| Unit name | Experimental Skills |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EENG10007 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | C/4 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Laird |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering |
| Faculty | Faculty of Engineering |
Why is this unit important?
This unit will introduce you to all the practical skills that are essential for the experimental laboratory tasks that are carried out by professional electrical engineers on a day-to-day basis. It will focus on developing laboratory skills (such as hardware and software design, measurement and testing, and laboratory record keeping) that culminate in a project that involves the design and build of mixed analogue and digital electronic systems. How does this unit fit into your programmes of study? This unit will help develop the necessary practical and experimental laboratory skills that you will use throughout your degree programme and your engineering career. The material addressed within this unit covers some of the core disciplinary competencies that are required for your degree programme and is a must-pass unit.
An overview of content
This unit introduces and develops several experimental skills used in laboratory settings as part of the design of electronic systems which employ both digital and analogue hardware. In addition to developing specific technical skills, such as circuit prototyping, microcontroller programming, testing and measurement, it encourages students to look at the electrical systems as a whole and understand the trade-offs that engineers may face during the design process. Finally, students will learn how to make laboratory reports and records that are necessary for the retention of practical engineering knowledge.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
As a result of this unit students will have developed several practical laboratory skills such as being able to:
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit students will be able to:
You will learn through a mixture of video tutorials and weekly problem sheets, which complement in-person example classes and formative blackboard tests which give you the opportunity to gauge your progress. The unit uses a cycle of learning, application, and structured reflection to support your learning.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks
You will carry out several laboratory exercises in TB1, complemented by simulation, and submit a formative report on this work. To help you complete this task, you will also receive support with developing your academic writing skills through a bespoke language course run by CALD (Centre for Academic Language and Development). The report will be formative but you will receive feedback to help you improve. This assessment will cover ILOs 1-3, since ILOs 4- 5 will be addressed through other assessments in other TB1 units.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark
You will be expected to complete a full report (100%) which will cover all ILOs (1-5).
When assessment does not go to plan
All the experimental work that is required for the summative report may be carried out using home lab kits and all simulation work can be performed by students on their own PCs. This will enable them to rewrite their report over the summer and resubmit it during the resit period.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EENG10007).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
