Unit information: Core skills 1 in 2013/14

Unit name	Core skills 1
Unit code	VETS30009
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Mr. Wotton
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	Other 20 credit units required for completion of PgC (3 units), PgD (6 units) and MSc (6 units + core skills 2 + research project). Animal Production, Biochemistry and Meat Quality, Animal Welfare, Poultry Processing, Meat Hygiene and Public Health, Meat Processing.
School/department	Bristol Veterinary School
Faculty	Faculty of Health Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

The unit develops fundamental transferable skills:

1. computer and information literacy skills
2. communication skills (written and verbal)
3. basic mathematical skills

Wherever possible these are developed in a meat science context. This is a must pass unit but the marks obtained will not count towards the final outcome for the Certificate, Diploma or MSc degree.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students must be able to use:

1. electronic forms of communication
2. electronic databases to carry out literature searches using keywords and Boolean operators
3. ejournals for locating and downloading original research papers and review articles
4. Blackboard to access taught materials and submit assignments electronically
5. a word processing package to create a document including the use of bullet points, the formatting tools, the table command, insert pictures and spellcheck
6. powerpoint to create slides, insert pictures, use animated bullet points, and record narration
7. excel to record and manipulate data, create graphs, perform simple calculations and use the data analysis tool
8. internet explorer to locate information
9. use the Harvard system to reference scholarly articles using a specified format

Students must also be able to

1. deliver a 15 minute oral presentation using powerpoint slides to an audience consisting of peers and academic members of staff
2. write a fully referenced, structured essay
3. proof read and correct their own or other people’s work
4. recognise and avoid plagiarism
5. perform simple mathematical calculations

Teaching Information

The unit has 22 hours of lectures, 5 hours of student-led oral presentations, and a 3 hour practical on using excel.

The unit has excellent e-resources available through a Blackboard site that hosts all the required material and includes various diagnostic and formative exercises.

Assessment Information

The unit is assessed by on-line assessments to test computer and information literacy skills, and basic mathematical skills. Students must also make a 15 min oral presentation, and produce a fully referenced essay (~2500 words excluding tables, references and figures) submitted electronically through Blackboard and checked for plagiarism. Essays and oral presentations will be subject to student peer review and marked by staff.

Marks will be allocated as follows: writing skills and peer review 40%, oral presentation 20%, computer literacy 15%, information retrieval and referencing 15%, basic mathematics 10%.

The pass mark at H level is 40%. There will be opportunity for re-assessment if a student fails at the first attempt.

Reading and References

Malmfors, B., Garnsworthy, P. & Grossman, M. (2000). Writing and presenting scientific papers. Nottingham University Press.