Independent Project: Interpretation, Evaluation and Presentation of Evidence

Module title	Independent Project: Interpretation, Evaluation and Presentation of Evidence
Module code	ARCM701
Academic year	2025/6
Credits	30
Module staff	Dr Sophie Beckett (Convenor)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	10	10	10

Number students taking module (anticipated)	20

Module description

This module requires you to identify and define a field of academic inquiry that aligns closely with your individual research interests. Following this, you will undertake a sustained program of original and independent research, contributing novel data and insights into your chosen field. The module equips you with the proficiency to collect and collate data from diverse sources, effectively analyse and present information for different audiences, and develop relevant illustration skills. Furthermore, you will learn to formulate and critically evaluate hypotheses based on your rigorous data analysis. The final project will be a detailed and well-written study on the selected topic and will make use of supporting illustrations, graphs, tables, and a comprehensive bibliography, that highlights both the depth of the research undertaken and the breadth of knowledge acquired.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The module aims to allow you to pursue an independent programme of research, in which you critically apply appropriate principles and methods to the study of a topic relating to forensic science that has been approved by the module convenor. The module emphasises student autonomy and intellectual rigour, fostering the development of critical research skills relevant to various academic and professional fields.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. Demonstrate competence in design and implementation of a sustained programme of original and independent research.
2. Demonstrate understanding of established research approaches, analytical techniques and methods relevant to a specific research topic.
3. Collate and evaluate existing data and literature from a broad range of sources.
4. Generate laboratory and/or field data or assimilate published/unpublished data relevant to the research topic and proposed hypotheses.
5. Analyse, interpret and critically evaluate project data.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

6. Identify, define and explain a research field and area of specific study within this.
7. Clearly communicate research undertaken, and its outcomes, through effective visual presentation of the results, comprehensive discussion and well-evidenced conclusions.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

8. Demonstrate skills in project and time management.
9. Demonstrate skills in summarising research for diverse and/or interdisciplinary audiences.

Syllabus plan

Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover the following topics:

Research design
Literature review
Ethics
Scientific reasoning and statistics
Visual presentation of results
Publication of research

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
14	286	0

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching	14	Introductory lecture (Term 1). Series of 5 seminars to support research skills, project design and planning (Terms 1 and 2). Three tutorials to support initiation and pursuit of project (Terms 1, 2 and 3)
Guided Independent Study	286	Private study supported by technical staff for practical elements

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Completion of virtual learning environment (VLE) activities	5 hours (1 hr following each seminar session)	1, 3, 7 & 8	Quizzes and self-reflective tasks within VLE activities
Project Proposal	PowerPoint slides (up to 10 slides plus bibliography)	1, 2, 3, 6, 8 & 9	Written comments from supervisor. Peer feedback via anonymous questionnaire on VLE

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
100	0	0

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Independent Project	100	8,000 words	1-9	Mark and written comments

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Independent Project	Independent Project 8,000 words (100%)	1-9	Referred/deferred period

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 50%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Reading materials:

Andersen, R. and Armstrong II, D.A. (2022) Presenting Statistical Results Effectively. 1st edn. London: Sage Text UK.
Bell, J. (2010) Doing Your Research Project. 5th edn. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Education.
Bigwood, S. and Spore, M. (2013) The Designer’s Guide to Presenting Numbers, Figures, and Charts. 1st edn. New York: Allworth.
Blaxter, L., Hughes, C. and Tight, M. (2010) How to research. 4th edn. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill.
Coolidge, F.L. (2020) Statistics: A Gentle Introduction. 4th edn. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.
Creswell, J.W. and Creswell, J.D. (2023) Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. 6^th edn. Sage Publications.
Ewart, J. and Ames, K. (2020) Managing Your Academic Research Project. 1st edn. Singapore: Springer
Field, A.P. (2024) Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics. 6th edn. Los Angeles: Sage.
Joyner, R.L., Rouse, W.A. and Glatthorn, A.A. (2018) Writing the Winning Thesis or Dissertation: A Step-By-Step Guide. 4^th edn. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press.
Kirkup, L. (2019) Experimental Methods for Science and Engineering Students: An Introduction to the Analysis and Presentation of Data. 2^nd edn. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Lovitts, B.E. and Wert, E.L. (2023) Developing Quality Dissertations in the Social Sciences: A Graduate Student’s Guide to Achieving Excellence. 1st edn. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis.
Nardi, P.M. (2015) Doing survey research. 3rd edn. Boca Raton, FL: Routledge, Taylor and Francis
Ngetich, A. (2024) Introduction to Statistics. 1st edn. Burlington: Toronto Academic Press.
Nicol, A.A.M. and Pexman, P.M. (2010) Displaying your findings: a practical guide for creating figures, posters, and presentations. 6th edn. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Read, S.H. (2024) Academic Writing Skills for International Students. 2nd edn. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Reid, H.M. (2014) Introduction to statistics: fundamental concepts and procedures of data analysis. 1st edn. Thousand Oaks: SAGE.
Rudestam, K.E. and Newton, R.R. (2015) Surviving your dissertation: a comprehensive guide to content and process. 4^th edn. Thousand Oaks: SAGE.
Silvia, P.J. (2018) How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing. 2nd edn. Washington, D. C: American Psychological Association.
Stephan Felix, M. and Smith, I. (2019) A practical guide to dissertation and thesis writing. Newcastle upon Tyne, England: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Sword, H. (2012) Stylish academic writing. 1st edn. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Journals:

Analytical Chemistry
Forensic Science International
International Journal of Legal Medicine
Journal of Forensic Sciences
Science and Justice
The International Journal of Evidence and Proof

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE2

Key words search

Forensic Science, Independent Project, Forensic Research

Credit value	30
Module ECTS	15
Module pre-requisites	None
Module co-requisites	None
NQF level (module)	7
Available as distance learning?	No
Origin date	08/05/2025