CSC8334 : Contemporary topics in bioinformatics with group project
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Dr Katherine James
- Lecturer: Dr Emanuela Torelli, Dr Jichun Li, Dr Gizem Buldum
- Owning School: Computing
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
This module focuses on various aspects of scientific research in bioinformatics. It introduces students to key concepts around research planning, organisation, teamwork, and science communication, providing a practical experience to reinforce the learning. It also discusses a number of cases studies involving state of the art bioinformatics analysis, drawing from our own research, to allow students to reflect on what is good and bad science, and understand how the science should be practiced.
Outline Of Syllabus
- Slide design
- Researchpresentation
- Project planning and time management
- Experiment design
- Literature review
- Scientific writing and overcoming procrastination
- Supporting claims with evidence
- Organisation and styling of dissertations
- Ethical, legal, and social implications of research
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 8 | 1:00 | 8:00 | Lectures |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 80 | 1:00 | 80:00 | Work on the individual project – coursework 2. |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 20 | 1:00 | 20:00 | Work on the group project – coursework 1. |
| Structured Guided Learning | Academic skills activities | 4 | 1:00 | 4:00 | Interviews about MSc/PhD experience |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 8 | 2:00 | 16:00 | Research skills workshops |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 4 | 1:00 | 4:00 | Support for the group project |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 20 | 1:00 | 20:00 | Lecture follow-up |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 36 | 1:00 | 36:00 | Background reading and directed research. |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 12 | 1:00 | 12:00 | Student led group meetings. |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures will be used to introduce the learning material and for demonstrating the key concepts by example. Students are expected to follow-up lectures within a few days by re-reading and annotating lecture notes to aid deep learning.
Online tutorials will be held to support the group project.
Students aiming for 1st class marks are expected to widen their knowledge beyond the taught material through background reading.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research proposal | 2 | M | 80 | Individual research plan - video presentation. |
| Research proposal | 2 | M | 20 | Group research proposal - slides. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The group research proposal is a low weighted assessment of the ability to brainstorm ideas and work as team to prepare slides supporting a project presentation. It will allow students to practice teamwork, demonstrate research skills, and learn from the mistakes before the submission of the main coursework.
The individual research plan is a main component of the assessment. It is designed to test the students’ ability to plan the research, choose appropriate research methods, design experiments, and discuss the necessary tasks and project timeline. Additionally, the presentation format will allow us to assess the students’ ability to effectively communicate.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- CSC8334's Timetable