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Unit information: Practical Project in 2021/22

Please note: you are viewing unit and programme information for a past academic year. Please see the current academic year for up to date information.

Unit name Practical Project
Unit code BIOL30202
Credit points 30
Level of study H/6
Teaching block(s) Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director Professor. Cuthill
Open unit status Not open
Pre-requisites

None.

Co-requisites

None.

School/department School of Biological Sciences
Faculty Faculty of Life Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

A practical project, selected from a wide choice of animal, plant and microbial biology topics, that provides experience of data handling, interpretation and scientific writing, as well as a broad range of transferable skills. Students will typically carry out the practical research in pairs or larger teams, for health and safety, as well as logistical, reasons but all data interpretation and presentation is done independently.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On completing this unit, students should be able to:

1. Conduct scientific research and collect data, safely and meticulously, within the specific sub-discipline covered by the project;

2. Carry out a literature search for relevant published work and interpret it critically;

3. Interpret and analyse their own scientific data;

4. Summarise and present their results appropriately;

5. Interpret their findings critically within the context of current published research.

Teaching Information

The Practical Project takes 12 weeks, consisting of 9 weeks of 'practical' time followed by 3 weeks for analysis, report preparation etc. Students have access to facilities, supervisor input etc. during the 9 weeks only.

Assessment Information

The unit mark is based on:

•25% continuous assessment mark (assesses ILOs 1, 2 and 3);

•75% project report mark (assesses ILOs 2-5).

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. BIOL30202).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.

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