BI2RP3: Research and Professional Skills

Module code: BI2RP3

Module provider: School of Biological Sciences

Credits: 20

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Dr Renee Lee, email: r.b.y.lee@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Mike Fry, email: m.j.fry@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The ability to critically evaluate/appraise scientific literature, effectively communicate ideas, handle data and apply appropriate quantitative (statistical) approaches are crucial skills for students to master.This module will enhance the skills that you have gathered in your first year and use a combination of lectures, workshops, academic tutor led sessions and group activities to help you to develop and refine these skills. This will not only prepare you for your immediate coursework, but the final year Research Project and your future career.  

As the employment landscape is rapidly changing, subject knowledge alone is no longer enough to succeed in a highly competitive job market. With that in mind, this module will also help you to develop your personal and professional skills (also known as transferable skills), ranging from time/project management and teamwork to enhancing your creativity, enterprise and commercial awareness. You will build and maintain a record of your personal learning development using an electronic portfolio. This will allow you to evidence, reflect and receive feedback on your skills acquisition, including the progress that you have made and identify areas that might need improvement.  

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Demonstrate the ability to communicate in various styles, including essays, proposals and presentations; whilst citing and referencing work in an appropriate manner thereby ensuring academic integrity. 
2. Apply appropriate statistical approaches to the analysis and interpretation of biological data.  
3. Develop the skills for independent lifelong learning, including working independently, time management, enterprise and knowledge transfer skills.  
4. Evaluate and reflect on their personal, academic and professional development through the production of a portfolio.  

Module content

The module will be made up of a series of lectures and workshops on statistics, critical scientific reading/writing and careers (including how to construct an effective CV and cover letter). There will also be lectures on the role and impact of intellectual property (IP) within a research environment, knowledge transfer and commercialisation, mitigation of security risks, project management and proposal writing. Students will also be taught how to deliver an elevator pitch and screencast as well as construct a reflective, skills portfolio. Finally, students will be given the opportunity to explore the various sectors in Biology in ‘Meet the Professionals’ (led by invited, external speakers). The various lectures and workshops will be supplemented with drop-in and academic tutor led sessions, thus providing the students with further guidance and support.  

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The learning outcomes will be met through a combination of lectures, workshops, self-directed learning and directed independent study. Appropriate supplementary information and reading lists will be provided on Blackboard. There will also be structured, academic tutor led activities to complement the lecture material and encourage teamwork, reflection and forward planning. Support and guidance (especially for the portfolio) will also be available in the form of several drop-in sessions.  

Study hours

At least 44 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• 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 three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/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.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs