RESEARCH PROJECT PLANNING - 2020/1

Module Overview

This module enables students to implement, in a guided fashion, the skills learnt in the Research Methods module with regard to planning the student’s individual research project. 

Module provider

Mechanical Engineering Sciences

Module Leader

WHITING Mark (Mech Eng Sci)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Indicative content:

The Module Co-ordinator introduces the module content to the student and issues a set of guidance notes.  Students communicate with their Project Supervisor(s) on a regular basis so that the Project Supervisor(s) can assess student progress and guide the student through the various aspects of the module.  Specifically:

• the overall aims of the student’s research project


• how to find, assess the relevance of, and collate, literature relevant to the project (including textbook and research literature)


• understanding the anticipated research methodology to be used in the Project, including the details of experimental techniques and their complexities


• develop an understanding of the factors that might affect the smooth running of the project


• present the plan for the project in the form of a Project Plan (e.g. a Gantt chart);the preparation of a short PowerPoint presentation, with accompanying explanatory notes, explaining the Project aims, background, methodology and timescales.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

NA

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy:

 Demonstrate the ability, with limited guidance, to identify clearly in no more than 200 words the aims and desired outcomes of the project. Demonstrate the ability to identify and select relevant literature from a self-determined range of sources showing an understanding of the underlying issues through the appropriateness of the literature collated in this task Demonstrate self-direction and originality in devising a project plan for the implementation of a set of tasks at a professional level Demonstrate the ability to present the aims, methodology and desired outcomes of the project within the format of a PowerPoint presentation.

 ·         Q1 (Project aims) [Learning outcomes 4]                                                     (30 hours)

Mon/Tues 6 weeks after instructions issued                                                 {20%}

·         Q2 (Relevant literature) [Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3]                                    (60 hours)

Mon/Tues 6 weeks after instructions issued                                                 {40%}

·         Q3 (Project plan) [Learning outcomes 4,5]                                                   (30 hours)

Mon/Tues 6 weeks after instructions issued                                                 {20%}

·         Q4 {PowerPoint presentation}  [Learning outcomes 1 ,2 ,3, 4, 5, 6] (30 hours)

Mon/Tues 6 weeks after instructions issued                                                 {20%}

 

Formative assessment and feedback

·         Formative verbal feedback is given on a regular basis in one-to-one meetings with the Project Supervisor(s) prior to submission of summative work. 

Module aims

• equip students with the ability to plan an extended research project
• enable students to understand how to assess existing knowledge in a particular area of Advanced Materials and the possibility of carrying out useful research in that area
• enable students to gain experience in planning a research project and considering the timescales involved.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to introduce the fundamentals of planning a research project through regular interactions with the Project Supervisor(s).

The learning and teaching methods include:

• Regular interactions with the Project supervisor(s)

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: ENGM241

Programmes this module appears in

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.