Unit information: Research Project in 2028/29

Unit name	Research Project
Unit code	BIOC30007
Credit points	40
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Dr. Cory
Open unit status	Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)	BIOC20001 - Molecular Cell Biology BIOC20002 - Macromolecular Structure, Dynamics and Function MOLG22100 -Recombinant DNA Technology MOLG22200 - Gene Expression and Rearrangement
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)	BIOC30009 - Advanced Molecular Cell Biology BIOC30004 – Advanced Macromolecular Structure and Function And either: BIOC30005 - Topics in Medical Biochemistry Or: BIOC30006 – Topics in Applied Biochemistry
Units you may not take alongside this one	Not applicable
School/department	School of Biochemistry
Faculty	Faculty of Life Sciences

Unit Information

Why is this unit important?
In this unit, students undertake two substantial pieces of independent project work. The Research Project consists of a 20-24 day, supervised research project, normally undertaken as part of one of the research groups in the School, or as a group project in the teaching laboratories. The Literature Review Project is a library-based research project in which an independent review of the primary scientific literature is carried out, again under the supervision of a member of academic staff. The unit is examined primarily through the writing of two dissertations.

How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
Students on BSc degree programmes undertake the Research Project unit as part of their final year of study. The unit aims to develop key research and analytical skills in biochemistry. Students will gain experience of biochemical research and gain an understanding of scientific enquiry through the project work.

Your learning on this unit

An overview of content
Two separate pieces of project work are undertaken with different project supervisors. Students have an opportunity to state preferences for the projects they wish to undertake.

• A wide range of Literature Review Projects are available addressing either specific biochemical topics or wider themes.
• The following types of Research Project are usually available:
  • Experimental: lab-based research projects. Most of these are group projects in which a small group of students work to address a scientific question, producing individual reports on the findings.
  • Computational: computer-based research projects, normally involving data-mining/analysis or molecular modelling.
  • Information: investigation of a hypothesis or problem that is current to the supervisor’s research, exploring the background to the problem through the available literature, analysing critically available information pertaining to the problem and proposing/assessing ways of addressing the problem experimentally.
  • Education: either delivering a research experience in a local school (when available) or researching and developing education materials suitable for undergraduate education (e.g. on-line tutorials, practicals, etc))

How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
After engaging with the unit, students should be able to:

1. Undertake supervised research to investigate research questions or educational opportunities
2. Work independently and as part of a laboratory team as appropriate
3. Collect, analyse and interpret data
4. Write their research findings as a research report
5. Present their findings and answer questions on their research project in an oral examination
6. Undertake self-directed reading of the primary scientific literature to inform a research report.
7. Demonstrate an ability to work independently on their literature review project and manage their time.
8. Demonstrate an ability to identify relevant scientific literature, and critically analyse and synthesize information presented in research publications.
9. Demonstrate an ability to communicate complex scientific ideas in a coherent literature review dissertation.

Learning Outcomes
Learning on this unit directly addresses components of the Bristol Skills Profile, including:
How to think in and beyond my discipline.

How you will learn

Supervised project work, supervisor/student meetings, workshops, lectures.

How you will be assessed

Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):

• Students will receive feedback on selected aspects of drafts of their project reports.
• Students will discuss their project work and report with their supervisor.
• Where relevant, students will engage with online material and in-person workshops to guide the project writing process.
• Students will give informal talks on their projects to their tutorial group.

Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
The components that make up the unit assessment are:

• Supervisor assessment of performance in the Research Project: 10%
• Research Project Dissertation: 45%
• Second marker assessment of performance in viva voce examination: (5%
• Literature Review Project dissertation: 40%

To earn credit for this unit you must normally have made a reasonable attempt at each of the components of the unit assessment. A reasonable attempt requires a student to have undertaken the assessment activity and engaged with its purpose in the academic judgement of the relevant Unit Director, or nominee.

When assessment does not go to plan
Where required, a reassessment normally involves a second attempt at the same form of assessment.

Resources

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. BIOC30007).

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.