The final year research project is an opportunity for you to carry out an individual scientific investigation on a topic relating to your degree specialisation. You will use the skills developed in the module to identify, with your supervisor, a suitable research question and then design an experimental approach to obtain data addressing this question. Your analysis and presentation of these data in a suitable scientific paper format report forms the main assessed component of this module. The second major component involves researching, understanding and writing critically about the scientific literature relating to your project work.
You will also be assessed on the skills that you develop in carrying out your project including your planning, management and organisation skills, as well as your reflection on your progress. You will be assessed on your oral project presentation skills and response to questions. An additional element is your employability portfolio (based on a job interview, reflection of the interview and resultant action plan), which will also be assessed.
Throughout the year we will also be running a range of compulsory and optional sessions giving you the chance to learn about a range of different career paths and to develop the skills and techniques you might need to be successful to securing your next steps.
Learning Outcomes:
To pass this module students will need to be able to:
1) Develop a project plan, including the experimental, analytical and statistical methods to be used;
2) Demonstrate an understanding of the health and safety and ethical issues related to scientific research and undertake appropriate risk and ethics assessments;
3) Maintain a record of project work and data collection;
4) Demonstrate responsibility for personal time management and progress and for any necessary amendments to the project plan;
5) Communicate effectively by an oral presentation of project work
6) Produce an updated CV and action plan;
7) Address scientific questions on the background, methods, data and future direction from expert assessors;
8) Research the scientific literature relating to their Research Project area and present this information as an original critical review;
9) Carry out a research project and obtain sufficient data of good quality using appropriate experimental, analytical and statistical methods;
10) Analyse and interpret scientific data;
11) Communicate the outcomes of research effectively in a written report in scientific paper format;
12) Describe and critically evaluate data from research articles;
13) Refer appropriately to published work.
- Module Supervisor: Andrew Brinkley