Undergraduate Course: MChem Introduction to Research Methods (CHEM10029)
Course Outline
| School | School of Chemistry |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 40 |
ECTS Credits | 20 |
| Summary | This full year course aims to provide training in methods used when carrying out chemical research. There are two small group laboratory based projects hosted by research groups. In addition there are two written exercises designed to train students in literature searching and written communication. The course forms part of the Honours curriculum for students on any of the MChem degree programmes in chemistry that do not also include 'with Industrial Experience' or 'with a Year Abroad'. |
| Course description |
A practical element of the course consists of 'research methods exercises' which introduce specific practical or computational techniques applied to short research projects. These exercises are carried out in small groups, and development of group-working skills is an important aim of this part of the course. Students are required to produce a group paper at the end of the first project and a group poster at the end of the second project.
The course contains an additional written component in which training is provided in searching, reading and assessing the primary chemical literature. Students are required to produce two review articles, which summarise the main theories, concepts and principles of the area of chemistry covered by each article. The second of these articles will be on the subject of the Research Project to be carried out in the final MChem year.
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Execute a defined project of research, working as a member of a team.
- Assess the safety of chemical research in the research laboratory not only in terms of personal safety but also with respect to the safety of others in the laboratory .
- Critically analyse and interpret the results of a research project, drawing and defending a set of conclusions
- Present, at a professional level, the results of a research project as a written paper and a poster presentation.
- Search the chemical literature on a given topic, and summarise the results of the search in written form to a professional standard.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
1. Become familiar with working as part of a team in a research environment.
2. Practice in communicating science producing a paper and a poster.
3. Effective searching of the chemical literature.
4. Summarising literature in the form of a review.
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| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Approximately 400 hours of student practical, and oral, poster, report and literature survey preparation effort, within times assigned. |
| Keywords | MChemRME |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Simon Daff
Tel: (0131 6)50 7386
Email: |
Course secretary | Mrs Moira Wilson
Tel: (0131 6)50 4754
Email: |
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