Research Project
| Module title | Research Project |
|---|---|
| Module code | BIOM711Z |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 45 |
| Module staff | Professor Mark Ramsdale (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 40 |
|---|
Module description
This module will help you acquire the skills and confidence to undertake supervised original research in the field of medical mycology at your place of work and to formulate your ideas and communicate your findings effectively through the production of a dissertation. It will further help you undertake critical reading, appraisal and analysis of the research literature. The MSc in Medical Mycology Research Project is the final step of the MSc in which you have to undertake a novel line of research in the area of medical mycology.
Possible topics for the MSc Dissertation/Research Project include scientific research in any of the subjects being taught on the MSc from studies of molecular / cellular events pertinent to pathogen or host biology to patient outcomes and antifungal drug susceptibility and resistance provided that the project involves data collection / collation and analysis.
During the course of the project, you will be expected to develop responsibility for the design, planning and implementation of the study, as well as analysing the data and reporting on the research project. Therefore, this project will provide valuable experience of managing original scientific research, from its inception through to completion. This will be a valuable addition to your scientific training, and has the potential to enhance your employability and career trajectory.
The election of the MSc Research Project topic and supervisor(s) should be the result of an agreement between the student, the BSMM local supervisor and the designated module course tutor
Students should have completed four modules from a selection of BIOM704Z – BIOM709Z prior to taking this module.
As a co-requisite, students must also take the module BIOM710Z.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aims of this module are to help you acquire the skills and confidence to undertake supervised original research in the field of medical mycology and to formulate and communicate your findings effectively through the production of a dissertation. You will gain specialist knowledge of scientific literature in your chosen study area, and will learn to assimilate this knowledge in a succinct and critical manner. The module will give you experience of undertaking a substantial research project and you will be able to put into practice the knowledge you have acquired from other modules in the MSc Medical Mycology (online) programme.
By the end of this module you will have carried out a piece of original research (or research which extends our knowledge on a topic), analysed the results using appropriate methods and learned how to disseminate the results in an appropriate manner.
In addition, the module will allow you to further develop the following academic and professional skills:
- Problem solving: linking theory to practice, developing your own ideas with confidence, being able to respond to novel and unfamiliar problems.
- Managing structure: identifying key demands of the project, setting clearly defined goals, responding flexibly to changing priorities.
- Time management: managing time effectively, individually and as part of a research team.
- Collaboration: taking initiative and leading others, potentially maintaining group cohesiveness and purpose
The project is the final module of the MSc programme but many students will wish to start organising and initiating their project earlier on in the course. Following discussion with the course tutor and local supervisor, topic titles and a short outline of the research activity will need to be submitted for approval to the MSc Medical Mycology organising committee before the work commences. The project should be original work conducted in your base laboratory or within a suitable clinical environment but will require close supervision by a local supervisor and designated course tutor.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Critically and independently, assess the field in which your research project will be conducted.
- 2. Independently design and present a means of dealing with a critical research issue
- 3. Follow systematically and consistently the phases of a research project, i.e. hypothesis generation, experimental design, data collection, data analysis and report writing using methods and techniques agreed with your supervisor.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Analyse and critically evaluate essential facts and theory across a sub-discipline of the biosciences, and embed research-informed examples from the literature in written work.
- 5. Identify and apply, autonomously and with originality, appropriate methodologies and theories for solving a range of complex and demanding problems in medical mycology
- 6. Deploy established techniques of analysis, investigation, and enquiry within the biosciences.
- 7. Evaluate in detail, and critique, approaches to our understanding of medical mycology with reference to primary literature, reviews and research articles.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 8. Devise, and sustain independently, a logical and reasoned argument with convincing conclusions.
- 9. Effectively communicate arguments, evidence, and conclusions in a range of complex and specialised contexts using a variety of formats to specialist and non-specialist audiences both in the written report and in an oral presentation.
- 10. Analyse and evaluate appropriate data and complete a range of research tasks independently.
- 11. Evaluate your own strengths and weaknesses in relation to graduate-level professional and research skills, and act autonomously to develop new areas of skills as necessary demonstrating the skills and attitudes needed to advance own knowledge and understanding.
- 12. Reflect effectively and independently on learning experiences and evaluate critically personal achievements.
Syllabus plan
The election of the MSc thesis topic and supervisor(s) should be the result of an agreement between you, your local BSMM supervisor and the designated course tutor. The criteria for the MSc Research Project evaluation will be clearly stated in the MSc handbook, and they will include at least the following items:
- The originality of the research �
- The degree of difficulty of the research work carried out �
- The robustness of the methodological approach �
- The quality of the written dissertation �
- The quality of the oral presentation �
Your professionalism including your intellectual contributions project design, planning implementation, analysis, interpretation and report planning throughout the duration of the project, will be assessed against guidelines provided (research performance). In addition, you will submit a final project report in the form of a paper that is prepared in the format of a specific scientific journal. You will also present a talk on your project as a video recording.
The following timetable is to provide guidance for students intending to complete the MSc programme within 3 years, timeframes will alter for those extending the completion of the course.
Year 1: No action, but students may wish to begin to explore possibilities.
End Year 1 / beginning Year 2 (September/October):
Students should start a dialogue with their supervisory team and consider possible project areas.
Mid - Year 2 (February):
A project should be agreed with the BSMM/ University of Exeter supervisor and formal submission to the course committee made. The submission needs to be made before the end of March in the year prior to the project year (i.e. usually in year 2).
Beginning Year 3 (September):
Formal approval by Course Committee. Project commences.
Mid - Year 3 (January):
Submission of project by 30th January. If students experience difficulties in completing their practical work and wish to be considered for an extension to their deadline, the programme director must be notified by email 2 months in advance of the deadline.
It may be necessary to initiate a project earlier in the course e.g. extra time required for sample collection. In these cases, the BSMM/University of Exeter supervisor should inform the Programme Director who will consider the merits on a case-by-case basis.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 430 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 20 | Meetings with the project supervisor |
| Guided independent study | 430 | Additional reading, research and preparation of a literature review. Experimental design, data collection, data analysis and preparation for the final paper assessment. |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short answer questions with project supervisors at regular meetings | Ongoing throughout the project period | All | Oral |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video presentation | 20 | 10 minutes | All | Written |
| Project report | 80 | 8000 words | All | Written |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video presentation | Video presentation (20%) | All | 16 weeks from the date feedback was given |
| Project report | Project report (80%) | All | 16 weeks from the date feedback was given |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons that are approved by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. If deferred, the format and timing of the re-assessment for each of the summative assessments is detailed in the table above ('Details of re-assessment'). The mark given for a deferred assessment 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 (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) and the module cannot be condoned, you will be required to complete a re-assessment for each of the failed components on the module. The format and timing of the re-assessment for each of the summative assessments is detailed in the table above ('Details of re-assessment'). If you pass the module following re-assessment, your module mark will be capped at 50%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- As agreed between you and your project supervisors. Reference will be made to the most recent articles and reports in the field and will focus on the primary literature.
Also of use when planning and writing up the project will be:
- Ruxton, G.D. and Colegrave, N. (2006) Experimental Design for the Life Sciences. OUP. ISBN 01992 52327
- Barass, R (2002) Scientists Must Write: A Guide to Better Writing for Scientists, Engineers and Students.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
- Exeter Learning Environment (ELE):
- MRC CMM: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/medicalmycology/
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
· Relevant papers will be included within each section of the module
| Credit value | 45 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 22.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | Four modules from BIOM704Z-BIOM709Z |
| Module co-requisites | BIOM710Z |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | Yes |
| Origin date | 14/04/2022 |
| Last revision date | 01/11/2023 |
