MATH2089 - Numerical Methods and Statistics
Ease: 8/10
I loathe statistics with a passion back from my high school days, so I am quite biased on it. Very, very, very roughly I can say with a confidence interval of α = 0.99 that this course highly relies on memorizing equations, and it is usually very easy to find answers just by doing so - the problem lies on whether you can remember if the bloody interval requires a t-test or a z-test. So to sum it up, memorize equations.
Content: 6/10
This course is split into two parts - Numerical Methods and Statistics. Both parts have a computing class using MATLAB which alternates weekly with its tutorial class. Attending both is very very highly suggested because it does help you learn concepts and actually apply it very quickly, which will help tremendously in studying for exams.
Statistics deals with probabilities, means, standard deviations, or predictions of a value from a sample, hypothesis prediction and such. Many equations are required, and you need to make use of statistical tables (normal distribution, t tables, f tables, you name it) to find some values for the equation itself. The main difficulty in this part is not the content, but the fact that it requires you to memorize equations. Given that you're provided with some already on the equation sheet, however the ones that you actually do need are the ones not given. Rather wordy for a maths course, because some questions require you to answer theoretically from what you've learned such as the ANOVA test or describing the nature of a plot.
Numerical Methods is about calculating stuff that is hard to do conventionally, and as such requires us to learn some approximations to be able to do it by hand. This part is probably even worse than statistics, because you are not given any equation sheets at all. Well, technically the final exam becomes a snooze-fest if you are given, because most questions involve using an equation and..that's it. Working out might be a bit tedious because it has several steps on every calculation, especially if you get to FTCS (Forward Time Central Space) and TDMA (Tri-Diagonal Matrix something) - the steps are a doozy, but very straightforward.
Standard thoroughfare of maths courses apply here; you will get a Maple TA quiz (only for statistics), bi-weekly MATLAB homework for numerical methods (google codes or just modify example code given to get solution - will contribute to your marks so actually do it properly), a final MATLAB test for statistics and mid-semester tests for both. Each part contributes to 50% of the total course marks, with exams counting for 30% for each part (60% total). Try not to fail on one part because you need to pass both if you want to pass this course.
Lecturers:
Part A - Heng Lian: 7/10
An alright lecturer, I didn't go that much because I don't like statistics and I would very much like to stay away from it as far as possible, so it definitely will impact badly on my performance. My hypothesis is proven right when I got rekt'd in the finals. Personally the better lecturer from the other one..
Part B - Baba Yaga Victoria Timchenko: 3/10
Goodness, my hopes of having a better alternative from stats was crushed the very first time I entered her lecture. Do you know the stereotypical 'evil witch' voice in Disney movies and the like? That's how she sounds like. She does some working on-screen, but most of the time the explanations are all over the place and gods, the voice...that aside, she seems like a good thesis supervisor with quite interesting topics. But the voice..
Tutor:
Statistics: 6/10
I have Lenny Chan (?) for stats. I kind of forgot his name, right, but it ends with Chan. He's okay, right, but he always has this annoying verbal tic, right, and this makes me very distracted when studying, right. He is better in the tutorial classes than the labs, but he just writes answers in the tutorial class with a rather hard to follow accent, right. In the labs, he frequently circles the whole room, right, and asks every student whether they're stuck on something, and if you do, he'll explain it which is nice, right.
Numerical Methods: 10/10
You have two tutors for Numerical Methods, I have Jay and Darson. I could confidently say that they are gods in what they do, they explain things extremely well, very chill, and very helpful when you ask help in MATLAB classes. That's probably to be expected from a former University Medal recipient. However, in labs, try to at least understand what you're doing because sometimes they will ask questions about why the value is like that and how to interpret those data. A good alternative is the head tutor, Gim Soh - he's quite good at explaining and is very nice to talk with.
Overall: 7/10
Definitely do past papers, they help a lot especially for numerical methods. Do tutorials for both, and don't forget to memorize equations so you don't get rekt'd only because you forgot if it's supposed to be -T(i+1) + 4T(i) -3T(i-1) or vice versa.
MMAN3200 - Linear Systems and Control
Ease: 7.5/10
A continuous course, previous chapters build up for the next and so is quite comprehensive. Be sure to focus your attention especially after the mid-semester, because the topics are quite challenging if you don't follow it closely.
Content: 7/10
Similar to the above, it's split into two parts. Linear Systems deals with Laplace transformations and seeing the response of a system (anything goes - thermo, fluids, springs) with varying input and how the error or stability comes to play. Control deals with how you interpret and manage those errors so your system does not go kaput.
You'll need to get used to several systems rather quickly, even more so if you haven't studied before. For example, if you're doing Mechatronics you won't need to do MMAN2700 (Thermodynamics) which sadly has some systems that are being analyzed here. Once you get to the end of Linear Systems the way of solving questions get more structured, as in you'll have a set of straightforward rules to apply and you infer your results from those rules (like root locus analysis requires you to always do 9 steps and is quite straightforward if you know what it does each step). Similarly, Control also requires you to do this as well although it's more structured from the beginning compared to Linear Systems. Basically, both has straightforward sections where you just follow the rules and interpret it afterwards - don't take it lightly because it'll be a major part for finals.
You'll only get quizzes and a mid-semester test in Linear Systems. It's a hit and miss for some, some git gud and some git shrekt'd. It depends on whether you follow the lectures and do all tutorial questions or not. Also, it seems to be a trend but the questions are usually recycled for the quiz and the mid-sem, but take it with a grain of salt as always.
They implemented some kind of tutorial system which escapes me, but it's separated into two: 'passive' tutorials which are our usual class, and 'interactive' tutorials where we fight for the tutor's attention to help solve our questions (so the tutor won't explain to the whole class, you have to look for them). Depending on your studying style you might prefer one or the other.
The assignments require you to calculate some stuff, and is generally alright. There was supposed to be a lab for Linear Systems, but somehow the lecturer said that it's quite screwed so he decided to give us an assessment in exchange.
For finals part A only requires the last two lectures, and the rest is assumed knowledge, so you might want to focus on that.
Lecturers: 8/10
Part A - Zoran Vulovic: 8/10
The classic KFC uncle. Very nice and usually makes frequent smart remarks and is quite funny in lectures. Gives decent explanations for his topic, and very responsive in Moodle so, as he said in the forums, 'AMA'. Don't be that guy who asks if he prefers facing one horse-sized duck, or one hundred duck-sized horses.
Part B - Ngai Kwok: 7.5/10
Decent lecturer, somehow always makes me feel bad for him whenever I see him. I rarely go to his lectures but his recordings are alright. He writes solutions on-screen, and his lecture notes are very detailed. His tutorial questions come with the solutions which help greatly in studying.
Tutor: 6.5/10
I had Monica as my tutor. She usually alright with explaining, but sometimes (I think in every session at the very least) she gets lost in what she's doing. Still quite okay, though.
Overall: 7/10
Alright content, alright class, mostly okay but somehow I screwed up the exam. Be sure to practice thoroughly on root locus (part A) and bode plots as well as state-space modeling (part B).
ANAT2511 - Fundamentals of Anatomy
Ease: 6-8/10
The level of easiness of this course depends on whether you're good at memorizing names and positions or not. Also artistic skills are quite useful here.
Content: 8.5/10
Since this is an anatomical course, obviously you'll be learning about the human anatomy from top to bottom, inside out. Lots of anatomical terms will fly around the place so be sure to get your basics right (posterior/anterior, coronal/sagittal, prone/supine, etc). You'll start from the bones to the muscles and then go on to looking at each specific system in detail, such as the digestive system or the reproductive system. I really like science and biology in general, so I found this course pretty interesting in its own right. The lecturer also provides adaptive tutorials for each segment and it's useful for revising the topics.
Another aspect of the course is the Histology section - you'll go in a computer class where you can access an online virtual slide system (we're ahead from USyd and UTS who still uses conventional microscopes, heh) where you can annotate on the slide and share it with your friends - very useful especially if you have someone to carry you with their notes.
You will have a video assignment as your semester project. It'll be a 5-member team project that requires you to research a topic and explain it in video form. General consensus seems to be recording someone drawing that particular topic while the rest of the team voices it. Having someone who can do video editing is a great advantage, as well as someone who can draw particularly well.
The laboratory session will involve you studying cadavers, so you'll spend 2 hours with a dead body learning what and how it works and looks like. Pretty okay, may be a bit icky for some, and you get to touch the cadavers to have a feel of the organs (be sure to wear gloves). Before every lab there will be a quiz about that particular topic you're going to do, and it counts for marks so be sure to brush up on the topic before the actual lab starts. After that quiz you'll get a group quiz where you can do it in groups of 4-5 in your lab class.
There are two tests involving the labs (one on mid-sem and one before the end of semester), where you'll get a set of cadavers or histological images with needles put on specific parts and you'll have to answer some questions about its function and name, to name a few of the types of questions.
Lecturers:
Anatomy: 7/10
You have Nalini Pather as your anatomy lecturer. Decent, explains it quite well and is pretty chill. Also helpful in moodle or through emails.
Histology: 8/10
Patrick de Permentier is your histology lecturer. Nice guy, explains topics in good detail but may be a bit too fast for some. Very understanding and very chill, he always goes around in the histology lab class asking you if you are confused about some stuff. Overall a great lecturer.
Tutor: 10/10
Technically your tutor is your laboratory class' teacher. I have Ryan as my tutor. Super chill guy, explains really well and gives you drawings to help understand it (I think most tutors do so as well), and is very knowledgeable. Awesome tutor, and I think other groups' tutors are also good as well. I think the general consensus is tutors here are pretty good.
Overall: 8/10
Don't forget to memorize terminologies, this course relies on your ability to rote learn and cram on the day or before. Finals was pretty challenging, especially the multiple choice questions. Short response questions are straightforward, word vomit that particular topic to cover all grounds.
PHSL2121 - Physiology 1A (Also PHSL2101, PHSL2501)
Ease: 5-7/10
Also a memorizing-heavy course, although you have a bit of calculation type problems here and there. The second half is just pure wafflestomp on your faces, with the most minor of lecture slide content being assessed and it does so with a vicious vengeance, in form of filling in the blanks. You haven't known pure despair and the futility of BSing your answers when you haven't done any filling blanks questions.
Content: 7/10
This is an introductory second year course to physiology. You'll have 6 topics in the course with 5 different lecturers. You'll also have tutorial classes for that particular topic before you move on to the next (tutorial classes take up your lecture time). Lab classes involve you working in groups, and happens bi-weekly because there are a lot of participants in this course (a mix of MedSci, Biomedical Engineering and such). The topics are about excitable tissues, muscle, blood, ANS (autonomic nervous system), cardiovascular systems and neurophysiology. At the end of every topic you'll have a one-week online quiz where you need to get 90%+ to get it counted in your participation marks. Tedious but straightforward because you have unlimited tries. A very important thing to know is that for mid-sem and finals the multiple choice will be taken from here so be sure to memorize it.
There are 7 lab sessions, with one extra session that is done in your own time on the day (it's not supervised, you work with your group or alone on a computer-based tutorial). The labs will have random pop quizzes, there will only be 3 throughout the semester and it'll take the average of that as your mark. The quizzes are separated into individual and group parts but the group questions are basically the individual questions. A good team makes this class fun, and manageable. An important thing to note is that you will have your lab practicals assessed in finals in form of MC questions, so be sure to learn that because it comprises the majority of the MC questions. Note that the 'self-work' lab session is assessed in your finals, so don't skimp on it (or at least find someone to carry your lazy bum)
You will have a midsem and thankfully the final exam will only assess the second half of the course (everything before mid sem does not count). The final exam answer responses usually have 3 questions on 3 topics, and each question has two parts, a and b. You only need to do part a or part b for that particular question, so focus learning on that particular topic is quite useful to prepare you for the exam.
Lecturers:
You get five lecturers for the six different topics:
Excitable Cells: Andrew Moorhouse (9/10 explanation, 7/10 slides, 8/10 questions). Very nice guy, very responsive and helpful in moodle and explains things very nicely. Gives you reasonable questions for the midsem which actually assesses what he taught you. Expect sketches of action potential to be assessed in one way or another.
Muscle: Stewart Head (rekt/10 explanation, shrekt/10 slides, rip in pieces6/10 questions). Lecture slides are what you would see on the list of failed student submissions - his lecture slides are very unorganized and unprofessional. It doesn't help that he is also boring and drones on in his explanations making it very hard to continue concentrating on the topic. Despite this severe lack of competence, his midsem questions range from okay to doable to almost straightforward, which is a saving grace if you study on the topic. Prepare your muscle sketching skills!
Blood: Lesley Ulman (7/10 explanation, 6/10 slides, 2/10 question selections). Decent lecturer, she's also the course coordinator. Explains things pretty decently and her slides are very organized - tends to be a bit wordy though. She also takes half of the Cardiovascular system lectures. Tends to give you fill-in-the-blank questions for the finals, and the blanks are very, very hard to guess (not all of them but most of them).
ANS: Richard Vickery (8/10 explanation, colorful/10 slides, think outside the topic/10 questions). Nice lecturer, explains the topic decently. His lecture slides are very colorful - however, that's the extent of it. Despite the color code helping with segmenting your studies, it lacks severe detail in each segment and he always gives you the 'think outside the notes (there is a severe lack of it though)' questions. Do not treat minor parts in the lecture as minor - it has good chance to appear in the finals and screw you up.
Cardiovascular System: Tim Murphy. I did not go to his lectures, but from what I've heard he's a tad bit dull in explaining the topic. The lecture slides are barely readable compared to Head, but still just as bad. Exam questions tend to be processes and explaining concepts behind equations, so you should look at the textbook or google for better explanations.
Neurophysiology: This one is also taught by Vickery, slides are very 'useful' (only the color codes are, and don't forget to proceed with extreme caution).
Tutor: 9/10
I somehow forgot his name. He is an European guy, very tall, and very enthusiastic in teaching the topic. Explains things in good detail as well.
Overall: 7/10
As with anatomy, don't forget to revise and memorize - although physiology is more process-oriented so you might have to learn a bit more compared to anatomy. Don't forget to study the lab practicals because they are assessed in the finals. You'll get a compilation of past paper questions at the end of your lab book which is very useful for revision purposes. Pray that you do not get the blank passage filling questions. Draw diagrams to illustrate your answers whenever possible in hopes that you can get those few meager marks.
Edit: PHSL exam rekt me. Be sure to revise past papers!
