Ay2 Sem1 review

Modules taken this sem:
Core: 
Bs2002 Microbiology B
Bs2003 Biochem II B-
Bs0001 Biology and Society (pulled from year 3) B+
HW0128 Scientific Communication I (Ger) A
Electives: (GERPE and UE)
MA8103 Human Resource Management (HRM) (BM) P
BS8003 Science or fiction? - biology in popular media (Biofic) A+


My only disappointment is in my biochemistry, but i also know my studies in 2003 were of lower standard than what i put in for the rest ... so... what will be will be. 
Module review in detail below:  (CLICK READ MORE)


* BS8003 SCIENCE OR FICTION? - BIOLOGY IN POPULAR MEDIA  
A+ UE
3(?) hour lectures, a midterm quiz (implemented this year), and finals (100% MCQ, a few multi-answer MCQ) 
I think it's a STS for non-SBS students, and SBS students can take it as a UE. 
For those of you who are science / reasonably strong in science, take this to get good grades and pull up your GPA. 
Very interesting mod. The main prof is very good and able to clearly link the movies to the science behind/the non-science, and it's a lot of fun knowing how much BS there is in so many shows. (Especially CSI). Two chapters are taught by another prof... who is not so good at teaching so i think many non-science friends of mine also died at his chapters. But other than that, i had a HSS friend who did reasonably okay in this mod. 

BS2003 BIOCHEMISTRY II
Usual lectures, no midterms, 4 lab sessions, 
Mainly by the 2 Grueber/gruber profs (I'm in love w the female one) 
Pay attention to key points the profs emphasize on, and for tutorials, find the Prof's class. I think we benefit most from the prof's class as she/he also points out key things that do come out in tutorial/questions. 
*OMG - pls go through your tutorials too before finals - a question that was covered in the earlier tutorials came out - it's the kind of question where you COULD get the answer by calculation but using the cheat he tells you about in class saves your time by a million times. 
Seriously. 

BS2002 MICROBIOLOGY
Usual lectures, one midterm, finals (MCQ) 
Hmm microbiology is the same old same old biology stuff. 
Kim Kline is a good lecturer. Oh, and if Rice is lecturing, be warned that the recording may not be clear/loud - so go for his lectures. (he drops his mic. a lot.)
Nothing much to say, 

BS0001 BIOLOGY AND SOCIETY 3 B+ 
Lectures, varied profs, no midterms, one finals (MCQ)
This mod is overall IC by Prof Kenneth Yu if i'm not wrong. Last lecture, he'll help go through and pinpoint key areas to study. 
Interesting module, literally covers everything and anything though. Good and bad. Bad in terms of - no link between each topic so slightly harder to study for. Covers various topics from Sungei Buloh, to Combat health, to Forensic sciences, to Dementia etc. yup. Veryyy diverse. 

HW0128 SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATION I 2 A GER
Weekly tutorial session, buy the book, 3 assignments 
I got assigned the course coordinator. I felt rather lucky to have him, a more interesting and (lax?) tutor in charge than one more strict and boring. And he taught well too. Hope to get him next sem but eh, chances low. 
Assginmt 1 - biblio (indiv)
Assgnmt 2 - review paper (pair work)
Assignmt 3 - presentation (indiv)
SBS sci comm is diff from engin comm, or at least for this SciComm I that i took. Maybe Sci Comm II will be more tedious. 

MA8103 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 3 S BM 
PLEASE NOTE: THE MODULE HAS CHANGED SINCE I TOOK IT (read below for details)
Lectures, Midterm, Assignment, Written Finals
Lecturer is ... naggy, but still a good lecturer. Interesting. But he repeats some points many many times (reiterating the same thing over and over ... )(which is kind of like hints) EDIT: I was informed that it is no longer the same lecturer now
Midterms is MCQ but it literally is a joke because he gave us so much leeway. You literally can put 2 choices in your single answer MCQ so essentially even if you guess anyhow, you'll probably score the right answer. 
Got A for the assignment. 
Assignment: Was supposed to come up with a HRP for any company of your choosing. I'm not too sure how strict he was nor what he based on to mark. Didn't expect an A. Was expecting B or smth. Just don't slack off and refer a lot then it'll probably be fine. 
SU ed this because... didn't study much for the finals, and didn't think i wrote much key points in the finals. It was...a indecisive SU, cos who knows, maybe it'd have been like the assignment - a surprise A. but nah. didn't leave to chance. Feel free to email for what notes I have left or my assignment. 
NOTICE ON CHANGES:
These are gathered from what others who have taken the mod in the more recent semesters:
1) Apparently changed prof (unconfirmed)
2) There's now a group presentation component. Uncertain if still have written report assignment to do.
3) there used to be pyp (past student version) sold in NS printing shop but apparently no more. Person who bought my pyp informed me of that. Didn't personally check. Maybe cos content may have changed slightly.

 

Cheers.