Unit information: SWBio DTP: Rotation project 1 in 2020/21

Unit name	SWBio DTP: Rotation project 1
Unit code	BIOCM0021
Credit points	60
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Dr. Jill Harrison
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	SWBio DTP: Data Science and Machine Learning for the Biosciences, SWBio DTP: Statistics and Bioinformatics, SWBio DTP: Science in Society, Business and Industry, followed by SWBio DTP: Rotation Project 2
School/department	School of Biochemistry
Faculty	Faculty of Life Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

The unit will be to enable students to experience research at a postgraduate level. This will be in the form of an individual research project based in a research group associated with the intended PhD subject area. The research will be guided by the supervisor, with regular meetings with the student to set goals and to show how research is managed.

Intended Learning Outcomes

To be able to:

• Select the most appropriate methods to solve research challenges.
• Develop skills in finding relevant literature and to gain an understanding of the methods involved in the project.
• Design and/or interpret experiments, considering the importance of appropriate controls.
• Collect and appropriately present scientific findings.
• Critically analyse the scientific findings.
• Communicate these findings in the form of a scientific research paper.

Teaching Information

Scientific research may be conducted through a variety of methods; in a laboratory and / or field environment, review of literature and/or data analysis. One to one meetings with supervisors to discuss the project and its progress.

Assessment Information

There will be two assessment components: (1) to demonstrate the planning and execution of scientific research by continuous assessment (30%), and (2) critically evaluating data and communicating findings, by writing a project report (70%). The assessors’ reports will be made available to the student so that this feedback can be used to enhance performance in reporting on the second rotation project.

Reading and References

As appropriate to the rotation project.