Advanced Methods in Neuroscience
| Module title | Advanced Methods in Neuroscience |
|---|---|
| Module code | NEU2001 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Tom Ridler (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 12 | 11 | 0 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 110 |
|---|
Module description
Building on the skills and knowledge gained in the first year of the BSc Neuroscience programme, this module provides an opportunity to apply and further develop your research skills by participating in a series of laboratory practicals. Each of these has been designed to complement other compulsory and optional modules that take place in the second year of the BSc Neuroscience programme. Practical sessions may include analysis of rodent neurobehavioural data; electrophysiological recording; assessments of human cognitive function, and microscopy on histological sections of brain tissue. This module should prepare you well for your final year research project and optional professional training year.
This is a compulsory module for BSc Neuroscience students.
This module is not suitable for non-specialist students.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to provide you with the relevant skills needed to perform cutting edge neuroscience research with ‘real world’ applications. This includes practical skills in carrying out experimental techniques, organising and analysing data, presenting it effectively, and performing relevant and rigorous statistical testing. These skills will be assessed in several forms. . In the first term, you will produce a poster, containing data from one of the practical sessions and accompany it with a presentation explaining the results. In the second term you will perform an extended research project, which will involve submitting a research proposal, followed by a formal experimental write up at the end of the term.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Understand and analyse different forms of primary neuroscience data
- 2. Compare and contrast neuroscience methods and their strengths and weaknesses
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Use statistical methods to analyse and interpret neuroscience research data.
- 4. Synthesize, and critically evaluate, primary sources of information.
- 5. Analyse and display different types of data effectively
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. Exemplify critical thinking in the construction and analysis of written arguments
- 7. Produce clear scientific writing.
- 8. Communicate information orally and with audio-visual aids
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, an example of an overall structure is as follows:
The module begins with an introductory lecture in week 1 to outline the broad aims and structure of the module and introduce the assessments. At the beginning of term 2, there will be a lecture introducing an extended research project that will encompass the rest of the term. There will also be a workshop session focused on skills for reading and writing scientific reports to aid with the practical write up assessment and a corresponding workshop session focussing on skills needed for the poster and presentation assessments. The module will end with a module wrap lecture, to recap over the concepts covered in the year.
Module content will be delivered across both terms one and two, and fit into the following areas:
Practical classes
Practical classes will run regularly throughout the year. There will be a variety of practical sessions, designed to develop skills in disciplines such as electrophysiology, neuroanatomy, and cognitive neuroscience. Example sessions include:
- Rodent behavioural analysis: Morris water maze
- Microscopy: Neuronal image analysis
- Electrophysiology: Hippocampal field potentials
- Electrophysiology: Epileptic seizures in brain slices
- Neuroanatomy: Brain dissection demonstration
- Neuroanatomy: Histology and cell counting
- Human EEG recordings
- Cognitive neuroscience: Effect of Alcohol
Data analysis and statistics
Each lab based practical session will have a corresponding data analysis session, in which you are guided through the techniques used to analyse the recorded data and have some initial discussions on its relevance. In addition, there will be three statistics workshops. These will recap statistical concepts covered in the first year and work through practical examples of organising data and performing statistic tests.
Small group seminars
Small group seminar sessions, with a facilitator, will take place regularly throughout the term. Each session will focus on a key technique in neuroscience or element of experimental design. You will work through a provided list of key focus points designed to aid self-directed learning and will produce electronic resources to accompany each session.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 67 | 233 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities | 3 | 3 x 1-hour Lectures |
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities | 4 | 2 x 2-hour Assessment workshops |
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities | 24 | 8 x 3-hour Practical sessions |
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities | 10 | 5 x 2-hour Practical data analysis sessions |
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activities | 6 | 3 x 2-hour statistics workshops |
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activities | 20 | 10 x 2-hour Small group seminar sessions |
| Guided Independent Study | 103 | Reading and preparation for practical sessions, seminars, and workshops |
| Guided Independent Study | 80 | Analysing data sets and preparing figures |
| Guided Independent Study | 50 | Assessment preparation: Writing practical report, preparing poster and presentations |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical write up/poster presentation | Feedback on draft figures/seminar activities | 1-7 | Oral or written |
| Seminar participation (research proposal) | 10 x 2 hour sessions | 1-8 | Written and/or 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practical write-up | 40 | 2,000 words or equivalent | 1-7 | Written |
| Practical poster and presentation | 50 | 1 A0 poster (1,000 words or equivalent) with a 10 min oral presentation of the data | 1-8 | Written |
| Research Proposal | 10 | 500 words | 1, 3-6,8 | Written |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical write-up (40%) (2,000 words or equivalent) | Practical write-up (2,000 words or equivalent) (40%) | 1-7 | Ref/Def period |
| Practical poster and presentation (50%) (1 A0 poster [1,000 words or equivalent] and 10 min oral video presentation) | A0 Practical poster (1,000 words or equivalent) and presentation (10 min oral presentation) (50%) | 1-8 | Ref/Def period |
| Research Proposal (10%) | 500 words (10%) | 1, 3,6-8 | Ref/Def period |
Re-assessment notes
Students who are deferred in the coursework will submit the original assessment.
Students who are referred in the coursework will submit a new equivalent assessment of a different practical, from the one(s) originally assessed, in the ref/def period.
Please also refer to the TQA section on Referral/Deferral: http://as.exeter.ac.uk/academic-policy-standards/tqa-manual/aph/consequenceoffailure/
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
“Writing for Science Students”â?¯– Boyle & Ramseyâ?¯ISBN-13:â?¯978-1137571519â?¯
“Experimental Design for the Life Sciences” – Ruxton and Colegrave, OUP Oxford, 2011. ISBN-13: 9780198717355
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
ELE – College to provide hyperlink to appropriate pages
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | NEU1010 |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 5 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 18/02/21 |
| Last revision date | 19/02/2024 |
