Animal Biology 2 Course Guide 2020/2021 - Student name . Matriculation No - The University ...
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Animal Biology 2
Course Guide
2020/2021
Course Organiser: Professor Graham Stone
Course Secretary: Tim MacDonald
Course code: BILG08011 (20 Credits)
Student name: …………………...…… Matriculation No: …………..
Contents
2021 COURSE ASSESSMENT DEADLINES ................................................................. 3
Course Information........................................................................................................ 4
Staff list ........................................................................................................................ 4
Introduction .................................................................................................................. 4
Aims and Objectives .................................................................................................... 4
Graduate Outcomes ..................................................................................................... 5
2021 ANIMAL BIOLOGY 2 TIMETABLE ........................................................................ 6
2021 Demonstration specimens ................................................................................... 9
Reading for Animal Biology 2 ..................................................................................... 10
Assessment ................................................................................................................. 12
Special Arrangements students ................................................................................. 12
Passing the course..................................................................................................... 12
Course Quizzes ......................................................................................................... 13
The Course Essay...................................................................................................... 14
Essay titles ............................................................................................................. 17
Guideline for writing your essay: ................................................................................ 24
The Taxonomy used in Animal Biology 2 .................................................................. 27
For further information on the topics listed below, please refer to the ‘Essential
Information for Biological Science Students’ booklet produced by the BTO.
Calculators Learn
Complaints Marking Scheme
Dictionaries Plagiarism
Disabled Students Procedures
Examination Safety
Extensions Special Circumstances
Lab Coats Telephone Directory
If you require this document in an alternative format, such as large print
or a coloured background, please contact: Tim MacDonald@ed.ac.uk
22021 COURSE ASSESSMENT DEADLINES
COURSE QUIZZES
% of course
Event Available from Available to
assessment
12:00 (noon) 12:00 (noon)
PRACTICE QUIZ Formative
Wed 20th Jan Wed 27th Jan
QUIZ 1: 12:00 (noon) 12:00 (noon)
10%
Invertebrate groups Wed 3rd Feb Wed 10th Feb
QUIZ 2: 12:00 (noon) 12:00 (noon)
10%
Marine Biology Wed 17th Feb Wed 24th Feb
QUIZ 3: 12:00 (noon) 12:00 (noon)
10%
Vertebrate Origins Wed 3rd March Wed 10th March
QUIZ 4: 12:00 (noon) 12:00 (noon)
10%
Adaptive radiation of mammals Wed 17 March Wed 24th March
th
QUIZ 5: 12:00 (noon) 12:00 (noon)
10%
Animal Associations Wed 31st March Wed 7th April
COURSE ESSAY
Submission Feedback / % of course
Event
deadline Results return assessment
Course Essay 12:00 (noon) date
N/A N/A
sign-up on Learn Fri 15th Jan
How to write an essay live 10:00am
N/A N/A
session Thurs 21st Jan
12:00 (noon) 16:00
Essay Outline 5%
Tues 2nd Feb Tues 9th Feb
12:00 (noon) Essay feedback
Course Essay 45%
Tues 2nd March session
For all vital information relating to assessment guidelines, exam regulations, special
circumstances, plagiarism, appeals, complaints, safety and Edinburgh University
Students Association, please refer to the guide book "Essential Information for
Biological Sciences Students".
For plagiarism guidance, see: https://www.ed.ac.uk/academic-
services/students/conduct/academic-misconduct/plagiarism
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: All references to dates and times are based on UK time
zones. The standard UK time zone is GMT+0 however, please note that clocks change
during British Summer Time (BST), otherwise known as Daylight saving time to GMT+1.
British Summer Time 2021 change: At 01:00am Sunday 28th March, clocks will change
to 02:00am.
3Course Information
Staff list
Name Email Role
Prof. Graham Stone Graham.Stone@ed.ac.uk Course Organiser
Tim MacDonald Tim.MacDonald@ed.ac.uk Course Secretary
Dr. Amy Pedersen Amy.Pedersen@ed.ac.uk Course Lecturer
Dr Sinead Collins S.Collins@ed.ac.uk Course lecturer
Dr Ally Phillimore APhillim@exseed.ed.ac.uk Course Lecturer
Prof. Dan Nussey Dan.Nussey@ed.ac.uk Course Lecturer
Dr. John Curtis J.Curtis@ed.ac.uk Practical Floor Leader
Prof. Graeme Ruxton External Examiner - St Andrews University
Introduction
The course follows on from Origin and Diversity of Life 1, and provides an essential
foundation for students proceeding to Zoology Honours and for other students
interested in Zoology.
Aims and Objectives
To explore the evolution of complex animal bodies and the evolutionary
relationships among groups.
To learn a basic taxonomy and phylogeny of animal life (see page 27 for the
taxonomy you need to know).
To reveal the functional and behavioural adaptations which underlie the diversity
of animal life.
To encourage and practise accurate observation of animals in the laboratory.
By the end of the course, we expect you to have acquired the following knowledge and
skills:
1. A body of factual information, given in video lectures and demonstration
specimens. Factual knowledge will be tested in the on-line course quizzes.
2. Logical presentation and summarisation of information on a specific topic
without time constraints, tested by writing a course essay on one of 10 topics.
3. Practical skills. We encourage accurate observation of animal specimens
through guided examination of demonstration specimens. You are advised to
keep a record of the demonstration material in a notebook, which you are
allowed to use in the on-line quizzes.
4Graduate Outcomes
The University of Edinburgh has identified six attributes that you should develop during
your education to enhance your employability as a graduate for the 21st century. These
attributes take your skill-base beyond basic academic knowledge. The ways by which
we believe you should develop these attributes in this course are outlined below.
1. Knowledge and understanding: The course will provide you with a
framework of lecture- and specimen-based knowledge of animal structure
and function. These same skills will be developed during the writing of a
structured course essay. Your ability to upload and integrate information is
a general life skill.
2. Research and enquiry: You will learn about research by reading books,
research papers and electronic materials. These readings will support
your lecture material and will also underpin your in-course-assessment
essay. Critical assessment of evidence for and against particular views is
a central part of your honours degree years and are relevant to many
areas of life.
3. Personal and intellectual autonomy: You will learn to synthesise your
own views and develop reasoned arguments by reading the course
materials and by engaging in on-line group discussions and feedback
sessions. Such skills will enhance your capacity for life-long and
independent learning.
4. Communication: Communication is a key attribute of all scientists and it
is therefore important that you develop such skills to convey knowledge
and balanced scientific views to others. You will get experience in written
presentation skills in preparation of your course essay and Practical
notebook. These skills will enhance your general capacity for
communication.
5. Personal effectiveness: Planning, time management and reflection are
central aspects of your personal effectiveness. The completion of the
course quizzes and writing of your in-course essay requires that you work
towards submission dates highlighted in the lecture timetable below.
Development of these skills will help you get the most from your university
studies and are likely also to be helpful in other aspects of life.
6. Technical and specimen-handling skills: In order to continue in a
scientific career it is important that you not only understand the conceptual
basis of how animal bodies function, but also have necessary skills to infer
functional anatomy from biological specimens. These skills will be
developed through the demonstration sections of the course, and will
contribute to your ability to link structure and function more broadly in
living things.
52021 ANIMAL BIOLOGY 2 TIMETABLE
All live sessions are held in the Collaborate course room. A link to this is available
via the left hand menu on the Animal Biology 2 course Learn page and within
weekly content folders.
Wherever possible we aim to release recorded lectures one week prior to the
relevant Q&A / discussion session
The first lecture recordings will be available from Friday 8th January.
TIMETABLE Recorded Assessments
(Summative Live sessions Feedback session
KEY content assessments in bold)
WEEK DATE TIME EVENT
1. Invertebrate groups (Prof. Graham Stone)
Introduction to course
Available on Learn from
Origin of Metazoa
Friday 8th Jan
1 The Cnidarians
Fri 15th Jan 12:00 (noon) Essay sign up on Learn
Fri 15th Jan 14:00 - 15:30 Live session: Week 1 discussion session
The Platyhelminthes
Available on Learn from
The Origin of the Coelomates
Friday 15th Jan
Molluscs
2
Wed 20th Jan 12:00 (noon) Practice Quiz available (Formative)
Thur 21st Jan 10:00 - 11:00 Live Session: How to write an essay
Fri 22nd Jan 14:00 - 15:30 Live session: Week 2 discussion session
Annelids and Segmentation
Available on Learn from
Ecdysozoa and Arthropods
Friday 22nd Jan
3 Echinoderms
Wed 27th Jan 12:00 (noon) Practice quiz closes (Formative)
Fri 29th Jan 14:00 – 15:30 Live session: Week 3 discussion session
6WEEK DATE TIME EVENT
2. Marine Biology (Dr Sinead Collins)
Life on the sea bed I: locomotion and feeding
Available on Learn from
Life on the sea bed II: Stresses and strains
Friday 29th Jan
Pelagic animals I: The Nekton
4
Tues 2nd Feb 12:00 (noon) ESSAY OUTLINE: Submission deadline
*Extensions are NOT available for this assessment*
Wed 3rd Feb 12:00 (noon) QUIZ 1: Invertebrate groups available
Fri 5th Feb 14:00 – 15:30 Live session: Week 4 discussion session
Available on Learn from Pelagic animals II: The Zooplankton
Friday 5th Feb Life cycles, larvae and reproductive strategies
5
Wed 10th Feb 12:00 (noon) QUIZ 1: Invertebrate groups closes
Fri 12th Feb 14:00 – 15:30 Live session: Week 5 discussion session
Mon 15th – Fri 19th Feb Festival of Creative Learning
FCL Wed 17th Feb 12:00 (noon) QUIZ 2: Marine Biology available
3. Vertebrate Origins (Dr Ally Phillimore)
Available on Learn from The origin of vertebrates
Friday 19th Feb Origin and diversification of tetrapods
6
Fri 26th Feb 14:00 – 15:30 Live session: Week 6 discussion session
Wed 24th Feb 12:00 (noon) QUIZ 2: Marine Biology closes
Origin and diversification of reptiles
Available on Learn from
Origin and diversification of birds
Friday 26th Feb
Origin and diversification of mammals
7
Tues 2nd March 12:00 (noon) COURSE ESSAY: Submission deadline
Wed 3rd March 12:00 (noon) QUIZ 3: Vertebrate Origins available
Fri 5th March 14:00 – 15:30 Live session: Week 7 discussion session
7WEEK DATE TIME EVENT
4. Adaptive radiation of mammals (Prof. Dan Nussey)
Available on Learn from Mammalian Feeding
Friday 5th March Mammalian Locomotion
8 Wed 10th March 12:00 (noon) QUIZ 3: Vertebrate Origins closes
Thurs 11th March 10:00 – 11:00 Live session: Week 8 discussion session
Available on Learn from Reproduction
Friday 12th March Mating systems
9 Wed 17th March 12:00 (noon) QUIZ 4: Adaptive radiation of mammals opens
Thurs 18th March 10:00 – 11:00 Live session: Week 9 discussion session
5. Animal Associations (Dr Amy Pedersen)
Introduction to animal associations
Available on Learn from Different types of host-parasite associations
Friday 19th March Moving between hosts
10 Host behaviour and transmission
Wed 17th 24th 12:00 (noon) QUIZ 4: Adaptive radiation of mammals closes
March
Fri 26th March 14:00 – 15:30 Live session: Week 10 discussion session
Individual feedback session
Course Essay feedback sessions
appointments (further details TBC)
Adapting to host biology
Available on Learn from Niches in the host
Friday 26th March Host Defences against parasites
11
Where do human parasites come from?
Wed 31st March 12:00 (noon) QUIZ 5: Animal Associations opens
Fri 2nd April 14:00 – 15:30 Live session: Week 11 discussion session
12 Wed 7th April 12:00 (noon) QUIZ 5: Animal Associations closes
82021 Demonstration specimens
Each section of the course is accompanied by a set of demonstration specimens.
images for all specimens will be available for on-line access. Conditional on covid-
associated regulations in force, these specimens will also be available for students to
examine in person in the Ashworth labs building. Each set of specimens is
accompanied by a demonstration guide. The images, guides and the booking system
below are available in Learn in the 'AB2 specimen demonstrations' tab on the left hand
side of the AB2 Learn page.
Lab slots to allow in person examination of specimens can be booked through
Learn. You will not be allowed to enter the lab without having booked a slot beforehand
and bookings must be made by, as a minimum, the day preceding you attending the
lab. To book a slot, click on the 'AB2 specimen demonstrations' tab in the menu on the
left hand side of the course Learn page and select the “teaching clock” for which you
wish to book a lab slot.
Each time slot is for two hours, limited to six students only and available on a first come
first served basis and will not show as being available once all slots are filled. To allow
for equal opportunity to view specimens each student is allowed one time slot per
section only.
Lab time slots for each day are 9am-11am, 12pm-2pm and 3pm-5pm and are held in
Ashworth Laboratories, Labs 4a/b.
To find the lab, on entering the front of Ashworth Labs, turn right, go through the double
doors and labs 4a/b are on your right (signage for Animal Biology will be displayed).
Dates for each section are listed below (you can attend the lab once per section).
1. Invertebrate groups: Monday 25th January – Wednesday 3rd February.
2. Marine Biology: Monday 8th February – Wednesday 17th February.
3. Vertebrate Origins: Monday 22nd February – Wednesday 3rd March.
4. Adaptive radiation of Mammals: Monday 8 th March – Wednesday 17th March.
5. Animal Associations: Monday 22nd March – Wednesday 31st March.
9Reading for Animal Biology 2
All of the factual information for Animal Biology is provided in the course materials. For
those who wish to extend their knowledge, we recommend the following optional reading
for each section of the course. We have made life easy by recommending as few good
books as possible – and those intending to do Animal Diversity and Evolution 3 and/or
Zoology honours should seriously consider buying these (often available second hand).
We are trying to make all of these recommendations available as digital copies or e-books.
All of these texts are also available in the reserve section of the Murray Library. If you have
any queries about your reading, please contact the lecturer for the specific part of the
course.
1. Invertebrate groups (Prof. Graham Stone)
This set of lectures is best accompanied by the following sections from “The Invertebrates,
a synthesis”, Third edition (2001), by Barnes, Calow, Olive, Golding and Spice (Blackwell
Science). This is available in the Murray Library as an e-book, and if there are
problems with this system, also as a book on the Library Reserve. Don’t worry about
detailed taxonomy within the recommended reading. The focus is on structure and
function, and the taxonomy you need to learn is in this course guide.
To find the e-book, go to DiscoverEd, type ‘the Invertebrates, a synthesis’ into the
search field. When the search results are returned, select option 1 with online access (with
the black book icon, rather than the green book icon below it). You can read the book
online, or download the text (you will need to reload it each day).
1) Origin of Metazoa: Ch 2 to the end of sect 2.2.7, Ch 3 to the end of sect 3.3. You
DON’T need to learn the detailed taxonomy. For additional reading, focus instead
on diversity in terms of structure and biology of the different unicellular groups and
simplest metazoans.
2) The Cnidarians: Ch 3, sect 3.4 and Ch 14, sect 14.2 to the end of 14.2.4.1.
3) The Platyhelminthes: Ch 3, sect 3.6.
4) The Origin of the Coelomates: no additional reading required.
5) Mollusc adaptive radiations: Ch 5.
6) How to write an essay:
7) Annelids and segmentation: Ch 4 sect 4.14 & Ch 10, sects 10.4, 10.5.1-3
8) Ecdysozoa and Arthropods: Ch 8 & Ch 10 sects 10.5.3 & 10.6.2.
9) Echinoderms: Ch 7, sect 7.3.
2. Marine Biology (Dr Sinead Collins)
“The Invertebrates, a synthesis”, Third edition (2001), by Barnes, Calow, Olive, Golding
and Spice (Blackwell Science).
1) Life on the sea bed 1: locomotion and feeding: Ch 9.
2) Life on the sea bed 2: stresses and strains: Ch 11 sect 11.4 & Ch 12, sect 12.2.
Lectures 12-14 would benefit from reading from "Marine Biology: An ecological approach",
5th edition (2001), by Nybakken (Benjamin Cummings). We hope to make digital copies of
these chapters available. Also available in the Murray Library.
3) Pelagic animals I: the nekton. Ch 3 (Oceanic nekton).
4) Pelagic animals II: the Zooplankton. Ch 2 (Plankton and Plankton communities).
5) Life cycles, larvae and reproductive strategies. Chapter 1, sections on Larvae and
Larval Ecology).
103. Origin of vertebrates (Dr Ally Phillimore)
This and the final section of the course would benefit from reading of the following sections
from one of two core textbooks, “Vertebrate Life”, Eighth edition (2009), by Pough, Janis
and Heiser (Pearson) and “Analysis of Vertebrate Structure”, Fifth edition (2001), by
Hildebrand and Goslow (John Wiley & Sons). These books are identified as VL and AVS
below. We have requested digital copies of all of the book sections mentioned below, and
both books are available in the Murray Library.
1) Origin of vertebrates: VL Chs 1 (diversity and function), Ch2 (vertebrate
relationships and structure).
2) Origin and diversification of tetrapods: VL Chs 9 (Origin and Radiation of
Tetrapods) and 10.1 (Amphibians).
3) The origin and diversification of reptiles VL Ch 13 (Tuatara, lizards and snakes).
4) Origin and diversification of birds: VL Ch 16 sects 16.8, 16.9 and 17.1.
5) Origin & evolution of mammals - VL Ch 18 (The Synapsida and the Evolution of
Mammals).
4. Adaptive radiation of mammals (Prof. Dan Nussey)
1) Feeding I: Carnivores and Herbivores: AVS Ch 30 (Feeding), p 569-577.
2) Feeding II: Feeding specialisations: VL Ch 21.4 (Specialisations for Feeding).
3) Locomotion I: Basic mechanics: AVS Chs 24 (Running and Jumping) and 25
(Digging).
4) Locomotion II: Other forms - AVS Chs 26 (Climbing) and 28 (Flying and Gliding).
5) Reproduction: VL Ch 21 sections 21.1-21.3 (Mammalian Reproduction).
6) Mating systems - VL Ch 23 23.4-23.5 (Sociality and mating systems of Mammals).
5. Animal Associations (Dr Amy Pedersen)
This part of the course would benefit from reading all of one wonderfully concise core
textbook, “An Introduction to Parasitology” (1998), BE Matthews (Cambridge University
Press). Much of this book is feely available on-line from Googlebooks
(https://books.google.co.uk/) - just type ‘Matthews Introduction to Parasitology’ into the
search box. Hard copies are also available in the Murray Library, with copies in the Main
and Reserve sections, QL757Mat. We hope to obtain full digital copies.
1) Introduction to animal associations: Ch 1.
2) Different types of host-parasite associations: Ch 2.
3) Moving between hosts: Ch 3.
4) Host behaviour and transmission: Ch 3.
5) Adapting to host biology: Ch 4.
6) Niches in the host: Ch 5.
7) Host Defences against parasites: Ch 6.
8) Where do human parasites come from? See the paper by Woolhouse and Gaunt on
Learn, downloadable as a pdf file.
11Assessment
Assessment dates can be seen under: 2021 COURSE ASSESSMENT DEADLINES at the
beginning of this course guide.
This year Animal Biology 2 is assessed entirely by In-Course Assessment (ICA), as shown
below.
Course Quizzes. 50% (5 x quizzes, 10% each)
5 Quiz assessments, one for each section of the course. Each quiz contributes to
10% of your overall course mark (50% total) and open for one week only.
Course Essay (1500 words, marked out of 100). 50% (5% outline, 45% final
essay)
Set in January: This assessment involves two components; a separately-marked
essay outline, worth 5% of your overall course mark, and the essay itself, worth
45%. See Course Essay section for essay topics and instructions for writing your
outline and essay.
Special Arrangements students
Students with special arrangements should refer to the "Essential Information for
Biological Science Students" guide. If you have been allocated additional time in
examinations please check that the Course Secretary, Tim MacDonald
(Tim.MacDonald@ed.ac.uk) has been informed. You must do this in good time before
quizzes.
Passing the course
To pass the course you must achieve a mark of at least 40% in EACH of the Course
Essay (combined Essay + Outline mark) and the course quizzes (combined mark
from all 5 quizzes). All marks released are provisional until ratified by the Board of
Examiners.
Summer Essay: Students who achieve less than the minimum required pass mark of 40%
for the course essay must complete, and achieve at least 40% in, an essay during the
summer vacation. Please note: There is no essay outline submission for the summer
essay, therefore your final essay mark alone will contribute the full 50% of your
overall course mark. Essay titles will be sent to candidates’ Edinburgh University email
address after the Board of Examiners meeting in June and completed essays must be
submitted to the summer essay dropbox on Learn by 12:00pm (noon) on Monday 2nd
August 2021.
August Resit Quiz assessments: Those who fail to achieve a combined mark of 40% for
the 5 available course quizzes will be required to re-sit replacement quizzes for any failed
quizzes (i.e. if you have failed quiz 1 and quiz 5 - you will be required to pass the
replacement quizzes set for these two sections of the course). Replacement quizzes will
be made available during the summer vacation, with availability and deadlines confirmed
by email. They will have the same format as the original components but with alternative
questions, with each component weighted in exactly the same way.
Exam-only candidates should not forget the requirement to pass the course essay. If you
did not pass the course essay you must sign up for one of the titles attempted by students
sitting the course for the first time and adhere to the submission dates for the current year.
Exam-only students are responsible for coping with any changes in course content since
they first took the course.
12Course Quizzes
Course material is assessed through a series of five Learn quizzes, one for each section of
the course (Invertebrate groups, Marine Biology, Vertebrate Origins, Adaptive Radiation of
Mammals, and Animal Associations).
Each quiz will be available for one week (via Learn) and consists of varying question types
assessing knowledge of the video lectures and specimen demonstration for each section
of the course. The five quizzes are equally weighted, and each contribute 10% of your
overall course mark (50% for all five quizzes in total).
Links to the quizzes are located in the assessment folder and relevant weekly folders on
the AB2 Learn site and each quiz is available for one week (quiz opening and closing
times are given in the table below).
Once started, each quiz will have to be finished in a single sitting and will be available for
90 minutes (plus additional time as per adjustment schedules, if applicable). We highly
recommend that before commencing each quiz that you have checked the following.
You have a stable internet connection.
You are in a quiet area and removed from possible distractions.
If working on a laptop, you are plugged into a power source / have sufficient battery
life for the duration of the quiz.
COURSE QUIZZES
% of course
Event Available from Available to
assessment
12:00 (noon) 12:00 (noon)
PRACTICE QUIZ Formative
Wed 20th Jan Wed 27th Jan
QUIZ 1: 12:00 (noon) 12:00 (noon)
10%
Invertebrate groups Wed 3rd Feb Wed 10th Feb
QUIZ 2: 12:00 (noon) 12:00 (noon)
10%
Marine Biology Wed 17th Feb Wed 24th Feb
QUIZ 3: 12:00 (noon) 12:00 (noon)
10%
Vertebrate Origins Wed 3rd March Wed 10th March
QUIZ 4: 12:00 (noon) 12:00 (noon)
10%
Adaptive radiation of mammals Wed 17th March Wed 24th March
QUIZ 5: 12:00 (noon) 12:00 (noon)
10%
Animal Associations Wed 31st March Wed 7th April
13The Course Essay
The course essay develops the skill of critically reading and summarising scientific papers.
This assessment has two parts:
1. An Essay Outline (worth 5 of the 50% for this assessment)
2. The Course Essay (worth 45 of the 50% for this assessment).
Make sure that you read the information below on choosing your title, writing and
submitting your essay outline, and writing and submitting your essay.
A live session on “How to write an essay” is held in week 2 of the course (10am –
11am, Thursday 21st Jan) where you can receive advise on your essay and ask
questions.
How do I select my essay title?
You should select ONE of the 10 available titles given on pages 17-22. These titles span
the full range of the course. Each essay comes with at least one starter reference to
introduce the subject, and further ‘case study’ references providing greater depth or
describing specific examples. All of the references are available as e-books available from
the Murray Library, or are provided as pdf files that you can download from the
Assessments area of the AB2 Learn page.
To select your essay choice, navigate to the link available in either the Assessment
folder or ‘Week 1’ folder of the course Learn site. Essay topics will be allocated on a first-
come, first-served basis and to spread the load equally between markers, a maximum
of 1/10th of the class will be able to sign up for each topic.
When do I select my title?
The essay sign up link will become active from 12:00pm (noon) on Friday 15th January
2021.
When must work be handed in?
There are TWO submission deadlines for the Course Essay assessment.
1. Your Essay Outline must be submitted by 12:00pm (noon) on Tuesday 2nd
February 2021. *Please note that extension are not available for this assessment*
2. Your final Course Essay must be submitted by 12:00pm (noon) on Tuesday 2nd
March 2021. This date gives you the opportunity to work on your essay during
Creative Learning week if you wish.
What must I hand in?
For both submissions you must submit an electronic version (no paper copy is needed), to
the drop box available on the course Learn page.
Name your files with your Exam number, NOT your name or matric number (to allow for
anonymous marking).
Add a cover sheet for your essay, based on the example provided on Learn. Your
cover sheet should include
Your EXAM NUMBER.
The correct essay title.
Your word count (see below).
14The Essay Outline
You are required to submit an Outline for your Course Essay. The outline is worth 5% of
your overall course mark.
The Essay Outline is intended to encourage you to engage as early as possible with the
aims, structure and assessment of the Course Essay. This should help you manage your
time, get a better mark and avoid late penalties. The outline is submitted on-line and you
will get quick feedback from the lecturer marking your question.
Your Essay Outline should show that;
You have thought about, and understand, the question.
You have accessed all of the required reference papers from Learn, and
understand in general terms what each is about. We recognise that more time
will be required for detailed reading.
You can give a logically ordered series of relevant subtitles and points that you
might use to answer your question. This shows that you have started to read the
required references, and see how they are relevant to your question.
What do I need for my Essay Outline?
An Example Essay Outline is provided on Learn in the folder Assessment/Course essay
and Essay Outline/.
Length: The outline should be no longer than a single page of A4, 11-point sans serif font
(such as Arial), single spaced with 2cm margins. Your reference list can be on a second
page.
Content: The essay outline should contain the following, all of which are shown in the
Example Essay Outline on Learn;
The correct essay title and your EXAM NUMBER.
A short Introduction paragraph that explains the question, and sets out your
general approach to answering it. The aim in this section is to show that you are
starting to pull together ideas from all of the required papers.
A series of four subtitles that you might use to structure your essay. These should
be statements or subject areas, rather than, for example, ‘Introduction’ or
‘Conclusions’. Under each subtitle, you should include a relevant point, based on
your reading of the required references. Your whole outline should include at
least one point from each required reference paper. Cite the source reference
for each point in the Harvard style (as shown in the example outline on Learn). The
aim is to show that you are beginning to extract information relevant to your
question from each of the required papers.
A few sentences on what sort of diagram you might use in your essay.
A reference list, in the Harvard style, containing the source reference for each of
your points from (3) above. This referencing style is the same as used for
references in the essay questions, and more information on it is provided below with
regard to your essay. We expect at least to see all of the set references for the
essay here, though you can cite additional references relevant to your points if you
wish.
15Assessment of your outline
We know there’s not much time between selecting your essay title and submitting your
essay plan, so we don't expect your essay plan to be a polished and final structure for your
essay! The mark for your outline will be out of 20 and based on the following:
(i) Introduction (max 4 marks). Max 4 awarded for a paragraph that explains the
question in a way that shows understanding (2 marks) and sets out a plausible
approach for answering it (2 marks).
(ii) Subtitles (max 6 marks, 1 mark per subtitle and max 2 more for the overall
coherence of the set). Max 6 for a set of subtitles that divide the whole topic into
sensible parts, and which together are ordered to show thinking about the
overall structure of your essay.
(iii) Points from source references (max 8 marks). Max 2 for each point that is
relevant to the subtitle and correctly referenced to one of your required
references, with all required references cited at least once.
(iv) Diagram thoughts (max 2 marks). Max 2 for a workable idea that shows
you’ve read the information in this guide, down to 0 for no information or an idea
that shows no reference to the guidance.
What feedback will I get?
You will receive feedback on your Essay Outline as an annotated version of your original,
approximately one week after submission. Because of the tight turn-around for feedback,
extensions will not be awarded for this part of the assessment, but any relevant cases can
be handled through the Special Circumstances process (see the “Essential guide for
Biological Science Students” for further information on special circumstances).
The Course Essay (Final Essay).
Essay Word Limit
Your essay should be no longer than 1500 words (including figure legends, tables and in-
text references but not including your reference list or essay title). Essays will be
penalised by 5% for EACH 75 words over the limit. You must give an accurate word count
for your essay on your cover sheet.
What feedback will I get?
Your essay will be marked according to the criteria in the table following the titles. Markers
will provide comments on each criterion when your essay is returned to you. After your
marked essays are returned to you, the lecturer who set the question will also provide
personal ‘meet the marker’ feedback via appointment (further details and dates will be
available at a later date). This feedback is optional, and it will be most useful if you read
the feedback provided before the session.
Penalties for late submission of assessed course work
Please refer to the booklet "Essential Information for Biological Science Students"
16Essay titles
ESSAY 1: What is ‘Coral Bleaching’? Could it be adaptive and why does it matter?
(Set by Prof. Graham Stone)
This question examines one of the impacts of global change on coral reef ecosystems,
and asks whether the bleaching response of corals could be a way of responding
adaptively. The ‘why does it matter’ part of the question requires you to consider the role of
corals in the reef ecosystem.
Starter references:
1. Douglas, A. E. “Coral bleaching––how and why?” Marine Pollution Bulletin, 46
(2003): 385–392.
2. Importance of corals for reef foodwebs: Wild, C. et al. Coral mucus functions as an
energy carrier and particle trap in the reef ecosystem. Nature 428 (2004): 66-70.
Case studies:
1. LaJeunesse, T. C. et al. “Host-symbiont recombination versus natural selection in
the response of coral -dinoflagellate symbioses to environmental disturbance”.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 277 (2010): 2925-2934
2. Jones, A. M. et al. “A community change in the algal endosymbionts of a
scleractinian coral following a natural bleaching event: field evidence of
acclimatization”. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 275 (2008): 1359-1365.
3. Baird, A. H. et al. Coral bleaching: the role of the host. Trends in Ecology and
Evolution 24 (2008): 16-20.
ESSAY 2: Why were arthropods so much bigger in the past than they are now?
(Set by Prof. Graham Stone)
Around 300 million years ago, terrestrial arthropods reached much larger body sizes and
estimated body weights than they do now. The same was true somewhat earlier for marine
groups, such as Eurypterid sea scorpions. Use web-based resources to present examples
of how big they got (nb think critically about information you find, because estimates vary!)
and then use the guide references to consider alternative answers to the question. Think
both about what enabled extinct forms to be much larger, and why modern relatives (if
they exist) are much smaller.
Background: On general theories for gigantism in animals
1. Vermeij, G. J. "Gigantism and its implications for the history of life". PLoS ONE
(2016), 11(1):e0146092. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0146092
Case studies:
1. Whyte, M. A. “A gigantic fossil arthropod trackway”. Nature 438 (2005), 576.
2. Lamsdell, J. C. and Braddy, S. J. “Cope’s Rule and Romer’s theory: patterns of
diversity and gigantism in eurypterids and Palaeozoic vertebrates.” Biology Letters
6 (2010), 265-269.
3. Dudley, R. “The evolutionary physiology of animal flight”. Annual Review of
Physiology, 62 (2000), 135-155.
4. Cannell, A. E. R. “The engineering of the giant dragonflies of the Permian: revised
body mass, power, air supply, thermoregulation and the role of air density”. Journal
of Experimental Biology, 221 (2018), jeb185405 pp 1-7.
5. Kaiser A. et al. “Increase in tracheal investment with beetle size supports
hypothesis of oxygen limitation on insect gigantism”. Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences of the USA, 104 (2007), 13198-13203.
17ESSAY 3: Why are whales and other marine mammals big (and why aren’t they
bigger)? (Set by Dr. Sinead Collins)
Although aquatic mammals share similar body shapes, they are not closely related. For
example, seals and sea lions are related to dogs, while manatees are related to elephants,
and whales are related to hoofed mammals such as hippos. However, once mammals
become aquatic, they converge on a size of about 500kg. What constrains mammalian
body size for marine mammals? How are the very largest whales able to reach sizes far
greater than 500kg?
Starter references and case studies:
1. Gearty, William, Craig R. McClain, and Jonathan L. Payne. "Energetic trade-offs
control the size distribution of aquatic mammals." Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences (2018): 201712629. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1712629115
2. Goldbogen, J. A. "Physiological constraints on marine mammal body size."
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2018): 201804077.
3. Goldbogen, J. A., et al. "Mechanics, hydrodynamics and energetics of blue whale
lunge feeding: efficiency dependence on krill density." Journal of Experimental
Biology 214.1 (2011): 131-146.
4. Harding, K. C., et al. "Mass‐dependent energetics and survival in Harbour Seal
pups." Functional Ecology 19.1 (2005): 129-135.
ESSAY 4: Why are dominant marine herbivores so small? (Set by Dr. Sinead Collins)
In marine systems, body size tends to scale positively with trophic level, and dominant
herbivores tend to be small, as is the case with copepods. In contrast, herbivores in
terrestrial systems come in all sizes, and include the largest land animals. This essay
explores the link between the organisms responsible for primary production and limits on
the body size of herbivores. Which organisms are responsible for primary production in
marine vs. terrestrial systems? How does this affect trophic interactions between primary
producers and herbivores? How does this in turn limit the body size of herbivores in
aquatic systems?
Starter references and case studies:
1. “Marine Biology: An ecological approach” 5th edition (2001) by Nybakken. Available
at the Murray Library on reserve. Ch1: section “Comparison of terrestrial and
marine ecosystems”; Ch2: “The Zooplankton”
2. Brose U, Jonsson T, Berlow EL, Warren P, Banasek-Richter C, Bersier LF,
Blanchard JL, Brey T, Carpenter SR, Blandenier MF, Cushing L. Consumer–
Resource Body‐Size Relationships In Natural Food Webs. Ecology. 2006 Oct 1;87
(10):2411-7.
3. Shurin JB, Gruner DS, Hillebrand H. All wet or dried up? Real differences between
aquatic and terrestrial food webs. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B:
Biological Sciences. 2006 Jan 7;273 (1582):1-9.
18ESSAY 5: When, where and why has venom arisen in Tetrapods? What abiotic and
biotic conditions select for more potent venoms? And what factors have caused
venoms to diversify? (Set by Dr Ally Phillimore)
Venomous animals are those that administer a poison via a delivery system. Although we
associate venom most with snakes, venom has arisen on several occasions in Tetrapods.
From the starter reference and case histories you should be able to present an essay that
discusses where in the Tetrapod phylogeny venom has been gained and lost. Your essay
should also discuss hypotheses as to why venom was selected for and why types of
venom have diversified.
Starter reference: Casewell, N.R.; Wuster, W.; Vonk, F.J.; Harrison, R.A.; Fry, B.G.
(2013). Complex cocktails: the evolutionary novelty of venoms. Trends in Ecology &
Evolution. 28 (4): 219–229.
Case studies:
1. Barlow, A., Pook, C. E., Harrison, R. A., & Wüster, W. (2009). Coevolution of diet
and prey-specific venom activity supports the role of selection in snake venom
evolution. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences,
276(1666), 2443-2449.
2. Fry, B. G., Vidal, N., Norman, J. A., Vonk, F. J., Scheib, H., Ramjan, S. R., ... &
Hodgson, W. C. (2006). Early evolution of the venom system in lizards and snakes.
Nature, 439(7076), 584-588.
3. Healy, K., Carbone, C. and Jackson, A.L., 2019. Snake venom potency and yield
are associated with prey‐evolution, predator metabolism and habitat structure.
Ecology letters, 22(3), pp.527-537.
4. Sites Jr, J. W., Reeder, T. W., & Wiens, J. J. (2011). Phylogenetic insights on
evolutionary novelties in lizards and snakes: sex, birth, bodies, niches, and venom.
Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, 42, 227-244.
ESSAY 6: When and how have the bills of birds diversified? What evidence do we
have that the variety of bill shapes has been forged by natural selection? (Set by Dr
Ally Phillimore)
Bird bills vary greatly in form allowing them to occupy a diversity of feeding niches. In this
essay you should outline the variety of bill morphologies that exist and how they relate to
exploitation of feeding niches. You should also evaluate the evidence we have that this
evolution is due to natural selection rather than the product of genetic drift.
Starter reference: Pough, Janis, Heiser (2013) Vertebrate Life. Pearson. Pages 425 –
427.
Case studies:
1. Abzhanov, A., Protas, M., Grant, B. R., Grant, P. R., & Tabin, C. J. (2004). Bmp4
and morphological variation of beaks in Darwin's finches. Science, 305(5689),
1462-1465.
2. Cooney, C. R., Bright, J. A., Capp, E. J., Chira, A. M., Hughes, E. C., Moody, C. J.
& Thomas, G. H. (2017). Mega-evolutionary dynamics of the adaptive radiation of
birds. Nature, 542(7641), 344-347.
3. Freed, L. A., Conant, S., & Fleischer, R. C. (1987). Evolutionary ecology and
radiation of Hawaiian passerine birds. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 2(7), 196-203.
4. Grant, P. R., & Grant, B. R. (2002). Unpredictable evolution in a 30-year study of
Darwin's finches. Science, 296(5568), 707-711.
19ESSAY 7: Is endothermy adaptive? (Set by Prof. Dan Nussey)
One unusual feature of mammals and birds is that they are endothermic, and able to
maintain their body temperatures above 30C despite fluctuations in the external
temperatures they experience. Some other animal and plant groups are capable of
endothermy, but the huge majority of living organisms are ectothermic. A range of
evolutionary hypotheses have been put forward over the years to explain the emergence
of endothermy, assuming that this metabolic strategy is somehow adaptive. A provocative
recent perspective (Seebacher 2000), suggests that this may not be the case, and that the
emergence of endothermy may simply be a by-product of the increasing complexity of
metabolic regulation over evolutionary time.
In this essay you should address whether you feel there is good evidence or not that
endothermy is adaptive (i.e. it has evolved under natural selection because it provided a
fitness advantage to ancestral organisms). The starter references will give you the
background you need, and the case studies provide interesting examples you might want
to use to support particular arguments. You should provide your own working definition of
endothermy, discuss its prevalence taxonomically, and present arguments and evidence
for and against its being adaptive, offering your own perspective on whether you find
Seebacher’s ‘by-product’ hypothesis convincing or not.
Starter references:
1. Seebacher, F., 2020. Is Endothermy an Evolutionary By-Product? Trends in
Ecology & Evolution, 35: 503-511.
2. Nespolo, R.F., Bacigalupe, L.D., Figueroa, C.C., Koteja, P. and Opazo, J.C., 2011.
Using new tools to solve an old problem: the evolution of endothermy in
vertebrates. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 26, 414-423.
Case studies:
1. Wegner, N.C., Snodgrass, O.E., Dewar, H. and Hyde, J.R., 2015. Whole-body
endothermy in a mesopelagic fish, the opah, Lampris guttatus. Science, 348, 786-
789.
2. Tattersall, G.J., Leite, C.A., Sanders, C.E., Cadena, V., Andrade, D.V., Abe, A.S.
and Milsom, W.K., 2016. Seasonal reproductive endothermy in tegu
lizards. Science Advances, 2, e1500951.
3. Rezende, E.L., Bacigalupe, L.D., Nespolo, R.F. and Bozinovic, F., 2020. Shrinking
dinosaurs and the evolution of endothermy in birds. Science Advances, 6,
eaaw4486.
20ESSAY 8: When did the major evolutionary radiation of placental mammals occur?
(Set by Prof. Dan Nussey)
Although mammal species diversity is rather paltry compared to some other taxonomic
groups, their current diversity of forms, breadth of habitats, and range of sizes are
incredible. Over the last few decades, the traditional phylogeny of mammalian orders
based on morphology has been overthrown and heavily revised using new molecular
techniques. Although we now have a scientific consensus on this phylogeny, there is still
heated debate in the literature regarding when the majority of placental mammal orders
first evolved and diversified. While it is generally accepted that most orders emerged
during a period of relatively rapid diversification through the Cretaceous and Paleogene
periods, a variety of different evolutionary models have been put forward to describe the
exact timing and tempo of this diversification. In this essay, you should introduce these
different models, explaining how they differ in the proposed timing and rate of
diversification, and what major ecological changes are hypothesised to underpin these
differences. These models are controversial – and each has proponents and critics in the
literature. In your essay try to provide your perspective on the strengths and weaknesses
of different models, and present evidence that potentially supports and contradicts each
model. The starter reference should give you an overview of the different models and
sources of controversy, the ‘case study’ references are just a few examples of the many
empirical studies which present support for one or other of the main models.
Starter reference:
1. Springer et al. 2019. Evolutionary models for the diversification of placental
mammals across the KPg boundary. Frontiers in Genetics, 10: 1241.
Case studies:
1. Bininda-Emonds et al. 2007. The delayed rise of present-day mammals.
Nature, 446: 507-512.
2. Meredith, R.W. et al. 2011. Impacts of the Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution and
KPg Extinction on mammal diversification. Science 334: 521-524.
3. O’Leary, M.A. et al. 2013. The placental mammal ancestor and the post–K-Pg
radiation of placentals. Science 339: 662-667.
ESSAY 9: Is the 'jack of all trades the master of none?’ Why aren’t all parasites able
to infect a wide range of host species? (Set by Dr. Amy Pedersen)
This essay will explore the staggering diversity found across parasite species in the
number and range of host species that each parasite can infect. Specifically, the essay will
discuss what factors often determine the level of host specificity for different parasite
species. The student will also need to explore and discuss how the drivers of specificity
may differ between taxonomic or functional groups of parasites, with a specific focus on
the possible trade-offs of generalist versus specialist parasites.
Starter references:
1. Timms, R. & Read, A.F (1999) What makes a specialist special? Trends in Ecology
& Evolution 14(9): 333-334.
2. Woolhouse, M.E.J., Taylor, L.H. & Haydon, D.T. (2001). Population biology of multi-
host pathogens. Science 292: 1109-1112.
21Case studies:
1. Hellgren, O., Perez-Tris, J. & Bensch, S. (2009) A jack-of-all-trades and still a
master of some: prevalence and host range in avian malaria and related blood
parasites. Ecology, 90(10: 2840=2949
2. Straub, C.S., Ives, A. R. & Gratton, C. (2011) Evidence for a trade-off between host-
range breadth and host-use efficiency in aphid parasitoids. American Naturalist
177(3): 389-395.
3. Davies, T.J. & A.B. Pedersen. Phylogeny and geography predict pathogen
community similarity in primates and humans. Proceedings of the Royal Society B,
275; 1695-1701.
ESSAY 10: Are mutualisms always beneficial for both species? When and why does
a mutualistic interaction turn into a parasitic interaction? Explain how mutualisms
can breakdown and what the potential consequences of this breakdown are for
these important long-term interspecific associations. (Set by Dr. Amy Pedersen)
Mutualistic interactions between species, where both species benefit from the association,
are ubiquitous in nature. However, increasing evidence suggests that mutualistic
interactions may not always be beneficial for both species and can sometimes become a
parasitic relationship. This essay explores the dynamics of mutualistic associations,
specifically addressing the question of whether mutualisms are also beneficial for both
species and what the consequences are for the breakdown of these relationships.
Starter references:
1. Sachs, J.L. & Simms, E.L. (2006) Pathways to mutualism breakdown. Trends in
Ecology and Evolution 21(10) 585-592.
2. Bronstein, J.L. (2001) The exploitation of mutualisms. Ecology Letters, 4(3): 277-
287.
Case studies:
1. Palmer, T.M., Stanton, M.L., Young, T.P., Goheen, J. R., Pringle, R. M., and
Karban, R. (2008). Breadown of an ant-plant mutualism follows the loss of large
herbivores from an African savanna. Science 319(5860): 192-195.
2. Skleton, J., Doak, S., Leonard, M., Creed, R.P. and Brown, B.L. (2016) The rules
for symbiont community assembly change along a mutualism—parasitism
continuum. Journal of Animal Ecology 85(3): 843-853.
3. Aizen, M., Morales, C.L., Vazquez, D.P., Garibaldi, L.A., Saez, A., & Harder, L.D.
(2014) When mutualism goes bad: density-dependent impacts of introduced bees
on plant reproduction. New Phytologist 204(2): 322-328.
22Course essay assessment: What will the essay markers be looking for?
Your essay will be marked according to the following criteria, contributing the percentage
of marks shown. How to do well is explained in the following section on “GUIDELINES
FOR WRITING YOUR ESSAY”.
Marking component Mark out
of (%)
1. Has the essay fully addressed the question set? (1= poor; 20=excellent). 20
Does it deal with all aspects of the question and are the concepts
appropriate and directly related to the question and the chosen
taxonomic group?
2. Is the essay structure clear and logical? (1= poor; 20=excellent). Is the 20
essay logically ordered, with a good introduction that lays out the essay
approach, and a well-structured main body?
3. Does the writing show critical analysis of the source material (1= poor; 20
20=excellent)? Is material from several papers integrated together in a
structured discussion (good) or produced as an unstructured list (poor)?
4. Are the facts presented accurate? (1= poor; 10=excellent) 10
5. How good is the depth of factual information presented? (1= poor; 10
10=excellent). Is there evidence that all of the required papers have
been read? Is there evidence of additional relevant reading?
6. Each essay should contain an original diagram used to illustrate 10
aspects of the topic. Is the diagram well-designed and well-integrated
into the essay? Value of the Figures & Tables: (1= poor; 10=excellent)
7. Does the essay show good writing style? (Sentence structure, spelling, 10
referencing of source material) (1= poor; 10=excellent). Are species
names in italics? Are other taxonomic levels correctly used and spelled?
23Guideline for writing your essay:
Plan your time! Don’t blow a good essay mark by handing in late.
Back it up! Don't let a last minute computer crash ruin your work.
Planning your essay
60 out of the 100 marks available for your essay are awarded for evidence that you have
read what is required, thought about it, and then presented your thoughts in a clear and
structured way. To do this well, plan your time and give yourself the best chance to read
and think. Here are top tips for getting it right.
Overall strategy
1. Start early. Download the references for your essay and read them. They might not
make complete sense first time through, so give yourself time to read them again. Make
notes of the main points in each, and think about how they might fit together to make a
narrative for your essay.
2. Use ALL of the required references. Your essay must include material from, and cite,
all of the required papers. Use the starter reference to build an outline framework for your
essay, and then explore the subject more widely using the ‘case study’ references. Failure
to use all of the required references will be penalised, while evidence of additional reading
will be rewarded (in the University Marking Scheme, evidence of additional reading is
required to get a mark of over 70%).
3. If there are two parts to a title, balance your efforts evenly between them.
4. Make sure that you use your own words and do not copy chunks of original sources
(see Edinburgh University advice on plagiarism). Do not work so closely with a friend that
your essays are flagged up as too similar. Discussing things with friends is good, but write
things separately!
5. Leave enough time for proof reading! Essays must be written in well-structured
English. Markers will expect you to use spelling and grammar checkers in WORD to proof-
read your essay. DO get a friend to read your work - he/she will spot inconsistencies/typos
etc. that always creep in. Most don't matter, but some do (such as forgetting to put in the
word 'not' where one should be!) and cost marks. If the essay doesn't make sense to your
friends, it probably doesn't make sense. Counter-intuitively, it is often better to have
someone who is not doing the same essay read your work – because someone doing the
same essay can subconsciously compensate for any failings in yours. If English is not your
first language, then you should definitely ask a native English speaker to proof read it for
you.
6. DON'T go over the word limit, and incur an automatic penalty. Working within a word
limit is part of the exercise.
Essay structure
7. Introduction. The first paragraph should lay out your understanding of what the
question means and your general approach to answering it. The example essay outline on
Learn shows this. The Introduction does not need to summarise what you find, like the
abstract or summary of a paper would.
8. Use subtitles to structure your essay. The main body of your essay should have a
clear narrative, with points following logically one from the other. Lay out the main body of
your essay so that your narrative is easy to follow. Divide your text into paragraphs that
each deal with a specific topic. Don’t use short bullet point paragraphs, and don’t use big
blocks of unstructured text lumping multiple points together. Both of these suggest to a
marker that you have more thinking to do! Separate your paragraphs by a blank line.
249. Citations. Support statements in your essay using citations to the relevant required
paper(s) and additional reading. Use the same Harvard style referencing used for essay
references in the course guide. This involves using author surnames and a date, as in the
following examples. When a paper is written by two people, use the following style: ‘Smith
and Jones (2010) say that dogs have four legs’, or ‘dogs have four legs’ (Smith and Jones,
2010). Where there are more than 2 authors, just give the first author followed by ‘et al.’
and the date, e.g., Smith et al. (2010). Make sure that the reference is included in its
sentence, and not added on after the full stop. Make sure that all of the papers you refer to
are provided in full in a reference list at the end of your essay (see 12 below).
10. Essay diagram. You should generate a novel diagram to illustrate a component of
your essay, which will count for 10% of your mark. Your diagram should convey one or
more ideas, or summarise information in a novel and visual way. It could do this, for
example, by presenting data or showing how a biological system or structure operates, or
a combination of these. It could also be a flow chart that shows logical links between
ideas. Feel free to use your imagination and think outside the box, and give yourself time!
The key thing is that it must represent your own novel drawing together of information.
Here are some key considerations in producing your diagram.
You are welcome and encouraged to use more than one diagram. An image can
save many words and add to the general mark for your essay but make sure that
you indicate clearly which diagram should be assessed.
Marks will NOT be awarded for reproducing images downloaded from web pages or
scanned from papers or books, or for simply redrawing an existing diagram. Web
download material often isn’t correct or current and may well not show what you
want it to! Better to generate your own.
Your diagram MUST be linked into your essay by referring to it at an appropriate
point in your text (e.g. ‘see Figure 1’).
Make sure that your diagram is directly relevant to your essay. If you use more than
one, number them sequentially (Figure 1, Figure 2, etc).
Cite any relevant sources.
Your diagram does not need to be high art but it must be clear and legible. You can
hand draw and scan it or use a graphics software, as you wish. If you scan a hand
drawn diagram, make sure that the combination of size and contrast you use
allows all lines and text to be clearly visible/readable in your essay. Text on
your diagram must be at least the same size as the text in your essay, and easy to
read.
Make sure that your diagram is suitably labelled, and really shows what you mean it
to show!
11. Tables can be a useful way of condensing information, and of showing that you can
organise material from multiple sources in a concise and structured way however, don’t
use a table as a dumping ground for a long list – this won’t show evidence of critical
thought, and will use up your word limit (table words count towards this). For a table to
earn you marks, you MUST refer to it in your essay text.
12. Reference list: The reference list format should follow the Harvard style used for the
essay title references above. Please list all authors up to a total of 5. For more than this,
please just give the first author, followed by et al. When giving a reference for a paper in a
scientific journal that you have read on-line, the reference should be in the usual form and
not the URL for the on-line paper. When you are referring to a web page, you should also
give the date on which you accessed the page (but better to refer to papers). For more
information on how to use Harvard style to cite papers and to make a reference list, with
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