| Unit name | Neurophysiology |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PHPH20009 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Professor. Clea Warburton |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites | |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience |
| Faculty | Faculty of Life Sciences |
This unit focuses on the physiology of the mammalian peripheral and central nervous systems. The topics include principles of neurophysiology, motor control, somatic and special senses and higher mental functions. Associated practical classes examine human neuromuscular and sensory function.
The unit includes teaching and learning related to the development of concepts and skills connected to the physiology content of the course. This includes data handling and analysis, report writing, essay writing skills and comprehension of scientific literature.
The aims are:
• To provide systematic coverage of mammalian neurophysiology
• To provide a link between the first and third year of the Physiology programme in content
• To further develop transferable and scientific skills in preparation for the final year of the programme
These aims will be accomplished through lectures, class tutorials and independent work. In addition, a focus will be on gaining experimental skills both practical and written through class practical sessions.
By the end of the this unit students should:
1. Have knowledge and understanding of the principles of neurophysiology (A3)
2. Be able to describe fundamental aspects of central nervous system function (A3)
3. Be able to give accounts of somatic and special senses and higher order nervous function (A3)
4. Synthesise, understand, manage and summarise information from a number of sources (B1, C4)
5. Carry out experiments guided by worksheets (B2)
6. Interpret and manipulate scientific data (B3)
7. Read and understand scientific literature (B4)
8. Communicate clearly in writing (C1)
9. Use IT facilities for data handling and presentation of written work (C3)
The unit will be assessed through a combination of course work undertaken throughout the unit and written exam at the end of the unit.
Coursework (20%)
1. Essay; 2000 words (5%)
2. eBiolabs Post Practical Assessment (5%)
3. Short Practical Report (5%)
Each summative component will be preceded by a formative exercise, except in the case of Post Practical eBiolabs and essay writing. The summative essay will be supported by a class tutorial on constructing an essay plan and will build on formative exercises undertaken in Physiology 1 (PHPH10001). Post Practical eBiolabs-based assessments support participation in the practicals and reinforce knowledge gained in these sessions.
Peer assessment will be used in the summative assessment of the practical report to encourage both reflective and self-assessment skills. A formative practical report, assessed by academics, will precede the summative exercise to enable students to learn what is expected of them as a peer marker. This task will use structured marking proformas, which will include simple marking guidelines. Students will each assess 3 reports. Marks will be available for the feedback given; the recipient will award marks based on the usefulness of the feedback. A selection of the marked scripts will be reviewed by academic staff for consistency.
Comprehension of Scientific Literature 1 hr (5%)
Comprehension of scientific literature will be assessed using MCQs marked electronically. This exercise will be supported by a class tutorial on how to gather information from scientific literature. Students will have access to papers and example questions prior to the summative exercise.
Final Exam 2.5hrs (80%)
Essay (1 of 4), EMQ (2), MCQ-Best of 5 (18), DIQ (1)
Information will be drawn from a number of sources for any one topic. Individual lecturers will make recommendations of useful information sources, both textbooks and reports in scientific journals. Some may recommend web-based materials. In this context useful textbooks include:
Alternative treatments of neurophysiology (but at a lower level then Kandel, Schwartz & Jessel):
Useful for experimental data analysis (simple and adequate for most problems you will encounter)
Alternative sources for statistics:
Useful resources for numeracy and writing skills:
