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CHE-30066 - Module Specification
School of Chemical and Physical Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 04 December 2025

CHE-30066 - Independent Research Project
Coordinator: Natalie Capel Room: N/A Tel: +44 1782 7 33584
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 6
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 734921

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2025/26

In consultation with an academic member of staff, you will select and carry out an individual, practical research project chosen from a wide range of topics across the breadth of the chemical sciences which may include organic, inorganic, physical, analytical, educational and computational fields. You will plan, collect and analyse data in a contemporary project notebook and present your results in an authentically prepared scientific paper, and defend your original hypotheses and findings in an oral examination. 

Aims
This module aims to develop research skills in chemistry, specifically experimental and instrumental skills, development of appropriate research methodologies, data interpretation and analysis, and scientific methods of presentation.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Present and defend the key findings of their research in a variety of authentic research formats, including a formal scientific report, project diary, and viva.: 1,2,3
Evaluate current research in chemistry, develop and critique methodologies, and propose new hypotheses where appropriate.: 1,2,3
Critically evaluate their own research methodologies and hypotheses, incorporating original data and/or current research within the discipline to justify their decisions.: 1,2,3
Apply acquired subject-specific experimental and analytical skills to the collection, interpretation, and analysis of original data.: 1,2,3

Study hours

Practical work and research: 85 hours
Meetings with project supervisor: 5 hours
Scientific paper preparation: 45 hours
Viva preparation: 14 hours
Viva: 1 hour

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Laboratory Book weighted 30%
Contemporaneous project diary
Students complete a contemporaneous project diary (equivalent to 1500 words effort) that contains their procedures, observations, and analysis throughout their project. This should be completed primarily during the experimental or data collection sessions, but also include any analysis worked on in their own time.

2: Research Paper weighted 40%
Scientific paper
A 2000 word report written in the style of an appropriate Royal Society of Chemistry academic journal.

3: Viva weighted 30%
Viva
A 30 minute viva conducted by 2 members of staff. The student will be asked to defend their findings presented in their paper (assessment 2), and will also be asked questions on the theory and background of their research project.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 04 December 2025