In the first two years of the course, students have developed a range of technical and analytical skills by following established protocols in large laboratory classes. In the final year project, students will get a taste of what it is like to work in a real research environment by working on their own specific research topic under the supervision of a member of academic staff from the School of Life Sciences or the Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine (ISTM). The topics are set by the supervisors and are designed to allow the students to expand their portfolio of technical expertise and to apply that expertise to investigate a research question. The very varied list of topics reflects the diversity of reseach interests within the School and ISTM. Students will be expected to spend the equivalent of 1 day per week, which may be spread over several days, working in the laboratory during semester 1. In semester 2 they will write a report where they present and interpret the results of their experiments and place them in context with existing literature in the field.
Search and extract relevant information from scientific literature and databases at an advanced level.
Plan and safely execute small experiments or surveys to investigate a research question.
Demonstrate technical competence at one or more new scientific techniques.
Analyse and critically discuss the results of an experiment.
Produce a concise, critical and scientific report, including the presentation of data in appropriate graphical formats and placing the data in context with other literature in the field.
Analysis of data and production of report 75 hours
Assessment of the technical competence, general diligence, engagement with the project and level of assistance needed.
The report describing the background literature and methodology and presenting and discussing the experimental results.
This document is the definitive current source of information about this module and supersedes any other information.