Module Description
The Honours dissertation project runs through your entire final year and allows you to carry out an original piece of scientific research on a subject of your choice covering contemporary biological and environmental sciences.
This is your opportunity to do some independent in-depth analysis on a topic that most excited you during your undergrad studies. During the project you'll have the guidance and advice of a dedicated supervisor. This module covers the start of your honours project and ensures that you have submitted your project for ethical approval, you have reviewed the relevant literature, and you have a project plan to put you on the pass to successfully complete your final dissertation in the spring semester.
These steps will be supported by a series of seminars. The data collection for your dissertation can start at any point once you have received ethical approval for your project and is not limited to the spring semester.
Location/Method of Study
Stirling/On Campus, UK
Module Objectives
Project specific work aimed at formulating the research question and/or hypothesis.
Preparation of the first chapter of the thesis
A series of prescribed sessions on the ethics application procedure.
Project specific training and optional participation in the BES research seminar and PhD seminar series.
Additional Costs
£TBC If the project requires fieldwork, there could be additional costs associated with travel to the field site. This is project specific, therefore please discuss with your potential supervisor.
Core Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module, you should be able to:
assess the ethical implications of your project and submit an ethics application for approval;
critically analyse scientific evidence and arguments from the peer-reviewed literature relevant to your research project;
identify a knowledge gap and construct a feasible and succinct research proposal.
Introductory Reading and Preparatory Work
Please contact your supervisor for a list of readings that is appropriate to your project.
A more general text we recommend is the following (available from the library):
Fisher, Elizabeth; Thompson, Richard: Enjoy Writing Your Science Thesis or Dissertation! - a Step-by-Step Guide to Planning and Writing a Thesis or Dissertation for Undergraduate and Graduate Science Students. Second edition, London, Imperial College Press, 2014.
Delivery
Directed Study 22 hours A discussion or classroom session focussing on particular topics or projects, may be virtual but are available at a specific time or live
Directed Study 8 hours A meeting involving one-to-one or small group supervision, feedback or detailed discussion on a particular topic or project, online or in person
Undirected Study 170 hours Independent activities required to complete the module
Total Study Time 200 hours
Attendance Requirements
The seminars consist
(a) of a series of prescribed sessions on the ethics application procedure, literature review etc.
(b) optional participation in the BES research seminar and PhD seminar series.
Assessment
% of final
grade Learning
Outcomes
Coursework 0 1
Coursework 60 2
Research Proposal 40 2,3
Coursework: 100%
More information at: https://portal.stir.ac.uk/calendar/calendar.jsp?modCode=SCIU9PS&_gl=1*12l877f*_ga*MTY1OTcwNzEyMS4xNjkyMDM2NjY3*_ga_ENJQ0W7S1M*MTY5MjAzNjY2Ny4xLjEuMTY5MjAzODQ1My4wLjAuMA..
