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Module

CSC8333 : Research Skills and group project for digital biology

  • Offered for Year: 2022/23
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Pawel Widera
  • Owning School: Computing
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Semester 2 Credit Value: 10
ECTS Credits: 5.0

Aims

In this module you will learn the skills necessary to propose and carry out research in biological data synthesis and analysis. A team project in the preparation of a research proposal will introduce you to issues around working as a team and your individual project proposal will form the starting point for your main research project. A series of online lectures will be given by researchers from different fields covering different key skills.

The aim is to build up research and key skills involving literature searching skills, project planning, presentation skills, communication, time management, team working and management.

Outline Of Syllabus

Key Literature
Searching skills
Research Skills
Ethical, legal and social implications of computational biology
Production of a research project plan
Experimental design

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion60:303:00Presentation Individual: Research proposal 2
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture81:008:00PiP lectures
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion161:0016:00lecture follow up
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion20:301:00Presentation Team based: Research proposal 1
Guided Independent StudyProject work341:0034:00Work on individual project proposal – coursework 2
Guided Independent StudyProject work121:0012:00Work on group project proposal – coursework1
Guided Independent StudyStudent-led group activity61:006:00Student led group meetings between members of the student teams
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesDrop-in/surgery81:008:00PiP tutorials to support group project
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study121:0012:00background reading
Total100:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures will be used to introduce the learning material and for demonstrating the key concepts by example. Students are expected to follow-up lectures within a few days by re-reading and annotating lecture notes to aid deep learning.

Online tutorials will be held to support the group project.

Students aiming for 1st class marks are expected to widen their knowledge beyond the content of lecture notes through background reading.

Assessment Methods

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

Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Research proposal2M100Coursework Individual - Summative assessment: Format of a standard research council application including a presentation
Formative Assessments
Description Semester When Set Comment
Research proposal2MCoursework Group - Formative assessment: Sandpit exercise where students pitch proposal they have developed as a team
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The group sandpit proposal coursework, will train the students in team working and provide practical experience in research skills and group presenting. The production of a research project plan, summative assessment,, will be a major component of the assessment for this module and will test the students’ ability to plan their research and understand how the project they have identified could be executed and assessed and will include a presentation that will assess the students’ ability to effectively communicate their research plans.

Reading Lists

Timetable