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时间：2021-02-19
BA1201 Science Communication Project
The Science Communication Project is a group assignment with multiple components that runs
throughout the session. The project focuses on advanced biology topics and aims to develop, exercise
and enhance your science communication skills. Working in a team of 3 – 4, students you will:
1. Select a topic from the list provided;
2. Perform a literature search on the chosen topic (see Moodle for a module on how to conduct a
literature search);
3. Write and submit an individual ESSAY (15%) that compares primary and secondary scientific
journal articles on their topic (see Moodle for a module on scientific literature that describes
primary and secondary scientific journal articles);
4. Meet online regularly with your team to discuss findings on your topic, and develop a
presentation that effectively communicates the central biological concepts, especially with
respect to how those concepts align with BA1201 course themes and learning activity topics;
5. PITCH (5%) your presentation ideas in writing to your tutor to gain feedback on the design,
biological content and feasibility of your project;
6. Utilise the feedback received in the pitch to finalise your 10 minute team PRESENTATION
(15%) on your biology topic for submission in Week 12;
7. Submit a team PORTFOLIO (5%) that documents the proceedings of all team meetings,
including an inventory of ideas, team member roles, major decisions, and other notes on the
presentation design and execution;
This project incorporates the following UNSW Science graduate attributes:
• Research, inquiry and analytical thinking abilities;
• Capability and motivation for intellectual development;
• Communication;
• Teamwork, collaborative and management skills; and,
• Information literacy.
Assessable
Component Learning Outcomes Assessed
Weight
% Due Date
Scientific
Literature
Essay
(individual)
The following LO from the lecture :Scientific literature” will be assessed:
• Identify a primary article and list its features
• Explain the differences between primary and secondary sources of
scientific literature
• Describe the term ‘peer review’ as it applies to scientific literature
Graduate Attributes developed:
• Research, inquiry and analytical thinking abilities;
• Communication;
• Information literacy.
Biology Threshold learning outcomes developed:
4. Effectively synthesise and communicate biological results using a range of
modes (including oral, written, and visual) for a variety of purposes and
audiences.
5.1 Be accountable for their own learning and biological work by being
independent and self-directed learners.
15%
Week 7
(Sunday
9.00 pm)
Group Pitch
Graduate Attributes developed:
• Capability and motivation for intellectual development;
• Communication;
• Teamwork, collaborative and management skills; and,
• Information literacy.
Biology Threshold learning outcomes developed:
4. Effectively synthesise and communicate biological results using a range of
modes (including oral, written, and visual) for a variety of purposes and
audiences.
5.2 Work effectively, responsibly and safely in individual and peer or team
contexts.
5%
Week 9
(Sunday
9.00 pm)
Group
Presentation
Biology Threshold learning outcomes developed:
3.1 Gather, synthesise and critically evaluate information about biological
phenomena from a range of sources.
4. Effectively synthesise and communicate biological results using a range of
modes (including oral, written, and visual) for a variety of purposes and
audiences.
5.2 Work effectively, responsibly and safely in individual and peer or team
contexts.
15%
Week 12
(Sunday
9.00 pm)
Group
Portfolio
Biology Threshold learning outcomes developed:
5.1 Be accountable for their own learning and biological work by being
independent and self-directed learners.
5.2 Work effectively, responsibly and safely in individual and peer or team
contexts.
5%
Week 12
(Sunday
9.00 pm)
Total
Weighting: 40%
LIST OF PROJECT TOPICS:
After confirming the members of your Project team, you must collectively select a current
biology topic for your project from the list below. These topics have been carefully selected for
their alignment with core course concepts and for their feasibility for all components of this
assignment. It is possible that your team may be permitted to select a topic of interest that is
not on the list, but such topics must firstly be assessed and approved by your demonstrator
and/or course convenors.
1. What does the koala genome tell us about the taste of eucalyptus?
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180710101646.htm
2. The Tardigrade (water bear) genome has been sequenced and it’s even weirder than we
thought https://sciencealert.com/the-tardigrade-genome-has-been-sequenced-and-it-
has-the-most-foreign-dna-of-any-animal
3. A new mechanism of action of the Replisome means all the biology text books need to
be re-written http://www.labmanager.com/news/2015/11/study-reveals-the-architecture-
of-the-molecular-machine-that-copies-dna?fw1pk=2#.VjoxtyserSg
4. The science of genetic inheritance is weirder than we thought
http://www.sciencealert.com/watch-the-science-of-genetic-inheritance-is-weirder-than-
we-thought
5. Gene-editing technique used to create low-gluten bread suitable for celiacs
http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/geneediting-technique-used-to-create-
lowgluten-bread-suitable-for-celiacs/
6. This biohacker became the first person to edit their own DNA
http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/this-biohacker-became-the-first-person-
to-edit-his-own-dna/
7. CRISPR gene editing tool used to treat genetic disease in an animal for the first time
http://www.sciencealert.com/crispr-gene-editing-tool-used-to-treat-genetic-disease-in-an-
animal-for-the-first-time
8. A protein found in human breast milk could help kill drug resistant bacteria
http://www.sciencealert.com/a-protein-found-in-human-breast-milk-could-help-kill-drug-
resistant-bacteria
9. Do we all carry the genes for autism? http://www.sciencealert.com/we-all-carry-the-
genes-for-autism-study-finds
10. The first eukaryotes without a normal cellular power supply have been found
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/05/first-eukaryotes-found-without-normal-cellular-
power-supply?utm_source=sciencemagazine&utm_medium=facebook-
text&utm_campaign=noeukaryote-4260
11. Can the ‘RNA World’ be used to explain the origins of life?
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/05/rna-world-inches-closer-explaining-origins-
life?utm_source=sciencemagazine&utm_medium=facebook-
text&utm_campaign=rnaworld-4268
12. Humans are still evolving and we can watch it happen
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/05/humans-are-still-evolving-and-we-can-watch-
it-happen?utm_source=sciencemagazine&utm_medium=facebook-
text&utm_campaign=huvolution-4363
13. Scientists have found a woman whose eyes have a whole new type of colour receptor
http://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-have-found-a-woman-whose-eyes-have-a-whole-
new-type-of-colour-receptor
14. Scientists think they finally know why our genes are made of DNA and not RNA
http://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-think-they-finally-know-why-our-genes-are-made-
of-dna-not-rna
15. Forget what you learned in high school – this new carbon molecule has 6 bonds
http://www.sciencealert.com/forget-what-you-learned-in-high-school-this-new-carbon-
molecule-has-6-bonds
16. We might finally know what triggered living cells to evolve for the first time
http://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-might-have-discovered-what-allowed-life-to-
evolve
17. Scientists have successfully reversed DNA aging in mice
http://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-have-successfully-reversed-dna-ageing-in-mice
18. Antibody-powered nucleic acid release using a DNA-based nanomachine
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms15150
19. High intensity workouts could slow down your aging by almost a decade
http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/highintensity-workouts-could-slow-down-
your-aging-by-almost-a-decade/
20. A new study identifies 52 genes associated with human intelligence
https://www.facebook.com/nature/posts/10154856218303167
21. The brain starts to eat itself after chronic sleep deprivation
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2132258-the-brain-starts-to-eat-itself-after-chronic-
sleep-
deprivation/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&cmpid
=SOC%7CNSNS%7C2017-Echobox&utm_source=Facebook#link_time=1495578558
22. CRISPR kills HIV and eats Zika 'like Pac-man'. Its next target? Cancer
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/crispr-disease-rna-hiv
23. This Is the first ever nanoscale image of a living cell membrane. It's beautiful.
http://www.sciencealert.com/researchers-close-a-debate-with-a-nanoscale-image-of-a-
living-cell-membrane
24. Gastric bypass surgery gives patients a new set of helpful microbes
http://www.sciencealert.com/gastric-bypass-surgery-gives-patients-a-new-set-of-helpful-
microbes
25. Can gene therapy be used to switch off asthma? http://www.sciencealert.com/gene-
therapy-used-to-switch-off-asthma
26. Tea consumption leads to epigenetic changes in women
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-05-tea-consumption-epigenetic-women.html
27. Designer viruses successfully stimulate the immune system to fight cancer
https://www.technologynetworks.com/cancer-research/news/designer-viruses-
successfully-stimulate-the-immune-system-to-fight-cancer-289203
28. Scientists discover plants have ‘brains’ that determine when they grow
http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/scientists-discover-plants-brains-
determine-grow/
29. New semi-synthetic organism can make molecules we’ve never seen before
http://www.sciencealert.com/new-semi-synthetic-organism-can-make-molecules-we-ve-
never-seen-before-dna-unnatural
30. Latest DNA analysis shows the Yeti are actually just a bunch of bears
http://www.sciencealert.com/dna-analysis-yeti-samples-asian-bears-no-proof-of-cryptids
31. Babies who get more cuddles have their genetics changed for years
http://www.sciencealert.com/cuddling-babies-alters-their-genetics-dna-for-years
32. Living bacteria “From outer space” have been found on the outside of the ISS
http://www.sciencealert.com/living-bacteria-from-outer-space-found-clinging-to-iss-alien-
life
33. This protein in your brain could be at the heart of creating memories
http://www.sciencealert.com/rna-binding-protein-staufen2-linked-to-synaptic-plasticity-
learning-memory
34. World’s smallest tape recorder has been built inside a living bacterium
http://www.sciencealert.com/smallest-tape-recorder-crispr-cas-bacterium
SUGGESTED PROJECT TIMELINE
Check Moodle announcements for updates and supporting materials to guide your project.
In Week 2 Tutorial (Virtual classroom):
• Form project groups
• Select project topic
• Schedule a meeting time for your team in Week 2/3
Individual Week 2/3 Tutorials:
• Work through the ‘Scientific Literature’ lesson on Moodle. Other lessons on conducting
a literature search and referencing may also be useful. For this assessment if you are
unfamiliar with academic writing.
• Team members should start individually researching their topic prior to their arranged
meeting time with their group. You need to conduct a literature search (not an internet
search) e.g. using Google Scholar or PubMed. The online lesson linked to via Moodle
on conducting a literature search may be useful here. You should identify some
reviews related to your topic. Note: You should not pay for any of the scientific
literature - you will be able to access most references you need for free through the
UNSW library online.
Week 2/3 Team Meeting (out of class):
• Scheduled team meeting - ensure an agenda is distributed prior and that one person
takes minutes (including action items) and distributes then to members shortly after
the meeting.
• Confirm topic and discuss scientific literature essay and assign one primary and one
secondary research article to each team member for the purpose of completing the
scientific literature essay. The review may be the same across members, but primary
articles should be different.
Week 3 In Tutorial (Virtual classroom)
• Consultation with tutor: provide them with details of the initial meeting and any
additional ones, confirm team members and topic, ask questions you may have on the
assignment and conduct literature searches. You may also briefly discuss your articles
with the tutor.
Week 3/4 Team Meeting (out of class):
• Scheduled team meeting.
• Team members should continue to research their topic, with a focus on peer-reviewed
scientific literature (i.e. journal articles).
• Start developing ideas for the content and format of your major presentation (see
assignment guidelines below; presentation ‘pitch’ is due in Week 9 and final
presentation is due in Week 12.
Week 4-7 Individual (in own time):
• Each team member should be individually researching and writing their “scientific
literature essay”, due in Week 7 (Sunday 9.00 pm).
Week 7-8 Team Meeting (out of class):
• Scheduled meeting team meeting.
• Develop a proposal that encapsulates the fundamental elements of your presentation
plan (see below for pitch guidelines). You will submit this proposal via Turnitin in
Moodle in week 9.
Week 9 Team Meeting (out of class)
• Research into topic should be complete and presentation design finalised.
• Submit Pitch via Turnitin in Moodle by Sunday 9.00 pm. Your tutor will provide you
with feedback in Week 10).
Week 10 Team Meeting (out of class):
• Scheduled meeting team meeting
• Continue with the plan for your team presentation
• Incorporate feedback from marked Pitch
Week 10/11
• Consultation with tutor during Virtual classroom if required
• Finalise your team’s presentation and portfolio for submission
Week 12 Submit Presentation and portfolio:
• Submit Presentation and portfolio files into allocated group Media Collection Gallery
in Moodle.
• Due by 9.00pm Sunday 11/4/2021
Scientific Literature Essay – 15%
Due Sunday – 7/3/21, 9.00 pm, via Turnitin on Moodle
In the first phase of the Project, you will be assigned to a team of 3-4 members. As a team, you will
select a current biology topic from the list provided (or an alternative current biology topic that has been
approved by course convenors). The first phase of the Project will involve doing some individual
research on your topic and then reporting back to your team for discussion. Your initial searches may
yield different kinds of information, including news articles, popular science communications, videos
and television program segments, if this assists you in understanding the topic, as well as peer-reviewed
scientific journal articles.
Since scientific journal articles will be the most difficult to understand for non-experts, you may need to
consult alternative sources of information until you have a basic understanding of your topic. We then
encourage you to start looking at the peer-reviewed scientific literature. The Scientific Literature Essay
described in this section relates directly to the peer-reviewed scientific literature that you and your team
members find on your topic.
This assignment is designed as a first university writing assignment. It will be followed by other
assignments in this course, and in other courses, that will progressively introduce you to the demands
of scientific report writing or literature reviews. This assignment, is a more personal piece of writing
which in part reflects upon your own experience locating and reading a scientific article.
The objectives of the task do not focus on an understanding of the scientific literature. A major objective
is to see if you can write clearly and concisely about biology. If, as a result of this assessment, we think
you have problems writing, we will refer you to the UNSW Learning Centre for assistance.
The essay should be approximately 1000 words long, excluding references. You must perform a word
count and indicate the count at the beginning of your essay. You will not be penalised for going slightly
over 1000 words, but penalties will apply to essays that exceed the limit by more than 5%.
From information presented in BA1201, you should become familiar with the different types of peer-
reviewed literature used by the scientific community. One of the major objectives of this assignment is
to ascertain whether YOU are able to differentiate between primary and secondary (review) journal
articles, so your demonstrator or lecturers will NOT provide you with an answer if you ask them to check
the articles you are considering. They will, however, discuss HOW to differentiate between the two in
class.
ESSAY INSTRUCTIONS
Your essay task is to find a REVIEW article (i.e. secondary literature) from any biological science
discipline, and then from the cited literature that is mentioned in the review, select one PRIMARY
research article. Your essay must include and will be assessed on the following criteria:
1. Write a brief introduction explaining the purpose of the essay. Provide a brief background on
the topic of your essay.
2. A simple description of the nature of the review article. This should include a description of the
topic that is being reviewed as well as a description of the audience for which the review has
been written. This will require you to reflect upon the journal, and the audience that the journal
is typically written for. What is the discipline, for example, is it zoology, microbiology, genetics
or something else that you think best describes the work? Remember that there may be more
than one discipline name that you can think of, and you could discuss the different possibilities
if that is the case. You should say a little bit about what you think the discipline is about. Of
course, you do not have space to do this in any detail. In some cases, it may be easy. In others,
the boundaries of the discipline may be unclear to you. Feel free to discuss your uncertainties.
3. A description of the journal. Write about the relationship between the journal you have chosen
and the discipline. In some cases, this will mean you will find out a little about a professional
society that is associated with the journal. The journal may be a general one, which ‘serves’
many disciplines, or may be a journal that is strongly associated with a particular scientific sub-
discipline. The journal may target regional, national or international audiences.
4. Identify one PRIMARY research paper from the reference list of your review article. Locate and
read through a primary research article selected from the citations in your review article. Briefly
describe the article in your essay and discuss its role in or contribution to the review article.
This article should be cited in your own reference list for your essay.
5. A description of the purpose of the primary article and a brief summary of the results of the
investigations that are reported within it. What was the main outcome? Why is it significant?
Don’t get bogged down with the detail, focus on the main points only. You may not understand
very much and that is okay – you are a first-year biology student and the article may be written
for an audience of specialised researchers. If this is the case, do not panic! You will not be
penalised as long as you can write a sensible reflection eg. what was interesting? what did you
learn? what was difficult to understand? etc. (Remember this is a reflective essay, where you
are free to discuss both your success and difficulties!) This part of your essay could look
something like this: “I chose this article as I am interested in Australian animals, and this paper
was about the behaviour of wombats. However, much of it was difficult to understand. The page
included 15 words that I had never seen before. Although I used a dictionary to clarify the
meaning of most of the words, I was still unable to make any sense of the article as I had no
general knowledge of animal behaviours, such as foraging and being territorial, that this article
built on etc.”
6. What was the aim / hypothesis investigated in the primary article? The Scientific Literature
lesson on Moodle steps you through the parts of a journal article and will help you identify where
to look for this. Which section did you find the aim/ hypothesis, and can your write it in your own
words, such that it is suitable for a BA1201 audience rather than an expert?
7. A sentence or two on your understanding of the nature and purpose of primary literature
compared to secondary literature. Well scoring essays will be able to explain how their primary
article contributed to the review article.
You must carefully read the above points and address them. Omitting to include one of the criteria will
result in a loss of marks. The clarity of your writing is also important, so ensure you leave sufficient time
to proof read your work. Remember that you can score full marks without understanding the journal
articles if you just follow the instructions above.
Please note that you MUST REFERENCE both the review article and primary research article (and any
other articles you use) at the end of your essay so markers can assess your essay accurately. This
does not mean you include the references cited within the two articles i.e. do NOT paste in the
references section from your two articles, only provide details of references you use, simply reference
correctly the two articles. A module on how to find and reference scientific articles correctly is available
on Moodle.
Write as if your reader is another BA1201 student. This means that your descriptions of the science
need to be in your own words. All assignments will be screened for paraphrasing/plagiarism, so this
is particularly important.
The Marking Rubric for this task is available on Moodle.
Pitch – 5%
Due in Week 9 via Turnitin in Moodle, 9.00 pm Sunday 21/3/21
Team written proposal of ideas for feedback from your tutor on the design, biological content and
feasibility of your project. Your proposal should be no more than 2 pages long.
A template for submitting your pitch, the pitch criteria and the marking rubric are available on Moodle
under the Assessments section.
Presentation – 15%
Due in Week 12 via your group Media Collection Gallery in Moodle, 9.00 pm Sunday 11/4/21
Utilise the feedback received in the pitch to finalise your TEAM presentation on your biology topic for
submission and showcasing in week 12.
The presentation criteria and Marking Rubric for this task are available on Moodle.
Portfolio – 5%
Due in Week 12 via your group Media Collection Gallery in Moodle, 9.00 pm Sunday 11/4/21
Team submission documenting the proceedings of all team meetings, including an inventory of ideas,
team member roles, major decisions, and other notes on the presentation design and execution.
On your Moodle page, you will find a meeting template document. This template is provided as a tool
for you to use if you choose.
The Marking Rubric for this task is available on Moodle.
学霸联盟
The Science Communication Project is a group assignment with multiple components that runs
throughout the session. The project focuses on advanced biology topics and aims to develop, exercise
and enhance your science communication skills. Working in a team of 3 – 4, students you will:
1. Select a topic from the list provided;
2. Perform a literature search on the chosen topic (see Moodle for a module on how to conduct a
literature search);
3. Write and submit an individual ESSAY (15%) that compares primary and secondary scientific
journal articles on their topic (see Moodle for a module on scientific literature that describes
primary and secondary scientific journal articles);
4. Meet online regularly with your team to discuss findings on your topic, and develop a
presentation that effectively communicates the central biological concepts, especially with
respect to how those concepts align with BA1201 course themes and learning activity topics;
5. PITCH (5%) your presentation ideas in writing to your tutor to gain feedback on the design,
biological content and feasibility of your project;
6. Utilise the feedback received in the pitch to finalise your 10 minute team PRESENTATION
(15%) on your biology topic for submission in Week 12;
7. Submit a team PORTFOLIO (5%) that documents the proceedings of all team meetings,
including an inventory of ideas, team member roles, major decisions, and other notes on the
presentation design and execution;
This project incorporates the following UNSW Science graduate attributes:
• Research, inquiry and analytical thinking abilities;
• Capability and motivation for intellectual development;
• Communication;
• Teamwork, collaborative and management skills; and,
• Information literacy.
Assessable
Component Learning Outcomes Assessed
Weight
% Due Date
Scientific
Literature
Essay
(individual)
The following LO from the lecture :Scientific literature” will be assessed:
• Identify a primary article and list its features
• Explain the differences between primary and secondary sources of
scientific literature
• Describe the term ‘peer review’ as it applies to scientific literature
Graduate Attributes developed:
• Research, inquiry and analytical thinking abilities;
• Communication;
• Information literacy.
Biology Threshold learning outcomes developed:
4. Effectively synthesise and communicate biological results using a range of
modes (including oral, written, and visual) for a variety of purposes and
audiences.
5.1 Be accountable for their own learning and biological work by being
independent and self-directed learners.
15%
Week 7
(Sunday
9.00 pm)
Group Pitch
Graduate Attributes developed:
• Capability and motivation for intellectual development;
• Communication;
• Teamwork, collaborative and management skills; and,
• Information literacy.
Biology Threshold learning outcomes developed:
4. Effectively synthesise and communicate biological results using a range of
modes (including oral, written, and visual) for a variety of purposes and
audiences.
5.2 Work effectively, responsibly and safely in individual and peer or team
contexts.
5%
Week 9
(Sunday
9.00 pm)
Group
Presentation
Biology Threshold learning outcomes developed:
3.1 Gather, synthesise and critically evaluate information about biological
phenomena from a range of sources.
4. Effectively synthesise and communicate biological results using a range of
modes (including oral, written, and visual) for a variety of purposes and
audiences.
5.2 Work effectively, responsibly and safely in individual and peer or team
contexts.
15%
Week 12
(Sunday
9.00 pm)
Group
Portfolio
Biology Threshold learning outcomes developed:
5.1 Be accountable for their own learning and biological work by being
independent and self-directed learners.
5.2 Work effectively, responsibly and safely in individual and peer or team
contexts.
5%
Week 12
(Sunday
9.00 pm)
Total
Weighting: 40%
LIST OF PROJECT TOPICS:
After confirming the members of your Project team, you must collectively select a current
biology topic for your project from the list below. These topics have been carefully selected for
their alignment with core course concepts and for their feasibility for all components of this
assignment. It is possible that your team may be permitted to select a topic of interest that is
not on the list, but such topics must firstly be assessed and approved by your demonstrator
and/or course convenors.
1. What does the koala genome tell us about the taste of eucalyptus?
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180710101646.htm
2. The Tardigrade (water bear) genome has been sequenced and it’s even weirder than we
thought https://sciencealert.com/the-tardigrade-genome-has-been-sequenced-and-it-
has-the-most-foreign-dna-of-any-animal
3. A new mechanism of action of the Replisome means all the biology text books need to
be re-written http://www.labmanager.com/news/2015/11/study-reveals-the-architecture-
of-the-molecular-machine-that-copies-dna?fw1pk=2#.VjoxtyserSg
4. The science of genetic inheritance is weirder than we thought
http://www.sciencealert.com/watch-the-science-of-genetic-inheritance-is-weirder-than-
we-thought
5. Gene-editing technique used to create low-gluten bread suitable for celiacs
http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/geneediting-technique-used-to-create-
lowgluten-bread-suitable-for-celiacs/
6. This biohacker became the first person to edit their own DNA
http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/this-biohacker-became-the-first-person-
to-edit-his-own-dna/
7. CRISPR gene editing tool used to treat genetic disease in an animal for the first time
http://www.sciencealert.com/crispr-gene-editing-tool-used-to-treat-genetic-disease-in-an-
animal-for-the-first-time
8. A protein found in human breast milk could help kill drug resistant bacteria
http://www.sciencealert.com/a-protein-found-in-human-breast-milk-could-help-kill-drug-
resistant-bacteria
9. Do we all carry the genes for autism? http://www.sciencealert.com/we-all-carry-the-
genes-for-autism-study-finds
10. The first eukaryotes without a normal cellular power supply have been found
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/05/first-eukaryotes-found-without-normal-cellular-
power-supply?utm_source=sciencemagazine&utm_medium=facebook-
text&utm_campaign=noeukaryote-4260
11. Can the ‘RNA World’ be used to explain the origins of life?
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/05/rna-world-inches-closer-explaining-origins-
life?utm_source=sciencemagazine&utm_medium=facebook-
text&utm_campaign=rnaworld-4268
12. Humans are still evolving and we can watch it happen
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/05/humans-are-still-evolving-and-we-can-watch-
it-happen?utm_source=sciencemagazine&utm_medium=facebook-
text&utm_campaign=huvolution-4363
13. Scientists have found a woman whose eyes have a whole new type of colour receptor
http://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-have-found-a-woman-whose-eyes-have-a-whole-
new-type-of-colour-receptor
14. Scientists think they finally know why our genes are made of DNA and not RNA
http://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-think-they-finally-know-why-our-genes-are-made-
of-dna-not-rna
15. Forget what you learned in high school – this new carbon molecule has 6 bonds
http://www.sciencealert.com/forget-what-you-learned-in-high-school-this-new-carbon-
molecule-has-6-bonds
16. We might finally know what triggered living cells to evolve for the first time
http://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-might-have-discovered-what-allowed-life-to-
evolve
17. Scientists have successfully reversed DNA aging in mice
http://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-have-successfully-reversed-dna-ageing-in-mice
18. Antibody-powered nucleic acid release using a DNA-based nanomachine
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms15150
19. High intensity workouts could slow down your aging by almost a decade
http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/highintensity-workouts-could-slow-down-
your-aging-by-almost-a-decade/
20. A new study identifies 52 genes associated with human intelligence
https://www.facebook.com/nature/posts/10154856218303167
21. The brain starts to eat itself after chronic sleep deprivation
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2132258-the-brain-starts-to-eat-itself-after-chronic-
sleep-
deprivation/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&cmpid
=SOC%7CNSNS%7C2017-Echobox&utm_source=Facebook#link_time=1495578558
22. CRISPR kills HIV and eats Zika 'like Pac-man'. Its next target? Cancer
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/crispr-disease-rna-hiv
23. This Is the first ever nanoscale image of a living cell membrane. It's beautiful.
http://www.sciencealert.com/researchers-close-a-debate-with-a-nanoscale-image-of-a-
living-cell-membrane
24. Gastric bypass surgery gives patients a new set of helpful microbes
http://www.sciencealert.com/gastric-bypass-surgery-gives-patients-a-new-set-of-helpful-
microbes
25. Can gene therapy be used to switch off asthma? http://www.sciencealert.com/gene-
therapy-used-to-switch-off-asthma
26. Tea consumption leads to epigenetic changes in women
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-05-tea-consumption-epigenetic-women.html
27. Designer viruses successfully stimulate the immune system to fight cancer
https://www.technologynetworks.com/cancer-research/news/designer-viruses-
successfully-stimulate-the-immune-system-to-fight-cancer-289203
28. Scientists discover plants have ‘brains’ that determine when they grow
http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/scientists-discover-plants-brains-
determine-grow/
29. New semi-synthetic organism can make molecules we’ve never seen before
http://www.sciencealert.com/new-semi-synthetic-organism-can-make-molecules-we-ve-
never-seen-before-dna-unnatural
30. Latest DNA analysis shows the Yeti are actually just a bunch of bears
http://www.sciencealert.com/dna-analysis-yeti-samples-asian-bears-no-proof-of-cryptids
31. Babies who get more cuddles have their genetics changed for years
http://www.sciencealert.com/cuddling-babies-alters-their-genetics-dna-for-years
32. Living bacteria “From outer space” have been found on the outside of the ISS
http://www.sciencealert.com/living-bacteria-from-outer-space-found-clinging-to-iss-alien-
life
33. This protein in your brain could be at the heart of creating memories
http://www.sciencealert.com/rna-binding-protein-staufen2-linked-to-synaptic-plasticity-
learning-memory
34. World’s smallest tape recorder has been built inside a living bacterium
http://www.sciencealert.com/smallest-tape-recorder-crispr-cas-bacterium
SUGGESTED PROJECT TIMELINE
Check Moodle announcements for updates and supporting materials to guide your project.
In Week 2 Tutorial (Virtual classroom):
• Form project groups
• Select project topic
• Schedule a meeting time for your team in Week 2/3
Individual Week 2/3 Tutorials:
• Work through the ‘Scientific Literature’ lesson on Moodle. Other lessons on conducting
a literature search and referencing may also be useful. For this assessment if you are
unfamiliar with academic writing.
• Team members should start individually researching their topic prior to their arranged
meeting time with their group. You need to conduct a literature search (not an internet
search) e.g. using Google Scholar or PubMed. The online lesson linked to via Moodle
on conducting a literature search may be useful here. You should identify some
reviews related to your topic. Note: You should not pay for any of the scientific
literature - you will be able to access most references you need for free through the
UNSW library online.
Week 2/3 Team Meeting (out of class):
• Scheduled team meeting - ensure an agenda is distributed prior and that one person
takes minutes (including action items) and distributes then to members shortly after
the meeting.
• Confirm topic and discuss scientific literature essay and assign one primary and one
secondary research article to each team member for the purpose of completing the
scientific literature essay. The review may be the same across members, but primary
articles should be different.
Week 3 In Tutorial (Virtual classroom)
• Consultation with tutor: provide them with details of the initial meeting and any
additional ones, confirm team members and topic, ask questions you may have on the
assignment and conduct literature searches. You may also briefly discuss your articles
with the tutor.
Week 3/4 Team Meeting (out of class):
• Scheduled team meeting.
• Team members should continue to research their topic, with a focus on peer-reviewed
scientific literature (i.e. journal articles).
• Start developing ideas for the content and format of your major presentation (see
assignment guidelines below; presentation ‘pitch’ is due in Week 9 and final
presentation is due in Week 12.
Week 4-7 Individual (in own time):
• Each team member should be individually researching and writing their “scientific
literature essay”, due in Week 7 (Sunday 9.00 pm).
Week 7-8 Team Meeting (out of class):
• Scheduled meeting team meeting.
• Develop a proposal that encapsulates the fundamental elements of your presentation
plan (see below for pitch guidelines). You will submit this proposal via Turnitin in
Moodle in week 9.
Week 9 Team Meeting (out of class)
• Research into topic should be complete and presentation design finalised.
• Submit Pitch via Turnitin in Moodle by Sunday 9.00 pm. Your tutor will provide you
with feedback in Week 10).
Week 10 Team Meeting (out of class):
• Scheduled meeting team meeting
• Continue with the plan for your team presentation
• Incorporate feedback from marked Pitch
Week 10/11
• Consultation with tutor during Virtual classroom if required
• Finalise your team’s presentation and portfolio for submission
Week 12 Submit Presentation and portfolio:
• Submit Presentation and portfolio files into allocated group Media Collection Gallery
in Moodle.
• Due by 9.00pm Sunday 11/4/2021
Scientific Literature Essay – 15%
Due Sunday – 7/3/21, 9.00 pm, via Turnitin on Moodle
In the first phase of the Project, you will be assigned to a team of 3-4 members. As a team, you will
select a current biology topic from the list provided (or an alternative current biology topic that has been
approved by course convenors). The first phase of the Project will involve doing some individual
research on your topic and then reporting back to your team for discussion. Your initial searches may
yield different kinds of information, including news articles, popular science communications, videos
and television program segments, if this assists you in understanding the topic, as well as peer-reviewed
scientific journal articles.
Since scientific journal articles will be the most difficult to understand for non-experts, you may need to
consult alternative sources of information until you have a basic understanding of your topic. We then
encourage you to start looking at the peer-reviewed scientific literature. The Scientific Literature Essay
described in this section relates directly to the peer-reviewed scientific literature that you and your team
members find on your topic.
This assignment is designed as a first university writing assignment. It will be followed by other
assignments in this course, and in other courses, that will progressively introduce you to the demands
of scientific report writing or literature reviews. This assignment, is a more personal piece of writing
which in part reflects upon your own experience locating and reading a scientific article.
The objectives of the task do not focus on an understanding of the scientific literature. A major objective
is to see if you can write clearly and concisely about biology. If, as a result of this assessment, we think
you have problems writing, we will refer you to the UNSW Learning Centre for assistance.
The essay should be approximately 1000 words long, excluding references. You must perform a word
count and indicate the count at the beginning of your essay. You will not be penalised for going slightly
over 1000 words, but penalties will apply to essays that exceed the limit by more than 5%.
From information presented in BA1201, you should become familiar with the different types of peer-
reviewed literature used by the scientific community. One of the major objectives of this assignment is
to ascertain whether YOU are able to differentiate between primary and secondary (review) journal
articles, so your demonstrator or lecturers will NOT provide you with an answer if you ask them to check
the articles you are considering. They will, however, discuss HOW to differentiate between the two in
class.
ESSAY INSTRUCTIONS
Your essay task is to find a REVIEW article (i.e. secondary literature) from any biological science
discipline, and then from the cited literature that is mentioned in the review, select one PRIMARY
research article. Your essay must include and will be assessed on the following criteria:
1. Write a brief introduction explaining the purpose of the essay. Provide a brief background on
the topic of your essay.
2. A simple description of the nature of the review article. This should include a description of the
topic that is being reviewed as well as a description of the audience for which the review has
been written. This will require you to reflect upon the journal, and the audience that the journal
is typically written for. What is the discipline, for example, is it zoology, microbiology, genetics
or something else that you think best describes the work? Remember that there may be more
than one discipline name that you can think of, and you could discuss the different possibilities
if that is the case. You should say a little bit about what you think the discipline is about. Of
course, you do not have space to do this in any detail. In some cases, it may be easy. In others,
the boundaries of the discipline may be unclear to you. Feel free to discuss your uncertainties.
3. A description of the journal. Write about the relationship between the journal you have chosen
and the discipline. In some cases, this will mean you will find out a little about a professional
society that is associated with the journal. The journal may be a general one, which ‘serves’
many disciplines, or may be a journal that is strongly associated with a particular scientific sub-
discipline. The journal may target regional, national or international audiences.
4. Identify one PRIMARY research paper from the reference list of your review article. Locate and
read through a primary research article selected from the citations in your review article. Briefly
describe the article in your essay and discuss its role in or contribution to the review article.
This article should be cited in your own reference list for your essay.
5. A description of the purpose of the primary article and a brief summary of the results of the
investigations that are reported within it. What was the main outcome? Why is it significant?
Don’t get bogged down with the detail, focus on the main points only. You may not understand
very much and that is okay – you are a first-year biology student and the article may be written
for an audience of specialised researchers. If this is the case, do not panic! You will not be
penalised as long as you can write a sensible reflection eg. what was interesting? what did you
learn? what was difficult to understand? etc. (Remember this is a reflective essay, where you
are free to discuss both your success and difficulties!) This part of your essay could look
something like this: “I chose this article as I am interested in Australian animals, and this paper
was about the behaviour of wombats. However, much of it was difficult to understand. The page
included 15 words that I had never seen before. Although I used a dictionary to clarify the
meaning of most of the words, I was still unable to make any sense of the article as I had no
general knowledge of animal behaviours, such as foraging and being territorial, that this article
built on etc.”
6. What was the aim / hypothesis investigated in the primary article? The Scientific Literature
lesson on Moodle steps you through the parts of a journal article and will help you identify where
to look for this. Which section did you find the aim/ hypothesis, and can your write it in your own
words, such that it is suitable for a BA1201 audience rather than an expert?
7. A sentence or two on your understanding of the nature and purpose of primary literature
compared to secondary literature. Well scoring essays will be able to explain how their primary
article contributed to the review article.
You must carefully read the above points and address them. Omitting to include one of the criteria will
result in a loss of marks. The clarity of your writing is also important, so ensure you leave sufficient time
to proof read your work. Remember that you can score full marks without understanding the journal
articles if you just follow the instructions above.
Please note that you MUST REFERENCE both the review article and primary research article (and any
other articles you use) at the end of your essay so markers can assess your essay accurately. This
does not mean you include the references cited within the two articles i.e. do NOT paste in the
references section from your two articles, only provide details of references you use, simply reference
correctly the two articles. A module on how to find and reference scientific articles correctly is available
on Moodle.
Write as if your reader is another BA1201 student. This means that your descriptions of the science
need to be in your own words. All assignments will be screened for paraphrasing/plagiarism, so this
is particularly important.
The Marking Rubric for this task is available on Moodle.
Pitch – 5%
Due in Week 9 via Turnitin in Moodle, 9.00 pm Sunday 21/3/21
Team written proposal of ideas for feedback from your tutor on the design, biological content and
feasibility of your project. Your proposal should be no more than 2 pages long.
A template for submitting your pitch, the pitch criteria and the marking rubric are available on Moodle
under the Assessments section.
Presentation – 15%
Due in Week 12 via your group Media Collection Gallery in Moodle, 9.00 pm Sunday 11/4/21
Utilise the feedback received in the pitch to finalise your TEAM presentation on your biology topic for
submission and showcasing in week 12.
The presentation criteria and Marking Rubric for this task are available on Moodle.
Portfolio – 5%
Due in Week 12 via your group Media Collection Gallery in Moodle, 9.00 pm Sunday 11/4/21
Team submission documenting the proceedings of all team meetings, including an inventory of ideas,
team member roles, major decisions, and other notes on the presentation design and execution.
On your Moodle page, you will find a meeting template document. This template is provided as a tool
for you to use if you choose.
The Marking Rubric for this task is available on Moodle.
学霸联盟
