Year 3: Welcome

1
Year 3 Welcome Introduction

• Third-year organisers
• Bch, BMS, MMB, CMB, CPC senior
• Glyn Stanway (stanwg_at_essex.ac.uk room 5.19)
• BC, Eco, MFB, BS
• Corinne Whitby (cwhitby_at_essex.ac.uk room 5.13)
• SES, SSB
• Dom Micklewright (dpmick_at_essex.ac.uk room 3.04)
  
• while Matt recovers
• Matt Taylor (mtaylor_at_essex.ac.uk room 3.22)

2
Third-year classes 2009-10

• Week 2 (16 Oct) (2 h) Fri 0900-1100, LTB6,
• Introduction to year and careers
• Part 1 Welcome and Information
• Glyn Stanway
•  
• Part 2 - Plagiarism
• Glyn Stanway
•   
• Part 3 - Careers
• Lynda Burnup (CAS)
• Collect Project and Research Skills handbooks
•  

3
Third-year classes 2009-10

• Week 4 (31 Oct) (2 h) Fri 0900-1100, LTB6,
• Experimental design safety
• Part 1 Experimental design and statistics
• Murray Griffin
•  
• Part 2 Safety and risk assessments
• David Knight
• Week 11 (19 Dec) (2 h) Fri 0900-1100, LTB6,
• SPF and referencing
• Terry McGenity
• Week 21 (25 Feb) (2 h) Thu 1600-1800, LTB7
•   Giving a presentation
• Glyn Stanway

4
Important sources of information

• This lecture is your third-year guide
• The most important sources of information are
  your module handbooks (including the Research
  Project, Research Skills, Issues and Field-course
  handbooks) all on the CMR
• Get the right copies of your Research Project and
  your Research Skills handbooks
• BS381 Research Skills in Biomolecular Sciences
• BS831 Research Project (Biomolecular Science)
• BS382 Research Skills in Ecological Marine
  Sciences
• BS832 Research Project (Ecological Marine
  Sciences)
• BS383 Research Skills in Sports Science
• BS837 Research Project (Sports Science)

5
Important sources of information

• And the following
• Undergraduate handbook (http//bsintra.essex.ac.uk
  /bsteach/ugrad/Handbook/ug_hbook.htm)
• Rules of Assessment for your course
  (http//www2.essex.ac.uk/academic/students/ug/rule
  s.htm)
• Programme specifications (http//www.essex.ac.uk/p
  rogrammespecs/degreeslist.asp)
• BS Intranet (http//bsintra.essex.ac.uk)
• Year-3 structure (http//bsintra.essex.ac.uk/bstea
  ch/ugrad/Year3/Year3Structure.htm)
• MySkills (http//www.essex.ac.uk/myskills/)
• MyEssex (https//www.essex.ac.uk/myessex/)
• Plagiarism (http//www.essex.ac.uk/ltu/Plagiarism_
  and_how_to_avoid_it.pdf)
• A wonderful web resource that you should use
  throughout your research project
  (http//www.engageinresearch.ac.uk/index.html)

6
Importance of Third Year

• Year 2 (or Year 2 Placement Year) worth 40 of
  final degree
• Year 3 worth 60 of final degree

7
Third Year Structure

• Research project (Project report preceded by
  Extended introduction or Literature review) 30
  credits
• Research skills (Oral presentation and questions
  60 Project planning and management 40) 15
  credits
• Issues or Field module (Various coursework) 15
  credits
• 4 Lecture modules (Coursework 15 Exam 85) 15
  credits per module
• Total 120 credits

8
Exams (3 hours)

• Part A
• Data Analysis Interpretation (DAI)
• 1 compulsory question
• (33.3 of exam)
• Part B
• Essay
• Answer 2 essay questions from a choice of 4
• (66.7 of exam)

9
Coursework deadlines

• Deadline applies to watermarked hard copy
• Deadlines have been arranged to give an even flow
  to the work you have to submit
• By necessity there is some bunching at the end of
  term, but you should always prepare your
  coursework well in advance of the deadline

10
Late submission

• See UG handbook for policies on late submission
• If you have a good reason, you may make an
  application to the Late Submissions Committee by
  submitting a Late Submission of Coursework Form
  together with your late work within 7 days (i.e.
  5 working days) of the original deadline
  http//www2.essex.ac.uk/academic/students/ug/crswk
  _pol.htm
• For significant (longer term) extenuating
  circumstances that prevent submission by the
  deadline there are procedures in place, but first
  please see the UG Director and http//www2.essex.a
  c.uk/academic/students/ug/extenug.html
• Supply clear, concise, accurate, documented
  information on these forms (false or misleading
  information serious academic offence)
• We try to be reasonable to the individual who has
  genuine problems, and fair to everyone who has
  submitted on time

11

• Staff-Student Liaison Committee
• Good for the year to have strong representation
• We listen to, and act on, your issues
• Looks very impressive on your CV
• National Student Satisfaction Survey
• Many respondents suggests an active, involved,
  interested cohort
• Reflects well on students and the Department
• We listen to, and act on, your issues
• You may win a prize
• Registration
• A few people still have to register

12

• Research Project and Skills

13
How to succeed

• Meetings prepared, punctual and professional
• Arrange to see your supervisor ASAP
• Be punctual for meetings with your supervisor
• Prepare for meetings by carrying out the
  appropriate reading, writing a plan, risk
  assessment etc.

14
How to succeed

• Use the scientific literature
• Learn how to search the literature using pubmed
  or web of science
• Use the library and read the literature related
  to your project
• Keep good records of what you read including the
  full reference

15
How to succeed

• In the laboratory
• Act in a professional, courteous way with members
  of the laboratory
• Follow the laboratory rules and if in doubt
  ASK!!!
• Work hard at generating data
• Record your results carefully and accurately in a
  duplicate lab book
• Store duplicate copies separately
• Safety first! If in doubt about anything ASK!

16
How to succeed

• Project planning and progress
• Fill in the Progress and Monitoring Report Forms
  (back of Research Skills Module Handbook)
• Present your data and these forms to your
  supervisor every 1 to 2 weeks for discussion and
  signing

17
Project planning and progress report

• How many hours have you worked ?
• List the activities you have undertaken since the
  last meeting
• List any unforeseen circumstances that have
  affected your research.
• List what you plan next
• Signatures.. Date
• The completed and signed forms should be kept
  safely and submitted (in date order) with the
  original project plan by the end of week 21.

18
How to succeed

• Analyse your data as you go along
• Allow plenty of time to write up, prepare your
  oral presentation etc.
• But get the balance right go to lectures, revise
  etc.
• And enjoy it!

19
What is an employer looking for?

• Generally same qualities as required for a good
  project
• Good time keeping, reliability, initiative,
  ability to work without supervision, enthusiasm,
  good inter-personal skills, good communication
  skills
• It will be easier to present these to an
  employer if you have practised them during the
  year!!!!

20
Timescales

• Week 2 Discuss with your supervisor
• Week 4 Seminar on experimental design and
  safety
• Week 4 Hand in project plan, risk assessment
• NO START WITHOUT RISK ASSESSMENT
• Week 4 Earliest start date for practical work.
  Some projects need a lot of planning relative
  to their laboratory work and week 4 is the
  earliest possible start date for the practical
  work, rather than being an indication that you
  will actually start practical work then.
• Week 11 Session on SPF writing
• Week 20 Stop project work
• Week 21 Submit project plan, risk assessment
  and signed progress monitoring reports
• Week 21 Session on how to give an oral
  presentation
• Week 22 Submit draft results section of your
  project report for feedback
• Week 25 Submit final project report
• Week 30 Submit your oral presentation
• Week 31 Oral presentations