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GEOL202 Introductory Palaeontology

Updated: 07 November 2012
Credit Points 6
Offering
Responsible Campus Teaching Period Mode of Study
Armidale Trimester 1 Off Campus
Armidale Trimester 1 On Campus
Intensive School(s)
Start Finish Attendance Notes
05 February 2013 08 February 2013 Non-Mandatory Students who do not attend the non-mandatory intensive school must complete the alternative assignment on invertebrate fossils. The intensive school is held at UNE's Arrawarra Field Station (north of Coffs Harbour on the NSW north coast).
Supervised Exam There is no UNE Supervised Examination.
Pre-requisites None
Co-requisites None
Restrictions GEOL102 or GEOL103
Notes None
Combined Units None
Coordinator(s) John Paterson (jpater20@une.edu.au)
Unit Description

This unit teaches students the fundamental principles of palaeontology and introduces them to the history of life on Earth. Readings cover topics such as the origin of life, evolution, extinction and palaeoecology. Practical exercises during the intensive school focus on invertebrate fossils, comparative palaeoecology and interpretation of fossil trackways. The intensive school is held at UNE's Arrawarra Field Station (north of Coffs Harbour on the NSW north coast).
Prescribed Material
Mandatory 		Text(s):

Note: Students are expected to purchase prescribed material. Please note that textbook requirements may vary from one teaching period to the next.

Invertebrate Palaeontology and Evolution
ISBN: 9780632052387
Clarkson, E.N.K., Blackwell Science 4th ed. 1998
Text refers to: Trimester 1 , On and Off Campus
Referenced Material
Optional 		Text(s):

Note: Reference material is held in the University Library - purchase is optional

Introduction to Paleobiology and the Fossil Record
ISBN: 9781405141574
Benton, M.J. and Harper, D.A.T., Wiley-Blackwell 2009
Note: Available from the Dixson Library, UNE
Text refers to: Trimester 1 , On and Off Campus
Disclaimer Unit information may be subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Assessment
Title Exam Length Weight Mode No. Words
Essay 30% On/Off Campus 2000
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1, 4 GA: 1, 2, 3, 4
Invertebrate phyla Assignment 30% On/Off Campus 1000
Assessment Notes
Only completed by students not attending the intensive school and therefore not completing the practical work
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1, 3, 4 GA: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
Online Test 1 10% On/Off Campus
Assessment Notes
Principles of Palaeontology
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 4 GA: 1, 3, 4
Online Test 2 10% On/Off Campus
Assessment Notes
Evolution and the Fossil Record
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 4 GA: 1, 3, 4
Online Test 3 10% On/Off Campus
Assessment Notes
Major Events in the History of Life
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1 GA: 1, 3, 4
Online Test 4 10% On/Off Campus
Assessment Notes
The Origin of Life
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1, 2 GA: 1, 3, 4
Practical 30% On/Off Campus
Assessment Notes
Practical work for Students attending the intensive School
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1, 3, 4 GA: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8

Learning Outcomes (LO) Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. demonstrate an understanding of the progression of life on Earth;
  2. describe and evaluate theories for the origin of life;
  3. identify and describe a selection of invertebrate fossil groups; and
  4. demonstrate an understanding of a variety of palaeontological topics such as evolution, extinction, palaeoecology and taxonomy.

Graduate Attributes (GA)
Attribute Taught Assessed Practised
1 Knowledge of a Discipline
Students are presented with lectures and are expected to complete set reading tasks from the textbook and journal articles that cover fundamental topics in palaeontology such as the origin of life, evolution, extinction, palaeoecology and taxonomy. These topics are assessed and practised in all of the set assessment tasks, including specimen- and field-based exercises during the intensive school. 		True True True
2 Communication Skills
Written communication skills are assessed and practised in the form of an essay, a fossil site report, and the practical exercises at the intensive school (or alternatively, an assignment on invertebrate fossils for students who do not attend the non-mandatory intensive school). Written communication skills are also regularly practiced by the use of an online discussion board. 		True True
3 Global Perspectives
Students are taught about aspects of palaeontology that are of global significance, such as evolution, extinction and biogeography. These aspects are assessed in all set assessment tasks. 		True True
4 Information Literacy
Students are assessed on their ability to demonstrate basic research capacity in a range of assessment tasks (such as the essay and fossil site report) on specific topics in palaeontology and critically evaluate the information to generate a logical argument supported by evidence. Students are taught how to search for primary literature using databases and how to reference using the author-date system. 		True True True
5 Life-Long Learning
Students are encouraged to practise the skills and apply the knowledge they have learned to their personal and professional development. 		True True
6 Problem Solving
Students practise and are assessed on a range of problem-solving skills, especially the identification and classification of invertebrate fossils and the interpretation of dinosaur trackways. 		True True
7 Social Responsibility
Students are taught about the ethics of fossil collecting, especially with regard to private land and protected areas such as national parks. 		True
8 Team Work
Students are expected to work together for certain practical activities during the intensive school, such as the exercises on palaeoecology and dinosaur trackways. This group work is assessed. 		True True
   

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