Undergraduate Course: Research Methods and Transferable Skills (GESC11005)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Year 5 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | This course will enable students to learn general transferable skills and professional skills appropriate to their MEarthSci year, as well as help students manage the transition from working at an undergraduate to a postgraduate level. |
| Course description |
Emphasis will be placed on small group teaching with strong staff-student interaction. Key analytical techniques used in geoscience research will be introduced through a series of short modules, both in terms of presenting the theoretical background to analytical techniques as well as actual hands-ons training using equipment. Advantages and limitations of different techniques will also be compared and discussed. Students will be able to draw on the skills acquired during the course to plan and execute their independent research topic, but will also have the opportunity to become familiar with techniques more widely used in geoscience research.
Core research skills will also be presented through a series of workshops, including how to determine the statistical validity of analytical and experimental data, comparing data and results with published literature, dealing with large data sets, presenting and describing data in both graphical and text-based methods, presenting data through verbal and poster presentations (at the level of a large scientific conference), and preparing scientific reports.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | While there are no pre-requisites for this course, only students who are accepted onto the MEarthSci programme can enrol in it. |
| Additional Costs | None. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2020/21, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 25,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
71 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Written Exam: 0%, Course Work: 100 %, Practical Exam: 0%.
Coursework 100%
¿ Pebblepad Blog ¿ 100%
Assessment Deadlines
Pebblepad Blog (sem1) 12 noon Thursday week 11
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| Feedback |
Opportunities for feedback are continuous throughout the course. Students are able to ask for verbal feedback weekly throughout the course informally.
Formative feedback are available to students on their first few blog posts, through the comments mechanism, available in blogs.
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| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Gain an insight into a number of key analytical techniques used in geoscience and applicable to their research projects.
- Develop strong staff-student interaction allowing them to develop professional transferable skills.
- Understand the level of statistical validity of the data they collect (as well as the data of others), and to be able to discuss these. Students will be able to present and describe these data with graphical and text-based methods.
- Develop a range of science communication skills from public outreach skills to professional skills for presenting their research to their peers.
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Reading List
| There is no recommended reading list for this course as it is subject to the projects chosen. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | MEarthSci_ResMethods_Transkills |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Alex Thomas
Tel: (0131 6)50 8749
Email: Alex.Thomas@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Katerina Sykioti
Tel: (0131 6)50 5430
Email: Katerina.Sykioti@ed.ac.uk |
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