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2022/23 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

BLGY5380M Extended Research Project

80 creditsClass Size: 100

Module manager: Professor Elwyn Isaac
Email: R.E.Isaac@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2022/23

Pre-requisite qualifications

Continued progression on MBIOL from Level 3 to Level 5 (achieve an average of at least 65%, in the level 3 project components and an overall credit weighted year average, normally of at least 65%).

Pre-requisites

BLGY3397Advanced Research Skills and Experience

This module is not approved as an Elective

Objectives

- To conduct an individual extended research project;
- to experience working in a research group and interacting with research scientists;
- to further develop skills in scientific literature searching and critical analysis of the literature;
- to gain experience in the analysis and presentation of scientific data;
- to report scientific findings through the preparation of a scientific manuscript and seminar presentation;
- to defend the project orally during the seminar presentation.

Learning outcomes
Students will be expected to have;
- gained knowledge of the process of project management including project preparation, organisation and implementation;
- completed a research project demonstrating competent use of a range of practical research techniques applicable to their topic area;
- gained experience in experimental planning, execution and analysis and presentation of research data including the use of appropriate statistical tests;
- prepared and submitted a report in a scientifically acceptable format, which adheres to the guidelines of a scientific journal. This report should include an appropriate synthesis of relevant literature, an outline of aims of the project, descriptions of the methods used, details of the results obtained, conclusions drawn from these results and indications for future studies that might be undertaken. There is an expectation that material from the report would be of a quality suitable to contribute to scientific publication;
- developed sophisticated skills in the appropriate and selective use of electronic literature search tools such as Web of Science and Medline;
- presented a research seminar and answered in-depth and detailed questions on the subject of the project work.
- broadened knowledge and interest of other fields in biology and research in the school by interacting with other students and attending their research seminars.


Syllabus

A 6 month independent research project on an original topic in biology conducted within the Faculty research teams sometimes in combination with outside agencies.
The experimental project will be based on the researched grant proposal developed at Level 3 and on a topic agreed with a named supervisor.
There will be regular meetings with the project supervisor, normally on a weekly basis.
Guidance on report writing will be provided and the project will be assessed by the final report, the quality of practical execution, presentation of the work as a research seminar and responses to in-depth questions.

Teaching methods

Delivery typeNumberLength hoursStudent hours
Independent Learning0152.00152.00
Supervision Meetings151.0015.00
seminars11.001.00
Practical648.00512.00
Private study hours120.00
Total Contact hours680.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)800.00

Private study

This includes associated reading, project planning, analysis of experimental data, writing and Research Seminar preparation.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Project supervision meetings. Supervisors to comment on one draft of written report and PowerPoint presentation.

Methods of assessment


Coursework
Assessment typeNotes% of formal assessment
ProjectProject report is in a scientific paper-style with a maximum word limit of 7,000 (excluding abstract, figures/tables, figure legends, references and supplementary information).85.00
Oral Presentation20 min talk as part of MBiol Seminar series15.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)100.00

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

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 16/01/2023

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