Newcastle University

Aims

The module provides students with the opportunity to practice their use of the scientific method by formulating hypotheses and testing them. To encourage students to consolidate their organisational skills by giving them the responsibility for designing and running their own project through the preparation of an initial project proposal, carrying out laboratory and /or field investigations and writing up their findings as a substantive report. To apply and consolidate skills learnt in a number of other modules, in particular the procedures for recording research in MST1003 Field and Laboratory Techniques in Marine Biology, MST2006 Marine and Coastal Ecology and MST2011 Marine Practical Skills.

Students have the opportunity to develop their independent research skills in a project that focuses on a particular aspect of Marine Biology research that interests them. Students elect to undertake one of these projects under the supervision of a member of academic staff. They have the opportunity to take responsibility for their own project and develop further their organisational and scientific writing skills.

Outline Of Syllabus

Research Project: Working independently the students will prepare a 2 page project proposal (along the lines of a research grant proposal), This will include the background to the research, methodology and approach, a GANTT chart to demonstrate the proposed programme of research and a costing for the resources required (in discussion with their supervisor). They will research the scientific literature relevant to their chosen subject area and will prepare an extended literature review. They will identify or develop appropriate methodology and identify appropriate statistical analyses to be used in the study. They will undertake independent research to test their hypotheses and record all their work in a hardback notebook. They will prepare and deliver an oral presentation on a key area of Marine Biology as part of a one day ‘Scientific Conference’. They will produce a full write-up of their project using the form of a scientific paper.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Allowing students to conduct a field or laboratory-based research project will further increase their organisational, time management and planning skills through conducting an independent scientific investigation. It will give students the opportunity to put into practice skills developed at Stages 1 and 2 in relation to planning and costing an investigation; devising a suitable methodology and approach; collecting, analysing and interpreting data and presenting their work in a concise format. The practical and tutorial sessions in MST1012 Research Skills and the lectures and computer-based practical classes in MST2015 Experimental Design and Statistics for Marine Science that students will have all received prior to undertaking this module will have provided them with a thorough theoretical and classroom-based preparation for independent field or laboratory study. The research project will also enable students to develop further the sampling methodologies learned in MST2006 Marine and Coastal Ecology and MST2011 Marine Practical Skills.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The project proposal allows the student to demonstrate their planning and organisational skills (including a GANTT chart to make clearly the programme of research). The oral presentation allows the student to show that they can communicate effectively by summarising an in-depth investigation. The literature review allows the student to demonstrate their ability to research and synthesise information from the published scientific literature. The laboratory notebook allows the students to demonstrate their organisational skills. The final report is presented in the form of a scientific paper which allows the student to demonstrate their scientific writing and critical thinking skills.