Unit information: SWBio DTP: Research project 1 in 2015/16

Unit name	SWBio DTP: Research project 1
Unit code	BIOCM0014
Credit points	60
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Professor. Hodge
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	SWBio DTP: Statistics and Bioinformatics, SWBio DTP: Science in Society, Business and Industry, SWBio DTP: Research Project 1, SWBio DTP: Research Project 2
School/department	School of Biochemistry
Faculty	Faculty of Life Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

The overall aim of this unit will be to enable students to experience laboratory research at a post graduate level. This will be in the form of an individual research project based in a research group associated with the intended PhD subject area. The research will be guided by the supervisor, with regular meetings with the student to set goals and to show how research is managed.

Intended Learning Outcomes

To be able to:

• Select the most appropriate methods to solve research challenges.
• Develop skills in finding relevant literature and to gain an understanding of the methods involved in the project.
• Design appropriate experiments and include appropriate controls.
• Collect and appropriately present data.
• Critically analyse the data.
• Communicate these findings in the form of a scientific research paper.

Teaching Information

Research in a laboratory environment plus associated reviews of literature, one to one meetings with supervisors to discuss data analysis etc.

Student input

A research project of 16 weeks duration, including regular supervisory meetings, self-directed research and compilation of a 6000 word report, amounting to 600 hrs of student time

Assessment Information

The student will submit a project report in the style of a research paper (guide of 6000 words). 30% of the unit marks will be continuous assessment assessing aspects such as commitment, organisation, planning, intellectual input, technical ability, communication etc. 70% of the unit mark will be the project report.

The continuous assessment mark will be awarded by the research project supervisor and the project report mark will be marked by two members of academic staff other than the students supervisory team. At least one of these markers will be a Bristol member of academic staff.

Both the CA and project report assessment will be moderated by the Unit Director

The assessors reports will be made available to the student so that this feedback can be used to enhance performance in reporting on the second rotation project.

Reading and References

As appropriate to the research project.