MTMC02-Professional Skills in Data Science

Module Provider: Meteorology
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Spring / Summer module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded: MTMG05 Professional Skills
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Prof Bryan Lawrence
Email: b.n.lawrence@reading.ac.uk

Module Co-convenor: Dr Hilary Weller
Email: h.weller@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module comprises writing skills, a team literature review, a short course on data management skills, and employment related presentations and visits.

Aims:

The aim of this module is to enhance skills and give practice in techniques relevant to many areas of research and consultancy work in data science and beyond. These skills include:

• literature and internet searching;


• critical reviewing of literature;


• oral presentation skills;


• writing for a non-scientific audience;


• team-working;


• data acquisition, production and management.

Assessable learning outcomes:

Part 1 - New Skills (Autumn term: Dr Hilary Weller) There is no summative assessment of this part of MTMC02, but a marked practice essay will provide knowledge and skills relevant to some other MSc programme modules. A session on library skills for research will be included in Part 1. A series of seminars and workshops during the term will cover presentation skills and other transferable skills, as well as careers and career development.

Part 2 - Team Project (Dr Hilary Weller) By the end of this part of the module the student will have obtained experience in:

• planning a small literature review project both in terms of the student’s own work and in terms of the team as a whole;


• demonstrating the ability to work within a team; 


• critically assessing the relevance of material to a particular project;


• organising and producing written material for both scientific and non-scientific audiences.

Part 3 – Short course (Prof. Bryan Lawrence) The purpose of the short course is to prepare students for finding, handling, documenting, and describing code, models, and data within their masters projects (and beyond). By the end of this part of the module the student will be armed with:

• techniques for describing code and data, properly documenting the scientific provenance of their work, and crediting work on data and code carried out by others;


• familiarity with potential data sources and technical environments for workflows involving "big climate data" and AI/ML;


• experience getting access to and using suitable platforms for data intensive research.

Additional outcomes:

Outline content:

Part 1 - Bibliographic searching skills with online library facilities; wider context of weather forecasting and climate prediction; sessions focusing on potential careers.



Part 2 - Team Project. Students will work in teams of 3 or 4 on a subject of topical interest in climate change.

Part 3 – Short course in data management

• Diagramming the workflow; controlled vocabularies and ontologies


• Accessing data; associated ethical issues


• Version control


• Provenance of both code and data; data ethics; citation practice


• Accessing public and private cloud providers, and the university research cluster

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Part 1 - New Skills Lectures and hands-on computing practical sessions; formative coursework essay with feedback from tutors.

Part 2 - Team Project  - Students will receive a short introduction to the structure of the team project and some background on the understanding of the general roles of individuals in teams from the course convenor. The team supervisor will provide input on r esources available for the subject and will provide critical input to both written and oral material produced by the team.

Part 3 – Short Course in data management - Lectures and hands-on practical exercises.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures	5		8
Seminars		5
Project Supervision		5
Practicals classes and workshops	5		16
Guided independent study:
Wider reading (directed)	10
Preparation for presentations		12
Preparation of practical report			4
Group study tasks		30
Total hours by term	20	52	28
Total hours for module	100

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Report	50
Project output other than dissertation	50

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Team project report and presentation - 50%

Individual project report - 50%

Formative assessment methods:

Feedback on written work from tutor and team project supervisor.

Penalties for late submission:

The below information applies to students on taught programmes except those on Postgraduate Flexible programmes. Penalties for late submission, and the associated procedures, which apply to Postgraduate Flexible programmes are specified in the policy 'Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes', which can be found here: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmissionpgflexible.pdf
The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

50%

Reassessment arrangements:

Re-submission of individual project report

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books: 

2) Specialist equipment or materials: 

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear: 

4) Printing and binding: 

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification: 

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence: 

Last updated: 30 March 2023