual piece of assessment. Instead, the student must successfully complete all of the learning activities and assessment items within the study period of enrolment (PPL Assessment - Procedures Section: Assessment integrity).
If the same assessment item is set from one year to the next, repeating students are allowed to submit the same work they submitted in previous attempts at the course. Where possible SCMB recommends that you use the feedback you received in your last attempt to improve parts of the item where you lost marks. Resubmission of an altered or unaltered assessment item by a repeating student (where the same assessment has been set) will not be considered as self-plagiarism.
Important Note
Turnitin is to be used for assignments/laboratory reports to check for plagiarism. Penalties can be severe for plagiarism.
The University has adopted the following definition of plagiarism: Plagiarism is the act of misrepresenting as one's own original work the ideas, interpretations, words or creative works of another either intentionally or unintentionally. These include published and unpublished documents, designs, music, sounds, images, photographs, computer codes and ideas gained through working in a group. These ideas, interpretations, words or works may be found in print and/or electronic media.
Students are encouraged to read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism policy at: https://policies.uq.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=149
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Additional supplementary material may be posted on the Blackboard site forﾠBIOT4020ﾠﾠ http://blackboard.elearning.uq.edu.au Please check the announcements section of the Blackboard site regularly for information updates.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
General contact hours |
Biotechnology Research Project Undertake a research project of 1 semester duration. For a 2 unit project attendance should be a minimum of 10 hours per week. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Week 1 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
General contact hours |
Week 1 meeting with supervisor In week 1, students must meet with their supervisor to agree on a timetable for attendance in the laboratory or workplace setting. Students must also provide their supervisor with a copy of the Course Profile (CP) at this meeting. Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Week 2 |
General contact hours |
Advise course coordinator of topic advise the Course Coordinator BEFORE the end of week 2 of semester. Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.