Frontiers in Biophysics (BIPH3001)

Course overview

BIPH3001 provides students with an opportunity to explore the many ways in which concepts and techniques from biophysics are shaping and influencing modern scientific research. Through a special topics lecture series, researchers from UQ highlight how cutting-edge biophysics plays a key role in addressing big research questions across a diverse spectrum of biology. In the second half of the course, students have an opportunity to enhance their knowledge in a specific area of biophysics research by completing a research proposal in partnership with an academic mentor.

BIPH3001 is a course that focuses on Research Frontiers in Biophysics. Since 2021, this course has been offered in an exciting new format, which really gives students an unprecedented opportunity to learn about and experience the many ways in which biophysics is driving world class research at UQ.

The course will be presented in two parts, with the first part featuring a series of "special topics" lectures from research leaders at UQ, all of whom have one thing in common - their research benefits from the use of biophysics! Each lecture will present a snapshot of a research project, highlighting the ways in which biophysics has influenced the research. Highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of biophysics, selected lectures will be "team taught", featuring two members of a collaborating research team with diverse backgrounds.

In the second half of the course you will prepare a research proposal on a topic chosen from a list of options. The topics will be provided by biophysics researchers from around UQ (including those presenting the guest lectures) and once you chose a topic you will work with a researcher who will meet with you in a mentoring capacity as you develop your research proposal. There will be no lectures in the second half of semester, allowing you to fully focus on the written piece of assessment.

BIPH3001 is the capstone course in biophysics and the second of two compulsory courses at level 2/3ﾠin the BSc (Biophysics) minor. There is no required pre-requisite for BIPH3001, but students who have not studied BIPH2000/BIOC2001 (previously or concurrently) should refer to the notes on ASSUMED BACKGROUND.

Course requirements

Assumed background

Most students who are in their third year of study in a molecular biosciences major or program, or a related field of study, should be capable of completing the course. BIOC2001 is a recommended (but not required) pre-requisite which you can completely concurrently with BIPH3001, if desired. If you have any concerns about the relevance of your particular study history then please contact the course coordinator for advice.

Recommended prerequisites

We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:

BIOC2001 or BIPH2000

Course contact

Course staff

Timetable

The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.

Additional timetable information

Check your online timetable regularly.

Please note that lectures will only run in the first half of semester.ﾠAn updated course timetable reflecting this will be published on the course blackboard site at the start of semester.ﾠ

The second half of the course will have no formal contact hours and your learning will be largely self-directed.ﾠFor this part of the course you will be expected to coordinate regular meetings with your chosen supervisor/mentor. In developing your written assessment item, you should expect to have to dedicate as much working time as you would for a normal 2 unit course at 3rd level, despite the fact that these hours are not timetabled.ﾠ

Aims and outcomes

This course gives students of the physical and life sciences the opportunity to further their understanding in a specific area of biophysics and to interact with relevant researchers.

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment

Assessment summary

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

In-semester exam

• Hurdle
• Identity Verified
• In-person

Mode

Written

Category

Examination

Weight

40% or 50%

Due date

11/09/2024 12:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Exam details

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to defer this exam.

Seminar Diary

• Hurdle

Mode

Written

Category

Notebook/ Logbook

Weight

10% or 0%

Due date

13/09/2024 2:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Submission guidelines

Submit your completed Seminar Diary 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.

Meetings with supervisor/mentor

• Hurdle
• In-person

Mode

Activity/ Performance

Category

Performance

Weight

10%

Due date

25/10/2024 2:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L02, L04, L05, L06

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Submission guidelines

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.

Research Proposal

• Hurdle

Mode

Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation

Weight

40%

Due date

25/10/2024 2:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L02, L04, L05, L06

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Submission guidelines

Submit your Research Proposal 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.

Additional course grading information

Assessment Hurdles

In order to pass this course, you must meet ALL of the following requirements (if you do not meet these requirements, the maximum grade you will receive will be a 3):

1. You must obtain an overall course mark of 50% or more; and

2. You must obtain a minimum weighted average of 40% or more across the mid-semester exam and seminar diary (using either of the two weighting options specified); and

3. You must obtain a minimum weighted average mark of 40% across all other course assessment items and learning tasks.

The maximum grade you will receive will be a 2 if you:

1. Obtain a minimum weighted averageﾠof 30% or less across the mid-semester exam and seminar diary (using both of the two weighting options specified); and/or

2. Obtain a weighted average mark of 30% or less on the other course assessment items and learning tasks.

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is available for this course.

Should you fail a course with a grade of 3, you may be eligible for supplementary assessment. Refer to my.UQ for information on supplementary assessment and how to apply. 

Supplementary assessment provides an additional opportunity to demonstrate you have achieved all the required learning outcomes for a course.  

If you apply and are granted supplementary assessment, the type of supplementary assessment set will consider which learning outcome(s) have not been met.  

Supplementary assessment can take any form (such as a written report, oral presentation, examination or other appropriate assessment) and may test specific learning outcomes tailored to the individual student, or all learning outcomes. 

To receive a passing grade of 3S4, you must obtain a mark of 50% or more on the supplementary assessment. 

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.

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: ppl.app.uq.edu.au/content/3.60.04-student-integrity-and-misconduct

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

Blackboard

ﾠ

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

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.