Studying at York
Research Project - BIO00057M
Module summary
In this module students will conduct an extended original piece of individual scientific research related to one or more biological concepts or systems under the supervision of research-active members of academic staff. The module contains taught elements encouraging transferable skills development and employability, both in and outside of the research project work. Students will demonstrate an awareness of the ethical and health/safety implications of their research. Students will critically analyze data and communicate their research findings to an academic audience via a written report which contextualizes their findings and their significance, and in a poster presentation. They will further reflect on the success of their work and their skills and personal development in a short reflective report. Projects may include lab or field work, or may focus on data analysis or computational/theoretical work.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 1 2024-25 to Semester 2 2024-25 |
Module aims
This module gives students independent, first-hand experience of the research process in a capstone project, during which students will work with a project director to (1) frame their research within the context of existing knowledge, (2) develop and test ideas or hypotheses to explain observations, (3) execute and manage objectives, (4) critically analyse data and reflect on their work and personal development (5) communicate the results of their study with reference to information sources in a project report and poster presentation. Projects will allow students to explore areas of interest across the discipline in Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical sciences, Ecology, Microbiology, Biotechnology, Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, including projects with a focus on laboratory and field based research and/or data analysis.
Module learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this module will be able to:
Design and execute a research project
Critically reflect on project development, ethical considerations and the development of personal attributes and skills in the context of the work conducted.
Work effectively, safely and ethically on a research project
Demonstrate the ability to use techniques appropriate to research in the biosciences
Use appropriate methods to critically analyse results
Communicate project background, aims and findings through a written report and oral presentation
Present scientific data appropriately in written and graphical forms
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 20 |
| Essay/coursework | 80 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Module feedback
Marks for all summative assessments will be made available to you and your supervisor via e:vision. Feedback will be either individual or cohort-level, depending on the assessment format. You should take the opportunity to discuss your marks and feedback with your supervisor.
For exam-style summative assessment, model answers will be provided for all questions along with cohort-level feedback indicating how students answered questions in general. Marks achieved per question will be added to your script.
For coursework assessments (eg. reports or essays) you will receive individual feedback on your work. This will usually be in the form of a feedback sheet that will include suggestions for further improvement.
During the teaching of the module you will receive formative feedback that may be at a whole class or individual level. Such feedback may include: model answers and discussion of workshop questions, summaries of performance in practicals, VLE-based quizzes, individual spoken comments during workshops, individual written comments on formative work.
Indicative reading
These are available through the VLE module site.