BB810: Research Project I (5 ECTS)

STADS: 04004701

Level
Master's level course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the autumn semester.
1st and 3rd quarter.

This course is offered twice a year.

Teacher responsible
Email: dec@biology.sdu.dk

Timetable

Show entire timetable
Show personal time table for this course.

Prerequisites:
None

Academic preconditions:
Must be familiar with bachelors curriculum in biology or equivalent.

Course introduction
This course is designed to introduce the student to the basics of conducting a research project. The student should learn how to identify and formulate a research problem (along with the help of a supervisor), and once formulated, how to solve it. The specific research problem may fall within any area of biology, and the research required to solve it can be based on laboratory experiments, field observations, theoretical mathematical modelling, or literature review. Under all circumstances, whether the research is based on experimentation or observation, it will be important for the student to become comfortable with searching and using the scientific literature in support of the research.

Expected learning outcome
The course will give the students a basic understanding of how to formulate and conduct a research problem. The student should be able to:

• With the help of a supervisor, define a research problem.
• Search, with keywords, scientific literature databases for other work whose results support the student’s research project.
• Evaluate the pertinent scientific literature.
• Conduct laboratory experiments, field observations, theoretical modeling, or literature review, as necessary to solve the research problem (if a laboratory project is chosen).
• Analyze data as relevant for addressing the research problem.
• Write a report in the structure of a scientific paper.

oThe report should contain: An introduction which: 1) provides background and rationale for the chosen research problem, 2) includes a summary of previous work in the area of the research and 3) provides a clear statement of the specific problem to be researched.

o A method section describing the methods to be used.

o A results section presenting the results of the research (whether literature or laboratory based).

o A discussion section where the results are discussed and evaluated.

Subject overview
Research projects may be conducted in any area within the field of biology, as coordinated with a faculty member within the Institute of Biology.

Literature
There isn't any litterature for the course at the moment.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
None

Assessment and marking:
The course is evaluated with a project assignment on a pass/fail basis. Internal evaluation by the teacher. The project advisor will evaluate the student, based on a written report that describes the results of the research project.

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

Forelæsninger, 2 timer.
Educational activities

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

Remarks
The student will need to develop the research project with a supervising faculty member from the Institute of Biology.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.