Research Placement in Natural Sciences

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Develop concise and precise reporting of research findings and observations together with an understanding of the context of the findings.
• Formulate a hypothesis, framing a well-posed scientific question or defining a clear discovery strategy.
• Plan and conduct a critical review of prior work relevant to the project.
• Understand risk assessments and safety evaluations of practical work.
• Plan and execute practical work and evaluate, and reflect on, the outcomes of processes or procedures.

The philosophy underlying this module is to empower students to take charge of their own learning in the conduct of experimental scientific research. As a consequence the module will make extensive use of directed self-learning methods.

The course will be delivered in the context of identifying and answering a specific scientific question, or of testing a hypothesis, or of a discovery process.

The module will cover:

1.developing a clear understanding of the proposed area of work.

2.assessing the resources needed to bring the project to a successful conclusion

3.identifying project risks (non health & safety)

4.preparing a project plan, including identifying specific objectives, milestone and the use of GANTT and PERT charts as appropriate

5.use of a range of resources (including on line resources) to find and retrieve relevant literature

6.conducting risk assessments and safety evaluations of experimental work.

7.using specialist equipment and facilities effectively and safely.

8.execution of practical work and real-time evaluation of, and reflection on, the outcomes of processes or procedures.

9.applying the conceptual skills acquired during the first two years of the programme to the analysis and interpretation of data/results.

10.working as part of a team towards common group objectives

11.reporting of experimental findings and observations in the form of a draft scientific research paper aimed for publication in a peer-reviewed journal

12.maintaining clear and complete records of activity

During the module the student will join the research group of a member of staff whose area o research the student has chosen, and who will be the project supervisor. The emphasis will be on independent working, but there will be some support from the more senior members of the group as well as from the supervisor. Informal formative feedback will be given regularly and as appropriate. Formal formative feedback will be given based on interim progress reports.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.