FBMRSP: Research Skills and Project

Module code: FBMRSP

Module provider: Food and Nutritional Sciences; School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy

Credits: 60

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Full year

Module convenor: Dr Stephanie Bull, email: stephanie.bull@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: Yes

Last updated: 19 September 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The module provides you with the opportunity, skills and tools to undertake a detailed research project on an individual topic, which is usually linked to the current research activities in the department. Throughout the project you will work as an independent research scientist, helping to design the project, undertake the research and write up the analysis in the format of a research paper. In addition, the module provides the opportunity to enhance your self-awareness and personal effectiveness along with developing strategies to facilitate the decision-making processes that will enhance your career development.

The module aims to:

• Provide you with a detailed understanding of how food and nutrition research is carried out through the design and execution of an individual project.
• Provide you with an opportunity to reflect upon your personal and professional development throughout the course.

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Formulate and evaluate research questions in collaboration with academics
2. Critically evaluate the scientific literature around a research topic
3. Develop and apply appropriate independent research skills
4. Produce a manuscript to Communicate the results from a research project
5. Develop a reflective portfolio to summarise your personal development journey throughout the course

Module content

The following topics will be covered within the module; research design, research methods, analysing research data, project management, literature searching, reflect upon your personal and professional development, and enhancing your employability.

Each research project is unique depending upon the topic being investigated, as such the experimental techniques learnt will vary depending upon the project. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module will consist of face-to-face workshops and lectures, supplemented with online resources. The project will consist of independent research supported by your supervisor.

Study hours

At least 55 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 50% to pass this module.

Students taking the MSc in Nutrition and Food Science need to achieve all of the following to pass this module:

1. a mark of 50% in each assessment

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.

Project plan (Dissertation week 1)

Mid-project supervisor assessment (Dissertation week 7)

Reassessment

Additional costs