EXSS1039: Semester 1, 2020

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Units EXSS1039 Semester 1 2020 [Normal day]

Unit outline_

EXSS1039: Introduction to Body Composition Methods

Semester 1, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Measurement or estimation of body composition is frequently undertaken in clinical practice, research studies and sports performance settings. An in depth understanding of the scientific rationale of body composition methodologies and their applications would assist exercise scientists and exercise physiologists to more capably support their clients. This unit would cover laboratory (e. g. air displacement plethysmography, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) and field methods (e. g. bioelectrical impedance analysis/spectroscopy and anthropometry) of body composition, body composition across the lifespan/gender differences/ethnicity differences, and body composition in health and disease. Anthropometry is the measurement of body dimensions, proportions and composition, and has particular application in health professions such as dietetics and sports science and will be a focus of this unit of study. Along with technical skills, students will also learn about uses and Interpretation of body composition data.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Janelle Gifford, janelle.gifford@sydney.edu.au
Demonstrator(s)	Fiona Halar, fiona.halar@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Helen Parker, h.parker@sydney.edu.au
	Yorgi Mavrou, yorgi.mavros@sydney.edu.au
	Vicki Flood, vicki.flood@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
In-semester test	Online Final Exam Online MCQ (30min) + 8hrs to complete short answer questions	50%	Formal exam period	MCQ (30min) SAQ (8hrs)
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Online quizzes 1 x online Canvas quiz (Weeks 2-6) on the topic for that week.	10%	Multiple weeks	3-5 Questions
Outcomes assessed:
In-semester test	Online Mid Semester Exam Multiple-choice exam held during Week 7 lecture time.	20%	Week 07 Due date: 06 Apr 2020 at 09:00	30mins
Outcomes assessed:
Skills-based evaluation	Online Practical Exam Exam of skills/theory learnt in practical lessons.	20%	Week 11	15-25 minutes
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

*Short online quizzes accessible in Canvas will be set for each week in Weeks 2-6 on material presented in that week. There will be 5 quizzes in total, but the top 4 marks will be included in the 10% for this assessment. Submission instructions and more information can be found on Canvas.

*A mid-semester exam on lecture material from Weeks 1-6 will be held in the lecture timeslot in week 7.

*The practical exam in Week 11 will examine skills/theory learnt in practical lessons. A practice session will be held in Week 9.

*The final exam will include MCQ and short answer questions covering lecture material.

*Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

Refer to the Guide to grades on the Current students website.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

*Late penalties will be applied for students submitting online quizzes outside the timeframe specified on Canvas. Special consideration will be required to avoid late penalties. Late penalties are in Accordance with Assessment Procedures 2011.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction to Body Composition	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Two compartment model methods of measuring body composition	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Anthropometry equipment and basic technique, basic measurements	Practical (1 hr)
Week 03	Surface Anthropometry and Accreditation	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Anthropometry: landmarks and skinfolds	Practical (2 hr)
Week 04	Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) and Equipment	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA), Anthropometry: Technical Error of Measurement and Somatocharts, Interpretation of results	Practical (2 hr)
Week 05	Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA) and Equipment	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Alternative methods of body composition measurement	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	DEXA and CT Scanning	Practical (2 hr)
Week 07	Mid-semester exam. There is no lecture, but the 60 minute exam will be held within the 2 hour lecture timeslot. Refer to Assessment for more details.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Application of body composition – gender and ethnicity differences	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Free Profiling	Practical (2 hr)
Week 09	Application of body composition – Lifespan: Children and adolescents	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Practice/review for practical exam – all methods	Practical (2 hr)
Week 10	Application of body composition – Lifespan: Young adults to Elderly	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Application of body composition - body image - ideals and aspirations	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Practical Exam	Practical (2 hr)
Week 12	Application of body composition – Disease States - low/high weight	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 13	Application of body composition – Athletes/sports performance	Lecture (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Students are encouraged to attend lectures to optimise engagement with the material and participate in class discussion.

Lectures will also be recorded and available on Canvas.

Practical class attendance is recorded. Attendance is expected so students can gain mastery over practical skills prior to the practical examination.

Attendance to scheduled exams is compulsory. This includes the mid-semester exam, practical exam, and final exam. Please note days/times required in this outline and on Canvas. Special consideration will be required for non-attendance.

Late penalties will be applied for students submitting online quizzes outside the timeframe specified on Canvas. Special consideration will be required to avoid late penalties.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Explain the scientific rationale and assumptions, accuracy, and purpose of using anthropometry as a method of measuring body dimensions, proportions and composition.
LO2. Explain the scientific rationale and assumptions, accuracy, and strengths and limitations of other commonly used methods for measuring and analysing body composition.
LO3. Understand and explain the professional applications of anthropometry and other body composition measurement techniques in healthy (across the lifespan), athlete and clinical populations.
LO4. Develop practical skills in anthropometric and body composition assessment.
LO5. Understand how to record, analyse and interpret information from body composition assessments and convey the results, including the accuracy and limitations of the assessments, through relevant verbal and/or written communication with the client or involved professional.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This is the first time this unit has been offered.

Additional information

This unit is to be delivered at Cumberland Campus (LIDCOMBE) and NOT Camperdown.

Additional costs

There are no additional costs expected for this unit.

Site visit guidelines

There are no site visit guidelines for this unit.

Work, health and safety

WHS Induction Checklist for practicals will need to be completed in the first week of practical attendance.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Additional costs

Site visit guidelines

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

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