Natural Sciences

This module is designed to underpin and develop key skills required by a scientific researcher. It comprises interdisciplinary experimental and theoretical work supported through interactive lectures and online material.

At the heart of the module is the extended experiment, which spans the second term: you will design, build, run and analyse experiments that will require elements of computer programming, physics, biology, chemistry and mathematical modelling. The written report of the project will take the form of a scientific paper. You will also present your results as an oral presentation at a conference held at the end of the module.

Techniques used across the sciences will be introduced and explained in a series of lectures, which you will then use to help shape your project. In addition, you will undertake a series of shorter experiments that are designed to develop core, transferrable scientific skills.

This is a compulsory module for students on the BSc/MSci Natural Sciences degree programme.

The aim of this module is to introduce and develop the core skills that are required by a modern scientific researcher. These readily transferrable skills include the ability to design, coordinate, conduct and analyse the results of a multidisciplinary research project, and to summarise the project in the form of a scientific paper and conference presentation. Lectures on modern scientific techniques, along with a series of focussed experiments, aim to build an extensive scientific toolkit with which to design advanced future projects.

On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge:

• 1. Source and assimilate scientific literature
• 2. Plan and execute experimental investigations
• 3. Analyse, interpret and evaluate scientific results
• 4. Develop new ideas based on experimental results and model predictions

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge:

• 5. Collaborate effectively with other scientists
• 6. Use cross-disciplinary approaches to solve scientific problems

Personal and Key Transferable/Employment Skills and Knowledge:

• 7. Communicate effectively and accurately both orally and in writing
• 8. Demonstrate effective use of available tools and resources
• 9. Bring together knowledge, concepts and context to generate ideas

The module is divided into three parts:

• Research skills lectures
• Short experiments
• Extended experiment

The lectures are designed to introduce the concepts needed for the practical, analytical and modelling work and to introduce modern scientific techniques. These occur throughout the year. The Short experiments take place in term 1; the Extended experiment in term 2. The module is supported throughout by academics and demonstrators.

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 40%) you will be required to sit a further assessment as necessary. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 40%.

Reading list for this module:

• G. Ruxton and N. Colegrave: Experimental Design for the Life Sciences (3rd edition), Oxford University Press, ISBN 0199569126
• M. P. Marder, 'Research Methods for Science', Cambridge University Press, ISBN: 0521145848
• W. McKinney, 'Python for Data Analysis', O'Reilly Media, ISBN: 1449319793
• L. Edelstein-Keshet, 'Mathematical Models in Biology', SIAM, ISBN: 0898715547
• D. B. Murphy and M. W. Davidson, 'Fundamentals of Light Microscopy and Electronic Imaging', Wiley-Blackwell, ISBN: 047169214X

Yes

• ELE page: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=4340