| Unit name | Animal Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Unit code | BIOL20023 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Cuthill |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None. |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None. |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
N/A |
| School/department | School of Biological Sciences |
| Faculty | Faculty of Life Sciences |
Why is this unit important?
Animals interact with and affect their world via behaviour and in turn, animals are affected by the behaviour of other animals – predators, prey, parasites, mates, rivals… and humans. So, whether one’s goal is to understand an animal‘s ecology or evolution, or to conserve species, manage livestock or repel pests, you need to understand behaviour. In this unit, we explore how and why animals behave the way they do: how they acquire their behaviours, whether innate or learnt, the role of different behaviours in animals’ lives and how behaviour has, and will, evolve.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
In all our biology degrees, year 1 and the first teaching block of year 2 bring all students up to the same level in terms of core knowledge, so from hereon comes the chance to specialise. The Animal Behaviour unit, in its own right, prepares students for careers in the field, but also provides the ideal platform for the more specialised units in year 3 that involve an understanding of behaviour.
An overview of content
Behaviour can be understood in terms of both how animals do things and why. A complete understanding of behaviour involves both, and the primary aim of the unit is to explain how to do this, within the framework first laid out by Nobel laureate Niko Tinbergen. The unit begins by considering interactions between genetic influences and individual experience in the development of behaviour. We then explore the processes used in acquiring their behaviour, including conditioning, recognition learning, classification and discrimination; subsequent lectures address cognitive processes, and cover social learning, cultural transmission, intelligence, tool use, spatial memory, communication and language. We then consider the evolutionary forces acting on behaviour, and how ecology affects foraging, anti-predator defences, competition, mating systems, parental care, communication, territoriality, social organisation, co-operation and altruism.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
At the end of the unit you will have core knowledge of the how and why of behaviour, but also the confidence to devise and develop new ways of testing hypotheses about why animals do what they do.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this unit, students should be able to:
Core knowledge, including explanation of underpinning theory, research approaches, supporting evidence and current controversies, will be largely delivered via lectures, backed up by directed reading. Given the wealth of information available and sometimes conflicting arguments, lecturing from experts in the field is more efficient than setting a ‘core text’ to read independently. The lectures also seek to inspire, as we are passionate about our subject! The application of the scientific method to problem-solving within the field will be developed through discussion (synthesis) classes and, particularly, the three formative practical classes. The practical component of the unit does not merely serve to illustrate material in the lectures, it helps develop an ability to develop hypotheses to explain behaviour and devise ways of testing those hypotheses. There is an expectation of independent reading and encouragement to attend relevant school research seminars, with the emphasis in assessment being on the quality, not quantity, of material identified by students.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Students complete three formative practical classes, each developing different skills needed by modern animal behaviour researchers, and which are assessed in the fourth, summative, practical class. The students get ad libitum help from the lecturers and demonstrators during the formative practical classes and are encouraged to solve any problems (e.g. with choice and execution of statistical tests) on the spot, rather than waiting for feedback on the submitted report. For the formative classes, students work in pairs or small groups, to encourage discussion and mutual support. The reports for the formative practical classes are structured (discrete, word- or space-limited sections) with clear assessment criteria and marks for each. Both comprehensive generic and individual feedback is provided for each formative practical report. Preparation for the essay-format written assessment is provided primarily through two synthesis sessions (at the half-way point and end of the unit), where common themes across lecture topics are explored, and how best to deploy knowledge and critical thinking are discussed.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
The unit mark is based on:
• 40% A structured report on the final, summative practical class, with components involving choice and use of statistical analysis, data presentation and interpretation, an infographic to explain the experiment, critical analysis of the experiment, and devising an alternative hypothesis to explain the results and how to test that hypothesis. There is no demonstrator support during that summative practical class (beyond solving technical issues such as software problems) and students must complete the practical and report alone and unaided. This is to clearly separate teaching (in the formative classes) from assessment (in the final class).
• 60% Essay-format, word-limited, timed assessment carried out open book over a period of 3 h during the university summer assessment period. Students answer one question out of a choice of three.
When assessment does not go to plan:
If the structured report on the summative practical is missed, an equivalent assessment task will be set with an alternative experiment, at a time to be determined in consultation with the Senior Tutor’s team. If the essay-format timed assessment is missed, an alternative paper will be set in the second university assessment period.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. BIOL20023).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
