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| Module Availability |
Short Course - Autumn Semester |
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| Assessment Pattern |
| Assessment package - 100% |
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| Module Overview |
| The module provides an introduction to the general principles and practices associated with planning, undertaking and reporting research in the engineering or physical sciences. |
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| Prerequisites/Co-requisites |
| None |
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| Module Aims |
| The module aims to equip students with the necessary skills to begin to undertake independent postgraduate research projects |
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| Learning Outcomes |
On successful completion of the module, students should be able to
• Explain the reasons for undertaking research
• Understand the context of research, including issues associated with ethics and academic misconduct
• Understand the purposes of studying the literature and be able to undertake a literature search
• Plan experiments, taking into consideration the health and safety aspects as well as the scientific requirements
• Present data appropriately and deal with errors (in a simple manner)
• Understand the differing requirements for reporting research in a variety of formats
• Appreciate the requirements and opportunities for protecting and exploiting research |
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| Module Content |
Introduction to Research
Writing a Proposal
Objectives and Scientific Method
The Framework for Research
The Purposes of a Literature Review
Using Library Resources
Health and Safety Considerations
Errors and Uncertainties
Ethics in Research
Design of Experiments
Presentations and Oral Communication
Written Communications
Protecting and Exploiting Research |
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| Methods of Teaching/Learning |
Intensive three day teaching period of lectures and tutorials, followed by assessment package of a nominal 120 hours work, to be submitted within six months (part-time) or six weeks (full-time) of the end of the course week.
Post-short course assessment package comprises:
Part 1 – based on taught material in a general context
Part 2 – project plan (relates to individual project)
Total student learning time 150 hours. |
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| Selected Texts/Journals |
Required reading
None
Recommended background reading
‘How to get a PhD’
E M Phillips and D S Pugh
Open University Press, Maidenhead, UK, 2005 (fourth edition)
‘Experimental Methods – an introduction to the analysis and presentation of data’
L Kirkup
John Wiley & Sons, Milton, Australia, 1994 |
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| Last Updated |
| 29 April 2008 |
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