Unit information: Climate Change MSc Research Project in 2012/13

Unit name	Climate Change MSc Research Project
Unit code	GEOGM0009
Credit points	60
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Professor. Dan Lunt
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	n/a
Co-requisites	n/a
School/department	School of Geographical Sciences
Faculty	Faculty of Science

Description including Unit Aims

This unit provides an opportunity for students to design, execute and submit a supervised research project on their chosen topic. Students will pursue a topic identified and scoped in the MRes Phase 1 Research Project, developing theses specific areas of inquiry under supervision to delovep their final dissertation. The key focus will be on original analysis and interpretation, and the target will be to produce research outputs that will contribute to scientific publications. Students will be expected to demonstrate an ability to draw together a range of skills, techniques and subject sources to explore their chosen topic. Students will be supervised by a specialist supervisor, or supervisors as appropriate. The unit is assessed via the project dissertation and by a 20 minute oral presentation on the research project.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion, students will:

• know how to identify, access and assess appropriate library- or archive-based information relevant to the project
• have experience in designing and planning a research project that it is feasible within the available time
• understand the importance of high scientific and professional standards

appreciate how to adapt and react if the project diverts from the original plan

• have acquired practical and analytical skills relevant to the project
• have experience in communicating the outcomes of the project to different audiences in an appropriate manner
• know how to produce a final project report presented to the standard expected for submission of a manuscript to a leading international journal

Teaching Information

Dependent on nature of research project

Assessment Information

This unit constitutes 60 credit points. The final dissertation will be assessed against the following assessment criteria:

• Scientific understanding of topic context
• Quality and depth of research activity
• Scientific reporting of research
• Originality, merit and independence

Presentation. The report should consist of a maximum of 30 pages for all the text, and in addition:

• title page (name, project title, programme of study, date of submission)
• one page abstract
• table of contents
• figures and tables with captions (no absolute limit to numbers but should be commensurate with number typical for papers in chosen journal)
• references

All written work submitted for this project must be word-processed and submitted on A4 paper of laser print quality. Students should identify (in discussion with their supervisor) an international journal appropriate to their field of study, and then adhere to the style guidelines given in the instructions to authors for that journal. In any case, the text should be formatted with 2.5 cm margins on all sides, 12 point font and 1.5 line spacing, except for reference lists which should be single-spaced. Pages should be numbered and in single column format. Numbered figures and tables should have informative captions.

The use of well-presented and well-organised printed appendices or attachment of data on CD or DVD format is allowed, and will not be counted within the specified page limit. However, note that appendices are for archiving data or detailed descriptions of methods etc. for future users of the report, and will not contribute to the dissertation mark. All illustrations, data, tables and method descriptions that are needed to support your project must be in the main text.

Reading and References

Specific to the project, and to be discussed with the project supervisor and unit co-ordinator during the project