Undergraduate | MAQ-BIOX2610 | 2024
Biological Data Analysis
Course information for 2024 intake
View information for 2023 course intake- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- Subject may require attendance
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 18 weeks
Price from
$600
Upfront cost
$0
HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Biological Data Analysis
About this subject
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Develop testable hypotheses from general scientific questions
- Design an unconfounded experiment to test a given scientific hypothesis
- Choose an appropriate statistical test to analyse experimental data
- Carry out and correctly interpret a range of commonly used statistical tests using the computer package R
- Clearly present outcomes of statistical analyses using figures, tables and text
- Critically evaluate other studies with respect to experimental design and the application and interpretation of statistics
- A week-by-week guide to the topics you will explore in this subject will be provided in your study materials.
Biological organisms are inherently variable, which means that practicing biologists need a solid grasp of how to design and implement experiments, perform statistical analyses on the resulting data, and correctly interpret the results of statistical tests. This unit provides a foundation in the principles of experimental design and data analysis for biology. The unit is taught by biology staff and draws on research carried out in the Department of Biological Sciences. Students also learn the overall process of asking and answering questions in biology. Students learn a range of common data analysis techniques, and how to interpret the outcomes of these analyses. There is a strong emphasis on critically evaluating biological studies and identifying sound conclusions and not-so-sound conclusions. This unit is strongly recommended for students planning a career in biology or environmental science.
- Practice-based tasks (0%)
- Final Exam (45%)
- Exam of Basic Stats Knowledge (5%)
- Experiment Report (20%)
- Weekly quiz (15%)
- Mid semester exam (15%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
This research-intensive university in north-western Sydney offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. With over 44,000 current students, Macquarie has a strong reputation for welcoming international students and embracing flexible and convenient study options, including its partnership with Open Universities Australia.
Learn more about Macquarie.
Explore Macquarie courses.
- QS Ranking 2024:
- 10
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 10
Entry requirements
Prior study
You must have successfully completed the following subject(s) before starting this subject:
To help set you up for success before you start this subject, we suggest completing or having equivalent knowledge in:
Others
NCCW (pre-2020 units): BIOL235, PSY222, PSY248, STAT270, STAT271, BIOL603
Pre-requisite: 40cp at 1000 level or above including (((STAT1170 or STAT170(P)) or (STAT1250 or STAT150) or (STAT1371 or STAT171) or FOSE1015) and (10cp(P) in BBE or BIOL units))
NCCW (2020 and onwards): BIOL2610 Biological Data Analysis or STAT2170 Applied Statistics or BIOL6610 Biological Data Analysis or STAT2371 Statistics or PSYU2248 Design and Statistics II
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
0.125 EFTSL
This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
UndergraduateMAQ-BSC-DEG
Single subject FAQs
Single subjects are the individual components that make up a degree. With Open Universities Australia, you’re able to study many of them as stand-alone subjects, including postgraduate single subjects, without having to commit to a degree.
Each of your subjects will be held over the course of a study term, and they’ll usually require 10 to 12 hours of study each week. Subjects are identified by a title and a code, for example, Developmental Psychology, PSY20007.
First, find the degree that you would like to study on our website.
If that degree allows entry via undergraduate subjects, there will be information about this under the Entry Requirements section. You will find a list of 2-4 open enrolment subjects you need to successfully complete to qualify for admission into that qualification.
Once you pass those subjects, you will satisfy the academic requirements for the degree, and you can apply for entry.
Our student advisors are here to help you take that next step, so don’t hesitate to reach out when you’re ready! We’ve also made it easier to figure out the right way to get started on our pathways page.
Our student advisors are more than happy to help you plan your online study. Get in touch with an advisor by:
You can pay up front with your credit card, or you may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government depending on your citizenship status and where you’ll live during your studies.
For more information about how to pay for your studies visit our fees page or contact a student advisor.
When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Enrol now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to us and we’ll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions .
Close of enrolment times vary between universities and subjects. You can check the cut-off dates for upcoming study terms by visiting key dates.