BIO1022: Biology II

20% Weekly Moodle quizzes
30% Lab assessments
50% Examination

Overall impression: I generally enjoyed the content in this unit, especially the immunity and evolution weeks, as I was exposed to them earlier in VCE bio. I personally hated the plant section and found it so confusing, when I was first learning it. But towards the end of the semester, the topic became easier, after watching a bunch of YouTube vids on plant reproduction (Khan academy + crash course). I guess the point is to keep an open mind and try different learning approaches to difficult topics. The setup is pretty much identical to BIO1011, with a very structured timeline given to you early in the semester – so make sure you jot down all the key dates for quizzes and lab assessments. As with the 1st semester, if you have an hour to spare, I highly recommend attending drop-in sessions early on, even just to stay and listen to other peers’ questions and their explanations. PASS is invaluable and all the tutors are amazing at simplifying hard topics into engaging activities. Make sure, to ask for help from the lecturers – book a meeting/ email, PASS, and lab tutors, they are usually more than happy to help you out with studies, tips about not burning out, difficulty with the unit, or about future pathways.

Weekly quizzes (20%): Multiple choice, 20 marks, 25 minutes, 1 attempt
Weekly quizzes are based on the videos and/or readings given each week. They are open book, and most are relatively straightforward, with some quizzes including application questions. Make sure to stay on top of the weekly content – this semester, I switched it up and typed all my notes. This definitely saved paper (duh), time and effort. To prevent directly copying, I would copy a slab from the textbook, reword the key information, then from that condensed information -> answer the dot points on the consolidation sheets. Applying feedback from last semester, they decided to add the workshop qs to the weekly quiz and reduced the number of questions. In my opinion, this reduced the stress of having to do two quizzes but made it easier to lose in-semester %, as one incorrect mark was worth more. The time limit is usually only constraining with the workshop questions – I recommend attending the workshop live (it's actually pretty engaging) and completing the activity, as it's nearly always presented as a question on the quiz. With understanding the topics, I relied heavily on flowcharts and diagrams, especially with the different types of plants, timelines in evolution, and respiratory systems. Don’t get caught up with only learning off the textbook, it tends to go out of scope – read through the consolidation sheets and limit yourself to focusing on the dot points, to avoid learning unnecessary details.

Labs (30%): various activities including worksheets, a test, a lab report, and a presentation
You are allocated to a lab session and a tutor at the start of the semester. Make sure you attend these fortnightly as they are essential to get to know the practical and also to ask the tutor all the confusing questions. Prep before each lab!! They usually provide a prep worksheet, so I made sure to complete this and research the questions, they planned to address in the session. Some labs assessed content from multiple weeks, so it helps if you take weekly notes, to refer back to. Unlike some of my friends, I actually really enjoyed working on a group presentation, having a like-minded group definitely helped. Since the allocation is random, I can only recommend that you select a topic that you’re genuinely interested in or is easier to understand. My group had a clear plan and timeline with enough time to submit early – a solid plan agreed by everyone should hold people accountable. In terms of the actual lab assessment, from memory (eek), there’s an application style worksheet, a quiz, a scientific diagram, a lab report, and a presentation.

Exam (50%): 120 multiple choice qs, 2 hrs, and 10mins, open book and non-invigilated
The questions were much easier than weekly quizzes, in my opinion. Few questions were slightly difficult but that’s probably due to my own lack of knowledge on plants. There’s plenty of time to double-check with notes as you can pretty much guess and flag every difficult question and go back to them. The mock quiz was slightly more out of scope and confusing than the actual exam, so use it to only identify which areas you need to focus on during exam prep. I recommend doing the quiz once, before starting exam revision, to set your baseline of retained knowledge and figure out the weak topics, to avoid wasting time restudying topics you are pretty solid at.

Extra tips:
Tip 1: attend the live revision lectures – don’t freak out about your lack of knowledge, just listen to the lecturers skim the topics and try to recall things you’ve learned + write down key weak areas under each week. Ask questions!! – you can even ask them to simplify their explanations for eg: the respiratory system of birds.
Tip 2: go back to the weekly quizzes – especially your worst ones and learn why you got the qs wrong or ask for an explanation during the drop-in sessions.
Tip 3: depending on your learning style – I recommend making mind maps, annotating printed diagrams/ flowcharts and go through the activities on PASS sheets.
Goodluck!

Dr Thomas Hiscox (Unit Coordinator)
A/Prof. Alistair Evans
A/Prof. Anne Peters
Dr. Matt Piper
Prof. Craig White
Prof. Ros Gleadow
Dr Kelly Merrin
Dr Callum Vidor
Dr Ben Seyer

Revision super quiz – approx. 500 questions

3/5

Workshops and review seminars were recorded on top of being streamed on zoom and echo, Labs were only through zoom and

How life works, 2nd Edition – an online copy is provided

1 x 1 hr workshop weekly
1 x 1 hr review seminar weekly
1 x 2 hr practical every fortnight
Approx 1.5-2hr online activities

2020, Semester 2

93 HD

20% weekly quizzes on content and workshop (2% each quiz)
30% Lab assessments (8% + 5% + 7% + 5% + 5%) ->Mostly multiple choice quizzes on lab content, also one included a scientific drawing and one group zoom power point presentation.
50% multiple choice exam (120 questions in 130mins)

-The lecturers and TAs were all awesome. I was very motivated to attend live zoom workshops because not only is learning good, but all the staff were so relaxed and banter-y, I can honestly say I have laughed out loud (maybe I laugh easily though) while watching majority of bio zooms because of the comments in the chat from other students or the lecturers. Even though I didn't contribute to the chat much, there was definitely a sense of community in this unit, and I found the content all very engaging. (Big difference to the units where the lecturers pre-recorded themselves talking with a powerpoint). The bio workshops had 100+ people so no one really turned on cameras or spoke, just commented in chat. (Idk if any of this is too relevant if everything is back in person from now on).
- In terms of the group lab, I (and others I spoke to) found their groups worked well together.
- The weekly quizzes due each following Wednesday were so helpful because this was the only unit I didn't fall behind in because I knew I had to learn the weekly content before the quiz was due.
-If you didn't do year 12 bio you might find the week of immunity difficult, because I felt like they covered the same amount of content but in a much shorter time frame than VCE. So maybe learn a few basic VCE bio immunity things before that week so it's not as overwhelming. If you did do VCE bio I feel like maybe half of the weeks you'll feel pretty comfortable with the content that is similar and just adding some extra depth, other weeks are completely new though like that week on worms.
-Unit was very well organised

Dr. Thomas Hiscox
A/Prof. Alistair Evans
A/Prof. Anne Peters
Dr. Matt Piper
Prof. Craig White
Prof. Ros Gleadow
Dr. Kelly Merrin
Dr. Callum Vidor
Dr. Ben Seyer

Sample exam you could do a number of times and get different practice questions

5 out of 5!!! Best unit seriously. Although I already loved bio, I think anyone who felt meh about bio would also love this unit because of the staff and organisation. The first year bio team stand out

Yes

They provide the textbook online in the prelearning content

One 1h workshop per week (zoom)
One 1h revision seminar per week (zoom)
Five labs throughout semester (1.5h lab seminar + 2h lab zoom in smaller group)

2020 -all completely online using zoom (live workshops/seminars), panopto (to watch recorded lectures), moodle (the website that has all learning content and everything else for your unit)

92

2.5hr MC Exam (45%), Lab Reports, online quizzes, assessment tasks (55%)

I thoroughly enjoyed the diverse range of content presented in the lectures, it really captured my interest in areas of Biology I was previously unaware about. There's a lot of content to know, this is largely due to how the unit is a prerequisite for a wide range of 2nd year units, in which first year students should all be appropriately prepared for. Overall, the lecturers were passionate, had a high degree of knowledge, and were good presenters. If you're more interested in human biology (physiology, homeostasis, development, immunology) you will probably prefer this unit over BIO1011, although many topics are illustrated and contrasted within through examples of various animals and humans.

Possibly due to how this is the most popular unit at Monash (source: unit coordinator), Labs run on a fortnightly basis. Be early and be prepared for these. At the designated starting time, a pre-lab quiz will commence (4 MC), this will contribute to your overall Lab mark for that week. At the commencement of the Lab, students will have a week to complete an assessment which has various formats. The final week of Labs, consists of group oral presentation session, in which you will present to your bay (16 students) on a designated topic, you will have a powerpoint to assist. Personally speaking, I was dissapointed with some aspects of the Lab component, in particular the variation in how the individual assessment was marked, I felt like I lost a lot more marks than I should have for this. Lab reports are submitted online, a very important tip to keep in my mind (especially because many students work on these past midnight, when its due at 10am the following morning), ensure you follow the correct steps in uploading, saving then clicking 'send for marking'. Some students missed the final step in this process, in which no sympathy is given and received no marks for their work. Keep this in mind!

Overall, I would definitely recommend this unit. I found it to be much more engaging, diverse and interesting than 3,4 VCE Biology. I would love to continue studying many areas that were covered in this BIO1011 & 22 but unfortunately in second year its important to narrow your scope. My personal favourite topic covered in this unit was a 2 week course of hormones, reproduction and developmental biology, the lecturer was great too. Remember to study everything covered in this course, don't just concentrate on the areas you think are the most challenging, everything is equally weighted. It occurred to myself and others, that arguably the more challenging topics had the most easiest exam questions! Stay on top of your lecture content, and use many resources to assist your understanding. This unit is rather demanding in my opinion.

There are also optional PASS sessions, this is a peer assisted weekly study session hosted by a high achieving second year student. Great way to meet others and share knowledge around in a collaborative manner. Would recommend attending these.

Numerous. A lecturer from their respective faculty would present for around 2 weeks according to the present topic.

No, although there is a super quiz comprised of a large bank of questions (in excess of a few hundred aprrox.), which can be completed an unlimited amount of times, 100 MC per attempt (solutions provided).

4 out of 5

Yes, with screen capture.

A recent change to this course this year was the introduction of an online interactive textbook 'Principles of Biology' by Nature, this is essential as online quizzes (5% of assessment) are accessed through this e-book and the answers are obtained throughout the prescribed readings.

Fortnightly Labs (3 hours), 2 x 1hr Lectures/week

2014, semester 2.

86 HD

Objectively, this is quite a good unit, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd expected to (because a lot of it was just stuff we'd already covered to a greater extent in Biomed), though it was definitely an improvement on BIO1011 - presumably because there was no plant biology whatsoever . The content was very good, and as always the lecturers were brilliant. Special mention to Chris Johnstone and Bob Wong, who were particularly entertaining.

If you've done VCE biology and BIO1011 (and you've definitely done the second one if you're doing this unit), then you shouldn't find the theory particularly difficult at all, though some of the content is new or in greater detail. For me, the most challenging stuff was Animal Development as I hadn't been exposed to the material before, and Reproduction for the same reason (these are both very anatomy- and developmental biology-based, so it's good to get a bit of background from the internet/readings first).
The most important advice I can impart for this unit is to do all readings

Dr. Heather Verkade (Molecular Biology)
Dr. Marien de Bruijne (Metabolism/Thermoregulation/Nervous System)
Dr. Christopher Johnstone (Homeostasis/Muscular-Skeletal Systems/Nutrition and Digestion)
Dr. Bob Wong (Hormones/Reproduction/Animal Development)
Dr. Meredith Hughes (Microbiology Lectures 1-3)
A/Prof. Frank Alderuccio (Microbiology Lecture 4)

No. As with BIO1011, there is no practice exam supplied. However, a 'Revision Superquiz' (100 MCQs) is avaliable in the ~2 weeks prior to the exam from a bank of ~500 questions.

4 out of 5

Yes, with screen capture

Campbell Biology 9th Edition (the same textbook as for BIO1011) - 8th Edition is pefectly fine as of 2013.

Semester 2, 2013

D