NES3314 : Current Zoology
- Offered for Year: 2026/27
- Available to incoming Study Abroad and Exchange students
- Module Leader(s): Dr William Reid
- Lecturer: Dr Mark Shirley, Dr Theresa Rueger
- Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Pre-requisite
Modules you must have done previously to study this module
Pre Requisite Comment
N/A
Co-Requisite
Modules you need to take at the same time
Co Requisite Comment
N/A
Aims
Students will be familiarised with research in contemporary Zoology. They will use skills and knowledge they obtained during the degree programme in order to work on specific themes in contemporary Zoology. Students will be able to work independently on a research question using contemporary research literature and be able to deliver a scientific presentation on the specific research questions.
Students will learn practical skills involved in collecting data using field survey techniques. During the course the students will learn how to analyse population and distribution data using the latest software packages in R. Students will consider the application of the techniques to different survey and monitoring situations in including ethical considerations and experimental design. Field techniques may include:
· Radio-tracking of habitat use by animals: A practical exercise will provide experience in tracking of mammal species. Students will be trained in the use of telemetry equipment and the analysis of spatial point data.
· Small mammal trapping to estimate population density: Assessing mammal population density is difficult because most mammal species in the UK are rarely observed. We will train students in the use of baited trapping (of rodents) with mark-release recapture as a means of analysing population density.
· Dietary Analysis Student will be trained in the dissection of owl pellets to reconstruct diets. Skills developed will be in identification of rodent skulls and dentition and in community composition analysis using multivariate techniques.
· Distance sampling for estimating abundance and density. Students will be trained in distance sampling methodology for estimating abundance and density. Students will learn how to estimate detection rates and incorporate error into their abundance estimates.
· Camera Trapping: Students will learn how to set camera traps for monitoring and surveying. Students will learn how to estimate detection rates and incorporate error into their abundance estimates
Outline Of Syllabus
Guest speakers from researchers and Zoology staff will provide lectures on current research in zoology to reinforce the techniques learned during the first half of the semester. This will be a rolling programme so the precise content will change each year.
Practical sessions will introduce the students to techniques in monitoring animals. Computer labs will teach the students analytical techniques.
There will be a presentation session where groups give their presentations to the rest of the class. This session will be focussed at providing feedback which will contribute to the writing of the summative assessment.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 50:00 | 50:00 | Preparation of infographic assessment outside computer workshops |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | Preparation time outside discussion session for group presentation |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 23 | 1:00 | 23:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 2 | 1:00 | 2:00 | Discussion session with group around journal article (includes preparation time) |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 4 | 2:00 | 8:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 114:00 | 114:00 | Lecture follow-up which includes recap, reading supporting scientific papers from lectures and independent study. |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
An introductory lecture will inform students about the work they are expected to do during the module.
Lectures will provide information about current research on animals.
Active learning experiences will be provided in each area, including workshops and practicals, where students will work in groups to develop skills in areas such as movement analysis, Capture-Mark-Recapture and image analysis.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case study | 1 | M | 100 | Infographic (one page) focused on anthropogenic impacts on animal populations or ecosystems and answers to a set of questions related to design and scientific information presented in the infographic |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Presentation | 1 | M | Small group work developing critical appraisal of a scientific piece of literature, which will include a group presentation (5 to 7 minutes) and peer-to-peer feedback |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Formative Assessment
The Group Presentation will consist of a 10 minute oral report by one or more members of each group, with 5 minutes for questions, and feedback will be provided.
Summative Assessment
Knowledge will be assessed in the written report.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NES3314's Timetable