RESEARCH METHODOLOGY FOR NUTRITION AND EXERCISE - 2020/1
Module code: BMS3057
Module Overview
This module will provide a broadly-based review of current methods employed in experimental nutrition, with hands on practical aspects in statistics, body composition and dietary assessment as well as experience in scientific writing and critical reviews.
Module provider
School of Biosciences and Medicine
Module Leader
LANHAM-NEW Susan (Biosc & Med)
Number of Credits: 15
ECTS Credits: 7.5
Framework: FHEQ Level 6
Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A
Overall student workload
Independent Learning Hours: 119
Lecture Hours: 20
Tutorial Hours: 2
Practical/Performance Hours: 9
Module Availability
Semester 1
Prerequisites / Co-requisites
N/A
Module content
Indicative content includes:
• Overview of key aspects of scientific study design
• Description and practical application of epidemiological studies
• Assessment and practical experience of body composition measurements
• Assessment and practical experience of dietary assessment methodology
• Overview and practical use of different experimental techniques in nutritional science including omic technologies and stable isotope work
• Understand the application and background to nutritional epidemiology and it’s implications for public health nutrition
• Be able to undertake a critical analysis of the design and implementation of intervention projects and statistical analysis of datasets.
• Practical Coursework and Essay Coursework feedback and revision tutorials
Assessment pattern
| Assessment type | Unit of assessment | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | COURSEWORK - STATISTICS | 30 |
| Examination | EXAMINATION - ESSAYS - 120 MINUTES | 70 |
Alternative Assessment
N/A
Assessment Strategy
The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate critical thinking, understanding of the taught topics and extra reading
Thus, the assessment strategy for this module consists of:
- Coursework Practical on Statistics (Submission of 1500 word report with practical analysis of a dataset and simple/applied Statistics). Marked by Professor SA Lanham-New
- Coursework Essay – Critical Review of Scientific Paper (1500 word report). Marked by Dr Ruan Elliott
- Submission deadline 3 weeks after the lecture/practical has run
- Final exam (linked to all learning Outcomes)
Formative assessment and feedback:
- Feedback on essays (written feedback on essay and one-to-one feedback, as requested)
- Generic post-coursework feedback (on-line)
- Feedback on final exam (written feedback on examscripts, one-to-one feedback, as requested, with generic on-line feedback)
Module aims
- To provide a broadly-based review of current methods employed in experimental nutrition.
- To provide theoretical frameworks for the applications of experimental techniques and provide bases for selection of appropriate experimental methods.
- To provide an understanding of the terms epidemiology and nutritional epidemiology, introduce the important scientific concepts in study design, research protocol development and calibration of methods of investigation
- To introduce the important design strategies and interpretation of nutritional epidemiological studies and other relevant data and databases together with an understanding of key statistical issues including sampling, study size and statistical power
- To demonstrate analysis and evaluation of data; application of statistical methods and use of computer packages
- To provide a framework to understanding the important concepts in the design and implementation of intervention projects and the methods required for monitoring and evaluating effectiveness and efficiency.
- To provide practical experience in body composition measurements and dietary intake assessment
- To provide experience in scientific writing and critical reviews
Learning outcomes
| Attributes Developed | ||
| 1 | Select experimental methods appropriate to a particular experimental objective and design. | KC |
| 2 | Appreciate the limitations of presently available experimental methods. | KCT |
| 3 | To provide experience of obtaining and assessing anthropometric data. | KCP |
| 4 | Define and have a working knowledge of nutritional epidemiology and demonstrate a basic understanding of the fundamental scientific concepts of study design. | KCT |
| 5 | Appreciate the advantages and disadvantages of a range of techniques used in nutritional research including metablonomics, proteonomics and stable isotope work. | KCT |
| 6 | Appreciate and understand the important design strategies of nutritional epidemiological studies and the correct procedures for interpretation of data. | KCT |
| 7 | Be able to undertake a critical analysis of the design and implementation of intervention projects and statistical analysis of datasets. | CPT |
| 8 | Communicate experimental findings clearly in written form, with discussion and critical evaluation relevant to current literature. | CPT |
Attributes Developed
C - Cognitive/analytical
K - Subject knowledge
T - Transferable skills
P - Professional/Practical skills
Methods of Teaching / Learning
The learning and teaching methods include:
• Lectures
• Practicals: Critical thinking & digital literacy
• Tutorials
• Coursework
• Advised extra reading, including scientific papers and reviews
Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.
Reading list
https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: BMS3057
Programmes this module appears in
| Programme | Semester | Classification | Qualifying conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport and Exercise Science BSc (Hons) | 1 | Compulsory | A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module |
| Nutrition BSc (Hons) | 1 | Compulsory | A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module |
| Food Science and Nutrition BSc (Hons) | 1 | Compulsory | A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module |
| Nutrition and Dietetics BSc (Hons) | 1 | Compulsory | A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module |
| Food Science and Microbiology BSc (Hons) | 1 | Optional | A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module |
Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2020/1 academic year.