MST3105 : Research Project: Marine Zoology (Inactive)
- Inactive for Year: 2024/25
- Available to incoming Study Abroad and Exchange students
- Module Leader(s): Dr Guenther Uher
- Lecturer: Dr Miguel Morales Maqueda, Dr Benjamin Wigham, Miss Emily Dott, Dr Heather Sugden, Professor Per Berggren, Professor Clare Fitzsimmons, Dr Sara Marsham
- Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
Semester 1 Credit Value: | 30 |
Semester 2 Credit Value: | 30 |
ECTS Credits: | 30.0 |
European Credit Transfer System | |
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, field or desk-based 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 Marine Study Skills, Marine Research and Employability Skills and Marine Practical Skills.
Outline Of Syllabus
For their independent Research Project:
Working independently the students will prepare a two 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 suitable statistical analyses to be used in the study. They will undertake independent research to test their hypotheses and record all their work in a Research Project notebook. They will produce a full write-up of their project using the form of a scientific paper. They will prepare and deliver an oral presentation on their Research Project as part of a ‘Scientific Conference’.
To further support them in their research, students will undertake training via a series of lectures and workshops on multivariate statistics and GIS.
In addition, all students will complete a full day session on-board the research vessel to further develop their subject-specific practical survey skills.
Seminar Series:
Invited speakers from the UK and overseas, will share their research experiences, and illuminate global marine science issues. Students will be encouraged to use these seminars as a starting point for extended reading on current topical areas of global marine science research.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 100:00 | 100:00 | Research Project Report |
Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 1 | 1:30 | 1:30 | Module content |
Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 100:00 | 100:00 | Literature Review |
Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 7 | 1:00 | 7:00 | External Guest Speakers and module content |
Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 10:00 | 10:00 | Project Proposal |
Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 18:00 | 18:00 | Research Project Notebook |
Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | Introduction to the module |
Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 10:00 | 10:00 | Scientific Conference Presentation |
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 4 | 1:00 | 4:00 | Online synchronous - External Guest Speakers |
Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | Scientific Conference Abstract |
Structured Guided Learning | Academic skills activities | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | ArcGIS session |
Structured Guided Learning | Academic skills activities | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | Online boat practical |
Structured Guided Learning | Academic skills activities | 3 | 1:30 | 4:30 | Skills development sessions |
Guided Independent Study | Project work | 1 | 200:00 | 200:00 | Data collection |
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | PiP - Multivariate statistics PC workshop |
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | PiP - ArcGIS PC workshop |
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 23 | 1:00 | 23:00 | Optional project clinics - 8 sessions online via Teams and 15 sessions PiP |
Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 73:00 | 73:00 | N/A |
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Dissertation/project related supervision | 18 | 1:00 | 18:00 | Project supervision - 9 hrs PiP and 9 hrs online synchronous |
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | Online synchronous - Boat practical briefing |
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 2 | 8:00 | 16:00 | PiP - Scientific Conference including 15 minute oral presentation |
Total | 600:00 |
Jointly Taught With
Code | Title |
---|---|
MST3104 | Research Project: Marine Biology |
MST3106 | Research Project: Marine Biology and Oceanography |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures will present background to new data analysis techniques and inform students of the format of their final project report.
Workshops, academic skills activities and module talks will introduce students to more advanced data analysis software such as PRIMER and ArcGIS to provide them with training in using these tools, which may be appropriate for them to apply to their independent research project data.
Project clinics will be offered throughout the module to allow students to drop in and receive further support with their independent research project, in addition to the support received by their Project Supervisor.
The seminar series and independent study encourages the students to consider the integration of their study and to draw on a range of information sources.
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 Levels 4 and 5 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 Marine Study Skills and the lectures and computer-based practical classes in Marine Research and Employability Skills 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 Marine Practical Skills.
Assessment preparation and completion will allow students to fully prepare for their formative and summative assessments. They will have the opportunity to consolidate and build upon knowledge gained throughout their degree programmes.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oral Presentation | 15 | 2 | M | 15 | Scientific Conference - 15 Minute oral presentation |
Other Assessment
Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|
Written exercise | 1 | M | 25 | 5000 word literature review |
Research paper | 2 | M | 60 | 5000 word research project report |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
---|---|---|---|
Research proposal | 1 | M | Research Project Proposal - maximum two pages in length |
Portfolio | 2 | M | Research Project notebook |
Written exercise | 2 | M | Scientific conference abstract - 250 words |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The formative project proposal allows the student to demonstrate their planning and organisational skills (including a GANTT chart to make clearly the programme of research). The literature review allows the student to demonstrate their ability to research and synthesise information from the published scientific literature. The research project 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. The oral presentation and associated abstract allows the student to show that they can communicate effectively by summarising an in-depth investigation in both written and spoken formats.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- MST3105's Timetable