SERC3700 Research Project 2

2016

4.5

1 x 1-hour workshop weekly
1 x 10-hour project work weekly

1 1 of SERC2700, SERC2011
2 Admission into BSCH-Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Enhanced Program for High Achievers)
Must Satisfy: (1 and 2)

BIOL3700 has been successfully completed

Second year knowledge in the relevant discipline (through coursework and appropriate lab work)

This topic will build advanced research implementation and dissemination skills in preparation for their major honours research project and further postgraduate research. In working closely with a research group and an academic supervisor, each student will undertake an extended research programme in this topic. Students will prepare a project proposal that will undergo a peer review process. Outcomes of the research will be disseminated via a presentation at a mini-conference and a simulated scientific journal article. The students will also attend and critically review a number of research seminars during the duration of the topic.

In this topic the aim is for students to continue developing their research implementation skills through an industrial placement in a scientific research laboratory (usually within professional research environments on campus, but occasionally off campus with collaborating research laboratories, under the guidance of a different academic supervisor and project to that undertaken in the prerequisite Research Project 1 topic) and learn new skills in reporting outcomes. Students will learn about constructing research grant proposals and the peer-review process of grant applications. Students will learn about dissemination of research outcomes through attending and critically assessing research seminars and giving a final presentation at a mini-conference at the end of the topic. They will also receive training in how to write a conference paper (simulated journal article) as a form of final report.These aims will thus develop each student's advanced professional and generic skills of planning, carrying out and reporting research activities; developing written and oral communication skills in a scientific context; and in fostering independent thinking, allow them to be able to make informed, justifiable scientific arguments.

At the completion of the topic, students are expected to be able to:

1. Critically assess scientific literature
2. Conduct a directed literature review and research proposal
3. Implement a Research Project
4. Critically assess presented outcomes of other researchers
5. Communicate results of research in a relevant manner (scientific article and conference presentation)