Unit information: Research Project in 2020/21

Unit name	Research Project
Unit code	MEDIM7100
Credit points	60
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Professor. Hans Reul
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Bristol Medical School
Faculty	Faculty of Health Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

The research project consists of either

- A full-time laboratory work (lab-based research project) followed by the writing of a dissertation and a presentation during a Research Colloquium. The student will design and execute experiments, critically assess the results, integrate the new information into the broad body of scientific knowledge, and present and defend their ideas through written and spoken communication.

Or

- A desk-based research project in which the student will conduct a subject-based scientific literature review followed by either a proposed Experimental Research Plan or a Data Analysis Project, and a presentation of this work.

The aims of the research project are to:

1. Equip the student with hands-on or theoretical/computational research experience.
2. Give the student guided experience in the planning and execution of experiments.
3. Enable the student to critically evaluate experimental data in case of their hands-on research experience of following their computational data analysis project.
4. Expose the student to the processes by which scientific experiments are planned and results are analysed, communicated and debated.

Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of this unit the student should be able to:

1. perform experiments independently as far as feasible after a laboratory training period, or having acquired advanced knowledge in experimental research design or data analysis using computational and/or bioinformatics methods.
2. write a concise thesis on the appropriate evaluation and critical discussion of the obtained experimental or data analysis results or the experimental research plan.
3. give a clear synchronous or asynchronous presentation covering an introduction of the field of research, the hypotheses and aims of the study, the methods used, the laboratory-based or desk-based data obtained, and a critical evaluation of these research findings in the light of the status of scientific knowledge.

Teaching Information

Regarding laboratory-based projects, this unit is taught through training in the laboratory and discussion with the supervisor. Desk-based projects are supervised through online synchronous and asynchronous teaching and guidance.

Assessment Information

Regarding laboratory-based projects, this unit is assessed through a combination of 6500-word dissertation (70%), performance in the laboratory (10%) and an oral presentation during the annual Research Colloquium (20%). Desk-based projects are assessed based on a 6000-word Literature Review (40%), a 4000-word Experimental Research Plan or Data Analysis Project (40%), and an asynchronously delivered presentation (20%).

Reading and References

Selected relevant review papers from the literature.