| Credit |
6 points |
| Availability |
Semester 2 (see Timetable) |
| Outcomes |
Students are able to locate and read original journal articles; make use of standard reference texts; understand basic ideas and models in behavioural ecology and demonstrate that understanding through application in assignments or by answering examination questions. Students develop skills in design and analysis of experiments, evaluating scientific literature, writing about science, observational technique, and field techniques. |
| Content |
This is a compulsory unit for Zoology majors but it is also available for non-majors. It covers the broad area of behavioural ecology—how an animal's behaviour is adapted to its particular physical and social environment. It integrates current ideas in areas such as sexual selection and patterns of mate choice, kin selection and kin recognition, altruism and comparative analysis with more conventional behavioural studies on perceptual systems such as hearing, magnetic orientation, communication systems and predator avoidance. Practical work covers two areas (1) a case study to develop skills in literature review, synthesis and critique; and (2) a supervised small group research project to develop technical and experimental design skills, working on a different topic from the case study. |
| Assessment |
This comprises the assessment of the corresponding Level 3 unit (50 per cent) and an additional assignment (50 per cent).
Supplementary assessment is not available in this unit. |
| Unit Co-ordinator(s) |
Winthrop Professor Dale Roberts |
| Location |
UWA (Crawley) |
| Mode |
on-campus |
| Unit Rules |
| Prerequisites: enrolment in a postgraduate course |
| Advisable prior study: STATXXXX (any statistics/biometrics unit) |
Contact hours—lectures: 2 hrs per week; practical or case study: 3 hrs per week
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- The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of going to press but may be subject to change.
- Assistance with study skills, including English language skills, is available free of charge from Student Services for all enrolled students (see http://www.studentservices.uwa.edu.au/ss/learning). Student Services location: Second Floor, South Wing, Guild Village; telephone: 6488 2423.
- Books and other materials wherever listed may be subject to change. Book lists relating to 'Preliminary Reading', 'Recommended Reading' and 'Textbooks' are, in most cases, available at the University Co-operative Bookshop (from early January) and appropriate administrative offices for students to consult. For first-year units the Bookshop will endeavour to make available photocopies of book lists for individual units. Books marked with an asterisk (*) are available in paperback.
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