Animal and Plant Sciences

Aims

This course will:

• Describe what science is and how it works, using biology as the main theme. The course will start by considering three major areas of biology: reproduction, evolution and sexual selection and examine how each of these disciplines developed. Using these examples as a foundation the different ways science is conducted will be described.

• Provide insights into the links between historical and contemporary science and the way science is conducted.

• Develop skills in the evaluation of information and the nature of evidence.

• Develop skills in written and oral presentation.

Content

The course comprises lectures on the history of biological thought covering: (i) reproduction, (ii) evolution, and (iii) sexual selection. This is followed by lectures on: (i) ethics in science, (ii) sexism in science, (iii) philosophy in science and (iv) the popularisation of science and communicating science to the public.


Delivery Method: 9 lectures and an all-day conference (on Monday 17th November 2008) at which students present prepared papers.

Student contact hours: 17

Assessment method: Presentation, Exam and Coursework (students will provide a document that will allow the external examiners to independently asssess how their ideas have developed during the course). Students will also attend a viva in which their contributuion will be discussed.

Assessment Weighting: 50% Exam, 50% (Presentation, Coursework and Viva)

TurnItIn Submission: None

Practice Questions:

1. Write an essay on the history of one area of science paying particular attention to the main phases in the development of that field.

2. The way particular areas of science develop often depends on the insights of individual scientists. Write an essay on the history of one area of science with special reference to the key figures in that field.