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2017/18 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

SOEE5961M MRes Research Project

90 creditsClass Size: 15

Module manager: Dr Ryan Neely
Email: R.Neely@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: 1 Oct to 30 Sep (12mth) View Timetable

Year running 2017/18

This module is not approved as an Elective

Objectives

On completion of this module, students should:
1. be able to plan and carry out a sophisticated piece of original research in atmospheric or climate science;
2. interpret their research results in the context of previous research results;
3. have developed skills related to a research career, including giving presentations, preparing a research poster, and writing a report suitable for submission for a peer reviewed journal.

The module forms the core of the MRes in Climate and Atmospheric Science. It is worth 50% of the programme assessment and represents a full 6 month's work. It offers the opportunity to conduct a significant piece of research with the potential to generate a peer-reviewed journal article.

Projects are expected to be related to ongoing research within the School and students will benefit from the opportunity to interact not only with staff and research teams within the school but with international research partners. The project provides an excellent introduction to a research career.

Learning outcomes
- Critical reading of research literature;
- Data analysis and management;
- Working effectively within a research team;
- Development of laboratory, field, IT and generic research skills as required by the research topic;
- Oral presentations;
- Research poster design;
- Preparation of manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed journals.

Skills outcomes
Subject specific skills are highly dependent upon the individual projects and span a wide range of areas including:
- measurement techniques and field observations;
- signal processing techniques;
- computer programming;
- data management, quality control and processing techniques;
- data visualisation;
- running large scale atmospheric or climate models.


Syllabus

Students will undertake a significant research project under the guidance of a member of academic staff, with additional support from postdoctoral research staff and PhD students within their supervisor's research group.

Students should be considered as part of the larger research group meetings as well as individual meetings with supervisors. Where possible students will be encouraged to participate in fieldwork and to attend international conferences and other meetings such as workshops associated with projects to which their own work is related.

Teaching methods

Delivery typeNumberLength hoursStudent hours
Supervision101.0010.00
Group learning102.0020.00
Tutorial51.005.00
Private study hours65.00
Total Contact hours35.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)100.00

Private study

Most of the student's time will be spent carrying out research. This includes the full range of research activities, from planning the project and undertaking a literature review through laboratory work and field work to preparing presentations and writing up work for publication.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

As with any research training, the exact method of monitoring and supervision will vary according to the needs of the student and the circumstances of the project.

In order to achieve a good minimum level of supervision the module's formal structure is stipulated as follows:
1. 10 Regular tutorials/ supervisory meetings with a nominated supervisor from the academic staff. These tutorials will be held at least fortnightly;
2. Informal training/ guidance from research staff or PhD students with experience of instrumentation, techniques, models or software as required;
3. Attendance at research group meetings and integration with their supervisor's research group;
4. Additional Tutorials in support of dissertation with the programme leader
4. Submission and approval of a formal project proposal (part of SOEE5910M);
5. Submission of formal literature review (part of SOEE5930M).

Methods of assessment


Coursework
Assessment typeNotes% of formal assessment
Oral Presentation15 minutes5.00
Poster PresentationResearch poster5.00
Written WorkMRes dissertation. Approx 15,000 words (includes the full text of the document from beginning of chapter 1 until the end of the last chapter plus footnotes (but does not include title page, table of contents, abstract, acknowledgements, reference list)90.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

There is no reading list for this module

Last updated: 27/06/2017

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