SKILLS IN SCIENCE

BIO5SIS

2019

Credit points: 15

Subject outline

This subject provides students with the opportunity to develop their skills in critical analysis, problem solving and data analysis and presentation. The subject will use published journal articles together with a range of scientific problems to support learning of these skills. The subject does not contain a practical component but complements practical subjects and thesis writing subjects through the analysis of data and experimental design components. These skills form an essential part of any upper level scientific study program. In completing tasks for this subject, students are expected to draw on their prior learning and experiences in scientific problem solving.

School: School of Molecular Sciences/LIMS

Credit points: 15

Subject Co-ordinator: Jeff Yeoman

Available to Study Abroad Students: Yes

Subject year level: Year Level 5 - Masters

Exchange Students: Yes

Subject particulars

Subject rules

Prerequisites: Must be admitted in one of the following courses: SGBB or SMBB or SMBM or SMBT or SMNT or PSMSC or SZHSMN or SMCHS. All other students require coordinator approval.

Co-requisites: N/A

Incompatible subjects: N/A

Equivalent subjects: N/A

Special conditions: N/A

Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes

01. Recognise and apply appropriate vocabulary to describe experiments

Activities:
Experimental Design Lectures and Quiz

02. Analyse experiments critically

Activities:
Experimental Design Lecturesand Quiz Analysing Literature Lectures and Quiz

03. Report data in a relevant, meaningful and clear context

Activities:
Analysing Literature Lectures and Quiz

04. Convey an understanding of current scientific methodology through written communication

Activities:
Grant Report Writing

Melbourne, 2019, Semester 2, Day

Overview

Online enrolment: Yes

Maximum enrolment size: N/A

Enrolment information:

Subject Instance Co-ordinator: Jeff Yeoman

Class requirements

Lecture/WorkshopWeek: 32 - 43
Two 2.0 hours lecture/workshop per week on weekdays during the day from week 32 to week 43 and delivered via face-to-face.

Assessments

Assessment elementComments%ILO*
Grant proposal assignment (2,000-word equivalent)Students will work throughout the semester on designing a project suitable for a research grant application. Assessment will consist of both a 500 word 'press release' and the final template-based ~1500 word grant proposal.3501, 03, 04
Grant proposal planning (1,000-word equivalent)Students will write an annotated bibliography of relevant research articles and prepare a template-based 'Expression of Interest' document to precede the grant proposal assignment.1502, 04
5 minute individual oral presentation (500-word equivalent)Students will analyse and explain and experiment from one scientific journal article using a maximum of one slide.1001, 02, 03
Two 1 hour tests (1,000- words equivalent each, total 2,000-word equivalent)Students will sit an in-class written test consisting of both multiple choice and short answer problem-solving questions at the end of each lecture block.4001, 02, 03