Aims

To build on the fundamental laboratory, boat work and research skills introduced at Level 4 in NES1505 Marine Practical Skills I. To equip students with the necessary practical skills and confidence in preparation for their Level 6 Research Project. To promote team work, decision making, project management and leadership skills. To provide training in good laboratory practice and health and safety, including completion of risk assessments and COSHH forms, and a certified sea survival course.

This module will equip students with the practical skills necessary to become practicing professional marine scientists. The philosophy of this module is to train students to design and analyse experiments to answer specific hypotheses with an appropriate level of supervision. Emphasis will be placed on acquisition of numerical skills, undertaking statistical analyses, risk assessment, teamwork and working to tight deadlines.

Outline Of Syllabus

This module will build upon the scientific research skills developed in MST1205 and MST1204 and introduce students to more advanced techniques to prepare them for their final year Research Project. The module will use a series of lectures, practicals and boat-based teaching to deliver material in a cohesive way. Students will undertake laboratory and field work sessions complemented by lectures, tutorials, workshops, and computer classes.

All students will:

- attend a residential field course which will provide intensive training in taxonomic invertebrate and algal identification, ecological survey techniques, coastal oceanography and group work.

- carry out small group boat work to practice biological and oceanographic survey methods, and subsequent data analyses

- take part in field surveys to designed to (i) develop experimental design skills, (ii) study diversity and ecology of contrasting habitats, and (iii) study the diversity and behaviour of marine organisms.

- Practice laboratory techniques, experimental design, data reporting and analysis in a series of laboratory practicals including themes such as anatomy, physiology, feeding interactions and toxicology.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures, laboratory practicals, fieldwork and workshops are designed to introduce the students to the theory behind the experimental protocol, discuss and analyse the data collected during the experiments and the techniques and skills used. Additional sessions on-board the research vessel will give students experience of conducting scientific data collection in a marine setting.

Academic skills activities will utilise online content to allow students to prepare for their taught sessions.

These sessions will provide students with a solid foundation and understanding of:

• Practical and field methods in field marine biology, zoology and oceanography

• Proposing, testing and challenging hypotheses

• Data handling and processing

• Oceanographic survey methods

The residential field course will extend students experience and knowledge of field based survey methodology and provide the opportunity for fundamental scientific skills to be developed.

Directed research and reading will support the information received through formal practicals by guided independent study using primary literature and key texts. Students will be encouraged to become more independent in their learning at this stage in their programmes to develop key skills such as Active Learning, Goal Setting and Action Planning, Decision Making, and Initiative, which they will require at Levels 6.

Assessment preparation and completion will allow students to fully prepare for their formative and summative coursework. Students will have the opportunity to consolidate and build upon knowledge gained in the taught sessions.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The formative laboratory and research vessel assessments are designed to test the breadth of knowledge of important concepts related to designing and conducting scientific experiments and surveys using appropriate techniques and equipment.

The residential field course will be assessed through a biodiversity test and four field course exercise worksheets designed to examine their ability to synthesise practical knowledge and apply it to new marine environments. Students will be expected to work in teams to collect scientific data, which they will present clearly with justification for their findings.

The summative inspera exam will assess the students understanding of experimental design, data analysis and statistics, which have been taught during practicals and workshop sessions.

Laboratory and field classes will be summatively assessed through the completion of practical reports. These are designed to examine the student’s ability to present scientific information and data in a concise way while following a specific presentation format.