Course information
Aims
The unit will provide an introduction to morphometrics - the quantitative analysis of organismal size and shape. There will be a survey of the methods for data acquisition and analysis as well as applications in diverse subfields of biology and medicine. Examples will primarily be from the research in Chris Klingenberg's lab, but the course content should be broadly applicable in studies on diverse organisms (animals, humans, plants) and in the context of different research fields (basic biology as well as medical or other applications).
Intended Learning Outcomes
Students should be enabled to read and understand the current literature in the field and to conduct simple morphometric studies themselves, from the design of the study through data collection to the analysis and interpretation of results.
Lecture Content
The unit will be taught primarily via the web, with various opportunities for exchange and discussion.
Practice exercises
As far as possible, practical exercises are provided to accompany the lecture content. These practice exercises consist of data sets and explanations on how to run the respective analyses using the MorphoJ software. The same few examples are used for different analyses throughout the course, so that participants will see different aspects in a familiar data set. Participants who already have collected their own data are encouraged to use those for practice too, and there are opportunities for sharing results and experiences with other participants. Participants are also welcome to use other programs if they prefer, but the main support is for MorphoJ.
Group work
As a part of the course, participants will work in small groups to produce a simple set of wiki pages that presents the various stages of a research project using morphometrics. The aim of these presentations is to encourage discussions among the participants. Examples can be the participants' actual research questions, questions that can be addressed with the examples provided in the course, or imaginary studies. Because of the diverse backgrounds of the participants, the presentations usually give a broad and rich cross-section through the possibilities of morphometric research. In the last few years, interactive component has been one of the most exciting aspects of the course.
Time requirement
The course is equivalent to three hours of lecture per week (delivered as web pages), some work in small groups, and general interaction with other participants via bulletin boards etc. There are no events at fixed times, so that you can choose freely when you want to log in (unless you want to do the group work using the chat facility). However, you should plan to log in to the course regularly during the six-week period (at least once every two days, better more often).
Assessment
Two online tests during the course will be open to all participants. For the students at the University of Manchester, these tests will count for 10% of the course grade each. For other participants, they will provide an informal assessment of their understanding.
In contrast, the final exam, consisting of problem questions and counting for 80% of the course grade for local students, will not be administered to students from outside the University of Manchester.
Accordingly, the external students will receive a letter confirming their participation in the course, but they will not receive any official certification from the University.
Technical information
There are no special requirements for software. You need an Internet connection that is sufficiently fast for normal web browsing (including graphics etc.). You only software you need right away is a web browser.
All additional software needed (MorphoJ or other morphometrics programs, perhaps graphics software) is available for free, although participants may choose to use commercial software if they have access to it. Links for downloads and more detailed instructions will be provided in the course.
