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2011/2 Provisional Module Catalogue - UNDER CONSTRUCTION & SUBJECT TO CHANGE
 Module Code: ENGM173 Module Title: RESEARCH METHODS
Module Provider: Mechanical, Medical & Aero Engineering Short Name: ENGM173
Level: M Module Co-ordinator: YEOMANS JA Prof (M, M & A Eng)
Number of credits: 15 Number of ECTS credits: 7.5
 
Module Availability

Semester 1

Assessment Pattern

Unit(s) of Assessment

 

Weighting Towards Module Mark( %)

 

Practical Work as part of group task

 

20

 

Individual poster

 

30

 

Post short course assessment package

 

50

 

 

 

 

 

Qualifying Condition(s) 

 

An overall mark of 50% is required to pass the module

 

 

Module Overview

This module provides an overview of the key skills and knowledge needed by postgraduates undertaking their first major piece of independent research.

Prerequisites/Co-requisites
Normal entry requirements for a level M degree programme.
Module Aims

This course aims to provide students with:

 

 

  • an appreciation of the reasons for undertaking research, the principal stages involved in a research project and the framework in which research is conducted, including ethics.

     

 

  • a understanding of the ways in which research findings are reported, communicated, protected and exploited

     

 

  • a knowledge of the methods used to present data, including the quantification of errors and uncertainties.

     

 

  • practical experience of the benefits and drawbacks of group work

     

 

  • practical experience of basic metallography, scanning electron microscopy and hardness testing techniques

     

 

  • an opportunity to present work in a variety of formats
Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

 

 

 

  • describe and explain the context of research, including issues associated with ethics and academic misconduct

     

 

  • list the purposes of studying the literature and construct a scheme to enable a literature search to be undertaken

     

 

  • set objectives and plan experiments using the scientific method

     

 

  • undertake simple laboratory work in the context of the group project

     

 

  • present data appropriately and deal with errors (in a simple manner)

     

 

  • differentiate between the requirements for reporting research in a variety of formats and produce practical examples of such formats (writing reports, presentations and posters)

     

 

  • appreciate the requirements and opportunities for protecting and exploiting research

     

Module Content

Lectures

 

The Framework for Research

 

Getting to Grips with the Literature

 

Plagiarism and How to Avoid It

 

Oral Presentations

 

Posters

 

Written Communications

 

Project Management

 

Errors and Uncertainties

 

Commercialisation of Research Results

 

Ethics for Engineers

 

 

Laboratory Work

 

Group work (typically involving 3-4 people per team) involving the metallographic investigation of a component or number of components from a small piece of equipment, such as a stapler.

 

Methods of Teaching/Learning
Intensive five day teaching period of lectures and tutorials, followed by assessment package of a nominal 80 hours work, to be submitted within six months (part-time) or six weeks (full-time) of the end of the course week.
Total student learning time 100 hours.
Selected Texts/Journals

Intensive five day teaching period spilt into lectures and tutorials in the mornings and group laboratory work in the afternoons, 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.

 

Total student learning time 150 hours.
Last Updated

31 August 2010