RESEARCH YEAR INTERIM DISSERTATION - 2027/8

Module Overview

The early part of the Research Year combines the development of core research skills for a research-based physics placement in a university, laboratory or similar research setting with the acquisition of project-specific knowledge and skills that prepare the student for successful completion of their research by the end of the year. This module supports the development of those project-specific skills during the first half of the Research Year.

Module provider

Mathematics & Physics

Module Leader

IZZARD Robert (Maths & Phys)

Number of Credits: 60

ECTS Credits: 30

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

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

Module Availability

Crosses academic years

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Indicative content includes the first phase of the student¿s Research Year project, undertaken through experimental or theoretical research work as appropriate to the nature of the project and carried out within a university, laboratory or similar research environment. The project is undertaken with guidance from a local project supervisor and with participation in the research group. Students develop their understanding of relevant scientific literature through preparation for a journal article review, a presentation on the status of the project in the context of the wider field, and a literature review / written report. The module also includes seminars on scientific writing.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate core competencies in physics research through independent study.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• A journal article review, assessed orally with the supervisor and visiting tutor (usually during the first visit), to demonstrate the student's own understanding of their research project topic, their ability to discuss and evaluate relevant scientific literature independently in real time, and to provide early feedback on their scientific communication prior to the talk and literature review.
• An oral presentation given to the student's research group, with the visiting tutor present (perhaps virtually), on the status of their understanding of their research project, placed in the context of the wider field.
• A literature review, with project-specific context, of related previous work in the field. Depending on the nature of the project, this could draw more or less on research articles, textbooks, or internal reports.

Formative assessment and feedback.

Students will receive regular feedback from the local supervisory team and visiting tutor throughout the research year. This should include discussion of, and feedback on, their journal paper review, early drafts of the Interim Dissertation and Oral Presentation, and formative feedback on their project plan.

Module aims

• Develop the project-specific knowledge, skills and understanding needed both for the first half of the student's research year and in preparation for their later original research activities.
• Develop the student's ability to review, understand and communicate previous work relevant to their research project, and to explain to an audience of peers, in oral or written form, their project and its status and significance in the context of the wider field.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to support independent learning within the context of a research group and to develop the project-specific knowledge, skills and understanding required for the first half of the student¿s research year. Learning takes place through guided self-study, regular meetings with the project supervisor, participation in research-group meetings, and laboratory and/or computational project work. Students are expected to engage with the module primarily within the research environment, normally through regular participation in the laboratory or other project setting appropriate to the nature of the work, rather than working remotely. The module also includes tutorials and guided learning on scientific writing to help prepare students for both the Interim and Final Dissertations.

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: PHY3062

Other information

The School of Space, Mathematics and Physics is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills and capabilities in the following areas:

Employability: Students apply and extend their undergraduate physics skills in addressing a novel research problem, working within a university, laboratory or similar academic or industrial research environment.

Resourcefulness and Resilience: Students take responsibility for the delivery of their Interim Dissertation, developing time management, adaptability and project-planning skills throughout the placement. Through regular engagement in a professional research environment, students gain experience of real-world team working, problem solving and sustained independent study.

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 2027/8 academic year.