Module Catalogue

NES1200 : Academic and Professional Skills

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Available to incoming Study Abroad and Exchange students
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Helen Gray
  • Lecturer: Professor Andrew Benniston, Mr Ryan Woodward, Dr Ankush Prashar, Dr Helen Adamson, Miss Laura Messenger, Dr Andrew Beard
  • 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: 10
Semester 2 Credit Value: 10
ECTS Credits: 10.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

The aim of this module is to:
•       Enable students to develop the fundamental academic, statistical and professional skills required to be
successful in their university studies.
•       Provide students with opportunities to develop and practice these skills in the context of the UN
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and within the context of the accompanying modules NES1201
Introduction to Sustainability and NES1100 Sustainability in Practice.
•       Provide the opportunity for students to develop team working and researching skills.

Outline Of Syllabus

The syllabus will include topics such as:
•       Scientific methods and experimental hypothesis design
•       Basic data manipulation, interpretation, data analysis and presentation
•       Digital and information literacies: finding and evaluation information for research tasks
•       Academic writing, referencing and essay structures
•       Scientific communication techniques
•       Use and generation of constructive feedback

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion120:0020:00Preparation for MCQ assessment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture111:0011:00Lectures
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion12:002:00MCQ assessment completion
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion120:0020:00Presentation Preparation (group work)
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesPractical61:006:00Practical sessions to include MS Office Skills and sourcing and referencing information
Guided Independent StudyDirected research and reading302:0060:00Review of online materials and engagement with worked examples
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesSmall group teaching71:007:00Tutorials, including delivery of formative and summative presentation assessment
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study174:0074:00Independent study
Total200:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

In semester 1 students will work in groups (SO2) to present a PowerPoint on a relevant topic (KO1). They will receive lectures and practical sessions to develop their MS Office skills (SO5), and to learn about sourcing and referencing information (SO1). In tutorials they will critically assess their skills and former work against assessment criteria.

Core and supplementary material for this module (e.g. lecture slides, practicals, datasets and videos) will offer students the required resources to 1) gain an understanding on what statistical techniques can be used to understand and solve research questions and 2) learn how to use key statistical techniques in data analysis.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Exams
Description Length Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Written Examination1202A60MCQs (statistical analysis)
Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Oral Presentation1M405 minute group presentation
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
Oral Presentation1MPresentation updates
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The presentation assesses students on their group working skills as well as on synthesis and presentation of information.

The formative assessment provides groups with the opportunity to receive feedback on their presentation prior to submission.

The exam will test students' knowledge of statistical tests (KO3) as well as testing their knowledge on when to use them and their interpretation (KO3, KO4, KO5).

Reading Lists

Timetable