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Data Science Project development - CHE00049M

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  • Department: Chemistry
  • Module co-ordinator: Prof. Kevin Cowtan
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25
    • See module specification for other years: 2023-24

Module summary

Students will learn to develop a research project from an initial idea, through a survey of existing work, to producing a proposal for the project including an initial experimental design, data management plan, plan of work and equality and diversity assessment. Students will select a focus area and a member of staff from one of the participating departments, and plan a research project in that area.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2024-25

Module aims

Students will learn to develop a research project from an initial idea, through a survey of existing work, to producing a proposal for the project including an initial experimental design, data management plan, plan of work and equality and diversity assessment. Students will select a focus area and a member of staff from one of the participating departments, and plan a research project in that area. They will present their plan in an oral presentation, as well as in written documents including a review of the background literature.

Module learning outcomes

Students will be able to:

  • Develop an outline project idea into a plan of work and experimental design.

  • Design both exploratory data analysis and make formal hypotheses for testing.

  • Select, appraise and critique relevant prior research.

  • Create a literature review in a specialist subject area.

  • Develop a data management plan.

  • Analyse bibliometrics to investigate structural biases.

  • Present a project proposal to an audience.

Module content

  • The structure of scientific reasoning

  • Planning a research project

  • Writing a literature review

  • Research data management

  • Structural biases in science

  • Presenting a project

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Literature review - 2000 words		 N/A 50
Essay/coursework
Project proposal, ethics & management : oral presentation + written ethics & data mgt forms - 10 minute + 1500 words		 N/A 50

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

Literature review of the research project subject area

2000 word written report

50%

Project proposal, ethics and management

Oral presentation 10 minutes + written ethics and data management forms (1500 words)

50%

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Literature review - 2000 words		 N/A 50
Essay/coursework
Project proposal, ethics & management : oral presentation + written ethics & data mgt forms - 10 minute + 1500 words		 N/A 50

Module feedback

Feedback will be provided through workshops, online exercises and a formative assessment. Feedback on summative work will be provided within 25 working days of the assessment.

Indicative reading

  • Why trust science?
    Naomi Oreskes. Princeton University Press 2019

  • Issues in open research data - Samuel A. Moore. Ubiquity Press 2014


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.