SCI07013 2020 Research Skills

Identify, analyse, compare and integrate findings from relevant scientific literature sources.

Select appropriate statistical methods to analyse bioscience data arising from research.

Formulate the objectives and draw up an appropriate overall experimental plan for a project within a chosen area of scientific research.

Recognise the scope (strengths and limitations) of previously-reported work and produce the current state of knowledge within the chosen area of scientific research.

Lectures will be used to deliver key concepts on the theory and methodology of research design and statistical analysis as used in the biosciences. These will provide students with an appreciation of the different biostatistical research methodologies and will equip them to choose an appropriate research design for their BSc Honours project. Learning materials for the lectures will be provided within the Virtual Learning Environment Blackboard Learn.

Tutorials will guide students on selection of a Project topic, accessing current science publications, planning a project and writing a literature review. Students will be expected to interact with the e-Tutor via online discussion, mail and chat tools within Blackboard Learn. Practical exercises within Blackboard Learn will provide students with experience in the use of MS Excel and SPSS to analyse data arising from a number of bioscience research areas. Students will be directed to read relevant scientific papers as appropriate to their chosen Project topic. The module will be offered fully on-line.

An important part of the Research Skills module will be the Honours Project selection process, which is supported by the Module Coordinator and will be completed by the end of week 4. The selection process is illustrated in the diagram below:

Week 1

Discuss Project Selection Option with the Research Skills Module Coordinator "Work-based" Project "Non-work-based" Project

Staff specified "Project" Student Proposed "Project"

Week 2

Student will discuss in-house

●  A problem to solve

●  An opportunity to pursue

Student will review the list of Projects provided by the Module Coordinator Student will consider a research area of interest

Week 3

Student will discuss with Module Coordinator if a "Work-based" Project is possible.

If a "Work-based" Project is not possible then indicate preferences (1 to 5) on a "Project" list for the Module Coordinator

If a "Work-based" Project is not possible then a student can discuss an area of interest with the Module Coordinator

Week 4

If a "Work-based" Project is possible, then the Module Coordinator will agree the Title and secure an appropriate Academic Supervisor

Module Coordinator will allocate a project

If the area of interest is suitable, then the Module Coordinator will agree the Project Title and secure an appropriate Academic Supervisor

A requirement for a "Work-based" Project is that the student can provide the contact details of a manager in his/her work place who has knowledge of the topic selected for the Project. The Module Coordinator must be satisfied that the employer will provide the student with the necessary resources to carry out his/her Project. The Module Coordinator must allocate the student a suitable Academic Supervisor who is a staff member within the School of Biomedical Sciences. Examples of past Project Titles include:

●  Comparison of the VITEK® 2 system against what is currently in practice; disk diffusion antibiotic sensitivity testing for defined resistant mechanisms on clinical isolates

●  Stereological evaluation of placentas from mothers with intrahepatic cholestatis of pregnancy

●  Validation of high sensitivity troponin I immuno assay for routine testing in mainline biochemistry laboratory

A number of "Non work-based" Project titles will be specified by Academic staff drawn from the internationally excellent Research Groups within the School of Biomedical Sciences. All such projects MUST include an element of primary data collection within a biomedical sciences context. As this is a fully online course, such staff specified "Non work-based" Projects are not expected to be based around laboratories at either Coleraine or Sligo.

Typically, such "Non work-based" Projects will be characterised as social research involving qualitative and/or quantitative methods, where the biomedical sciences context can be in the public or private sector or in the community. The Module Coordinator manages the process of "Non-work based" Project selection by inviting students to rank up to 5 projects from a list in order of preference in week 3 of this module. The Module Coordinator then analyses the responses and makes such "Non-work based" Project allocations in week 4. The staff member who specifies the Project topic is the automatic Academic Supervisor.

Examples of such "Non work-based" past Project Titles include:

●  Anti-inflammatory properties of indigenous/European seaweeds and alleviatory affects they create for health spa users in north west Ireland

●  Barrier to uptake of spray vitamin products in Dublin

●  Attitudes to the use of food safety objectives as a risk management tool for pathogens in ready-to-eat foods within the food chain in Northern Ireland

A student can propose to the Module Coordinator a "Non-work based" Project topic of interest to him or her in week 3. The Module Coordinator must be satisfied that the Project topic is suitable from an academic standards point of view and that there is a staff member within the School who has knowledge of the topic. The Module Coordinator will allocate the student a suitable Academic Supervisor who is a staff member within the School of Biomedical Sciences. Examples of such "Non work-based" past Project Titles include:

●  Friar's Cowl (Arisarium vulgare), a new host for Strawberry anthracnose disease (Colletotrichum acutatum) identified in Malta

●  Bovine Colostrum Peptides, their health benefits, and their addition to whey protein supplements

●  Attitudes to Chlamydia Screening among University of Port Harcourt Students

Once the Project Topic is assigned, each student will receive guidance from the Research Skills module e-tutor and his or her Academic Supervisor. The Academic Supervisor is responsible for ensuring the project is feasible, including ethical considerations. Where ethical approval is required, this must be put in place before the Project: Biomedical Sciences module commences.

Written assignment [80%]

Written assignments focus on the student's chosen area of scientific research, and comprises two elements: Project Brief; and Project Literature Review.

Project Brief (30%)

Students will write a plan (500 words) for their chosen Project topic, covering:

•Working title

•Student's name; supervisor's and e-tutor's name

•A concise outline of the background

•The aims

•An outline (no detail) of the practical methods to be used;

•A short description of the statistical methods to be used

•Any factors that potentially limit the value of the Project's results

•Estimated costs

Written feedback will be provided on a bespoke feedback sheet, giving the breakdown of marks and comments based on adherence to the instructions, clarity of expression and presentation, and evidence of understanding the background, aims, methods and limitations.

Project Literature Review (50%)

Students will write a literature review (2500 words) for their chosen Project topic. Written feedback will be provided on a bespoke feedback sheet, giving the breakdown of marks and comments based on presentation and style (abstract, introduction, balance of sections, writing style and standard of English in the main text) and content (focus, quantity/quality of information, citation, coherent integration of information, evidence of understanding, critical evaluation, and suggested areas for further work).

Practical skills assessment [20%]

Students will be provided with one or more data sets from a biomedical sciences research project and a series of questions, which require statistical analysis and interpretation to answer. Written feedback will be provided on a bespoke feedback sheet, giving the breakdown of marks and answers to the questions.

100% Coursework                                                                                                      0% Examination

None.

Literature search. Literature review skills: Guidelines, citation and references.

Project selection (Work-based and Non work-based topics). Project planning. Project log books.

Designing the investigation: Good design. Primary vs secondary data; Survey vs experiment; Research governance and ethics. Health and safety

Interpreting data: Types of data; Central tendency & variability; Significance; Significance & comparisons - ANOVA, correlation and regression analysis.

Social research: Qualitative vs quantitative data; Communication vs observation: Structure; Question types; Tabulating and analysing data; Focus groups.

Computer practicals

1: Creating charts using Microsoft Excel.

2: Use of statistical function in Excel, t-tests and Chi-squared tests.

3: One way analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation and regression. 4: Introduction to SPSS.

5: Questionnaire analysis using SPSS.