BB206: Planning and evaluation of biological experiments (5 ECTS)

STADS: 04007301

Level
PhD course

Teaching period

1st quater

Teacher responsible
Email: ulrik@biology.sdu.dk

Timetable
Show entire timetable
Show personal time table for this course.

Prerequisites:
None

Academic preconditions:
Curriculum from bachelor in biology or equivalent presumed known. Students who have passed “BB817 Planning and evaluation of biological experiments” cannot take the course.

Course introduction
Through the course the students will be trained in summarizing biological topics with the aim of planning, evaluating and presenting their own experimental, biological investigations. An aim of the course is to enable the students to critically evaluate research papers from the international, scientific literature. Several diverse examples of studies, reflecting the real complexity in a numbers of experimental, biological disciplines, will be reviewed. The students will learn to use statistical as well as graphical software.

Expected learning outcome
At the end of the course the student is expected to be able to:

• relate critically to and discuss the international, biological, scientific literature
• summarize and evaluate topics within biological disciplines, such as ecology, physiology, ecotoxicology and neurobiology, with the aim of proposing testable, biological hypotheses
• plan and design relevant laboratory or field studies to test the proposed hypotheses, including the use of statistical power analysis
• handle, analyse and evaluate data from completed experimental investigations, including statistical testing, such as t-test, ANOVA, multiple pairwise comparisons, regression, etc.
• present results from experimental investigations correctly, in accordance with the specific conventions of the individual biological discipline
• evaluate, discuss and put into perspective results from their own experimental, biological investigations in relation to existing knowledge

Subject overview
The necessity of quantitative evaluation of experimental, biological results. Types of biological data and the sources of variability in experimental biology. Planning and designing experimental, biological studies. Handling of raw data, evaluation and presentation of results attained. Principles for method validation and quality control in biological investigations.

Literature

Meddeles senere

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
None

Assessment and marking:
Project assignment, Pass/fail, internal evaluation by teacher

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.

Lectures: 10 hours
Tutorials: 36 hours
Educational activities

Language
This course is taught in English, if international students participate. Otherwise the course is taught in Danish.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.