| Unit name | Project Proposal |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PANMM0030 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2D (weeks 19 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. James |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine |
| Faculty | Faculty of Life Sciences |
Why is this unit important?
In this unit you will make the connection between understanding and appraisal of the scientific literature, and the identification of a research question and experimental design of a project to address that question. In this unit, you will first meet with your project supervisor(s), an expert researcher(s), who will guide you through the background literature and discuss the questions that can be addressed by the project. This unit will allow you to develop and demonstrate your higher-level skills, moving from the review and appraisal of published studies to the creation of an experimental design. Through dialogue with your supervisor, you will produce a project plan based on your experimental design situating your project in the context of the literature, making clear the importance of your proposed project in the wider context of the field.
How does this fit in with your programme of study?
This mandatory unit which runs during Teaching Block 2D (TB2D) consolidates the skills in critical engagement and appraisal of published research that you have developed through the Literature Review. The unit adds to these skills the identification of a research question: a gap in the literature that needs to be addressed. In discussion with your supervisor, you will produce an experimental design for your project. Together, these are critical components of the scientific process. The Project Proposal represents an introduction to the Research Project but is assessed separately.
An overview of content
The Unit consists of a project proposal. This includes gaining an understanding of the literature relevant to the project, leading to identification of a research question(s) and a plan for the proposed project. You will also produce a graphical abstract to summarise your project proposal. The project proposal is on a subject of your own choosing, taken from a list of projects covering important topics in contemporary biomedical sciences research supplied by the Programme Director. The project proposal forms a background to the Research Project dissertation which is in the same research area, but is assessed separately, prior to the assessment of the dissertation.
How will students, personally, be different as a results of the unit
You will develop further skills in the review and appraisal of the literature and gain experience in the planning of a research project. You will develop skills in the interpretation and evaluation of data from various sources including primary research papers, databases, and systematic reviews. You will develop skills in searching the literature and databases. You will gain experience of communicating complex scientific concepts visually and to a non-specialist audience. In working independently, you will demonstrate organisation and time management skills.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the Unit you should be able to:
In this unit, you will work independently to study published research relevant to your chosen topic, exploring an important question in the biomedical sciences to produce your project proposal. You will have regular meetings with your project supervisor to discuss your progress. You will receive guidance on how to communicate scientific concepts visually. You will attend regular journal club sessions where you will learn how to critically engage with primary research and discuss different experimental approaches with peers.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks:
You will have gained experience of critically engaging with scientific literature and will have developed scientific writing skills through written assessments in earlier parts of the programme, including the Literature Review unit (unit code). In the Project Proposal, you will apply your knowledge and understanding of the literature, devising an experimental plan to interrogate an important research question in the field of biomedical sciences.
You will have regular meetings with your supervisor to discuss your approach and will submit a draft of your project proposal to your supervisor for formative feedback. You will receive support around communicating scientific concepts visually. You will also submit a lay summary of your project proposal for formative feedback.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Your written project proposal is the main part of the assessment for this unit (90% of mark). You will also produce a graphical abstract, demonstrating your ability to communicate complex scientific concepts visually, as well as in written form (10%).
When assessment does not go to plan
If you are unable to submit your literature review by the deadline, you can request a coursework extension at least 48 hours in advance of the submission deadline.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to the programme of study. The Board of Examiners will take into account any Exceptional Circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. PANMM0030).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
