• Inactive for Year: 2024/25

• Module Leader(s): Dr Heather Sugden
• Lecturer: Dr Jessica Jung, Dr Jane Delany, Miss Helen Atkinson, Dr Sara Marsham
• Other Staff: Dr Helen Webster

• Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
• Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus

Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Aims

To introduce and practice the development of hypotheses based on observations or prior knowledge and to emphasise and discuss the importance of robust experimental design linked to appropriate data analysis and interpretation to allow students to complete the scientific cycle. To explore different types of data and introduce and practice the appropriate statistical analyses. To provide guidance and practice in the interpretation of the outcomes of analysis and reporting scientific data in a suitable format. To develop student confidence in using statistical analyses and an awareness of the relevance and importance of appropriate techniques in Marine Science research to prepare students for their final year Research Projects

To offer students the opportunity to undertake subject-specific work-related learning in a professional work environment. Students will liaise with potential employers to proactively develop their employability skills and contribute to the ethos of the host organisation. The ability of students to critically reflect on their personal skills development and apply this to other learning activities will be enhanced. Their capacity to evaluate their role within the organisation and responses to work-related issues will also be developed.

Outline Of Syllabus

This module will build upon the fundamental scientific research skills developed in MST1104 and introduce students to more advanced techniques to prepare them for their final year Research Project. The module will use a series of lectures, practical workshops and tutorials to deliver material in a cohesive way.
Twenty two lectures covering: Semester 1:
1.       Introduction to Experimental Design: initial observations, developing a hypothesis, using literature,
methods, data collection, replication, independence of data, random distribution
2.       Data Analysis: What is statistical significance? What are P values and degrees of freedom? Testing for normality/equal variance
3.       Statistics I: Analysing frequencies; comparing averages of two samples
4.       Statistics II: Comparing averages of three or more samples/correlations
5.       Diversity Indices: Uses of diversity indices; introduction to key tests
6.       Introduction to the Placement: Format of placement
7.       CV/Covering Letter: How to prepare a CV/covering letter
8.       Using Social Media to Enhance your Employability
9.       Interview Techniques and Professional Interactions
10.       Overseas Field Course Briefing/Research Project Overseas
11.       Marine Science Graduate Destinations
12.       Revision session

Semester 2:
13.       Preparing a Placement Plan: SMART targets
14.       Presentation Techniques and Reflective Thinking
15.       Placement Progress
16.       Engaging with the Reflective Literature
17.       Engaging with the Marking Criteria
18.       Reflective Log: STAR evaluation of SMART targets
19.       Planning your Research Project: Reminder of importance of experimental design; format of research project proposal; lab/field notebooks
20.       Choosing your Research Project Supervisor
21.       Research Project Supervisor Selection
22.       Overseas Field Course Briefing



      Two practical sessions covering: Semester 1:
1.       Practical Experimental Design I: the importance of observations and note-taking in hypothesis development and experimental design
2.       Practical Experimental Design II: reviewing experimental design and undertaking data collection

Seven workshops covering:

Semester 1:
1. Statistics I: Analysing frequencies; testing for normality/equal variance; comparing averages of two sample
2. Statistics II: Comparing averages of three or more samples/correlations
3.       Introduction to Library Project
4.       Library Project
5.       Critical Thinking and Timed Essays

Semester 2:
6.       Using ePortfolio
7.       Critical Evaluation of the Literature: Databases; evaluating sources; critically reviewing literature

Lectures and practical workshops will run alongside 11, linked tutorial sessions. Tutors will use these sessions to reinforce taught material, collect and review assessed work and conduct associated exercises in a less formal small group atmosphere:

Semester 1:
1.       Statistics I: Analysing frequencies; testing for normality/equal variance; comparing averages of two samples
2.       Statistics II: Comparing averages of three or more samples/correlations
3.       Library Project:
4.       CV/Covering Letter: Peer feedback on CV/covering letter
5.       Library Project

Semester 2:
6.       Placement Plan: Reviewing placement plans
7.       Preparing for Placement: Ensuring all documentation completed/students know what is expected
8.       Critical Evaluation I: Critiquing method/approach of two published papers (one good/one bad example)
9.       Critical Evaluation II: Critiquing discussions of two published papers (one good/one bad example)
10.       Examination Strategies: Structure of exam essays; preparing for exams; revision strategies
11.       Assessed Oral Presentation

In addition, students will have the opportunity to attend fortnightly clinics offering one-on-one support.

Students will also attend the Stage 3 Scientific Conference to give them insight into the Research Project, and the External Guest Seminar series.

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities

Jointly Taught With

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures and practicals are designed to provide training to support students in developing the skills required to collect, analyse, interpret and present scientific data and information; to critically evaluate the scientific literature; and approach and undertake a work-related learning placement. This will include the opportunity to become familiar with the use of statistical software. Students will be introduced to theories relating to personal and professional development and how to interact with providers outside of the University environment. The formal sessions are also used to introduce students to the assessment criteria and help them prepare for both the formative and summative assessments.

The ePortfolio tool will be introduced and students will be encouraged to regularly update their profile and use the framework to support on-going management of the placement and reflection of the experience.

The subject-specific work-related learning placements are sourced by the teaching team and advertised to students, though students are required to initiate contact and determine the application process with the individual provider. Local providers are chosen to provide a range of opportunities and experience relevant to work in the marine science/biology sector, though students will be able to engage with relevant providers outside of the local area if appropriate. Practical activity in the form of a subject-specific placement provides students with a context within which they are supported to accomplish applied learning and development through reflection and critical analysis.

Self-directed learning resources are provided throughout the module to introduce students to the relevant literature and allow them to make links between their practical experiences and the knowledge and skills developed through attending the lectures, practicals, tutorials and the placement.

The module is based on transferable employability and research skills and students will achieve the learning outcomes through full engagement with the opportunities provided by the subject-specific work-related learning placement.

Tutorial sessions will allow students to meet with their Tutor and the teaching team in small groups to further enhance key skills and concepts developed in taught practical sessions and during independent study. Drop-in clinics will allow students to receive one-on-one support for any aspect of the module.

Directed research and reading will support the information received through formal practicals and tutorials 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, and their written examination. They will have the opportunity to consolidate and build upon knowledge gained in the taught sessions.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Exams

Other Assessment

Formative Assessments

Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Students will be expected to undertake formative assessment to develop their CV and covering letter writing skills with feedback from the teaching team. These documents will be submitted to the work-related learning provider to present students with experience of an application process.

The work placement plan will be discussed and developed with the teaching team and placement supervisor to support students in developing timely and deliverable objectives to be undertaken during the placement and to help the take responsibility for their role during the placement. The work placement plan will be reviewed during semester two to help students reflect upon and evaluate their progress against the stated outcomes. Students will be able to incorporate feedback from this into their reflective log.

Upon completion of the subject-specific work-related learning placement students are expected to complete a written reflective assessment of their experience. To complete this, students are expected to maintain a formative reflective record throughout the module using the ePortfolio tool. The written assessment will allow students to present and discuss their personal and professional learning and development in relation to transferable employability and research skills and will incorporate relevant literature on personal development.

The Library Project essay will combine both summative and formative assessment. In semester 1 students will undertake formative exercises to allow them to develop their critical evaluation skills. Students will submit two short essays on the same question, with each essay covering different aspects of essay writing. This will lead on from the summative essay assessment in MST1104 Marine Study Skills. Upon completion of the formative essays in semester 1, students will chose their own Library Project topic and produce an essay plan to be discussed with their Tutor. Students will receive formative feedback on their essay plan to allow them to develop a suitable structure and content for the summatively assessed essay. Students will then complete the summatively assessed essay using skills from the formative assessment.

The oral presentation requires students to summarise their summative Library Project essay. Students will give an overview of their topic and present current knowledge of the area in relation to the primary scientific literature. Their use of visual aids, the structure of the presentation, the level of scientific information, and their presentation style will be assessed.

This is a very skill driven module with the need for continued hands-on experience of designing experiments, manipulating data sets and choosing and using the appropriate statistical tests for data analysis. Formative PC and worksheet based assessments will provide students with the opportunity to develop and use new found skills. The examination will test student’s ability to retain key information and apply it appropriately to new situations.

Reading Lists

• MST2104's Reading List

Timetable

• Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
• MST2104's Timetable