Independent Project in Energy and Resources

EART35000 Independent Project in Energy and Resources 30 Full year Undergraduate Level 6 Margaret Hartley Unit coordinator 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Last part of a Bachelors ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 15.0 <div>This unit is designed to test the students’ abilities to apply in the field and laboratory what they have learned in lectures and previous field courses. Students design their own data collection program with help from their chosen supervisor via one-on-one discussions and tutorials in EART29200 Professional Development and Project Preparation, so that an outline of projects aims and the data collection program, together with logistical arrangements, can be established at the end of year 2. Field-based data collection/mapping (as required) can be carried out between years 2 and 3, and/or at the start of year 3; it must comprise at least 7 days.Year 3 will be spent acquiring laboratory data. Booking of data collection sessions that require the use of DEES equipment should be done through the supervisor, and in most projects the supervisor and/or a technician will be present at these sessions. Considerable work will usually need to be done before these types of data collection sessions can sensibly be arranged (e.g., background reading about the analytical techniques, mastering data acquisition and analysis protocols, sample preparation, identifying analysis priorities, and obtaining laboratory access permissions), and this should be factored into the project planning timeline. The project supervisor will guide the student through this preparation process and the analysis, interpretation, and presentation of the data via one-on-one meetings at timely moments throughout the academic year. However, students are expected to carry out most of the analyses and interpretations needed to address their research question independently. A semester 1 report (due end semester 1) covering project motivation, aims and objectives, critical literature review, and project plan will allow assessment of project status and formal feedback. Towards the end of their 3rd year students will present their findings in a presentation session and in a written dissertation.</div>  <div>This unit is designed to test the students’ abilities to apply in the field and laboratory what they have learned in lectures and previous field courses. Students design their own data collection program with help from their chosen supervisor via one-on-one discussions and tutorials in EART29200 Professional Development and Project Preparation, so that an outline of projects aims and the data collection program, together with logistical arrangements, can be established at the end of year 2. Field-based data collection/mapping (as required) can be carried out between years 2 and 3, and/or at the start of year 3; it must comprise at least 7 days.Year 3 will be spent acquiring laboratory data. Booking of data collection sessions that require the use of DEES equipment should be done through the supervisor, and in most projects the supervisor and/or a technician will be present at these sessions. Considerable work will usually need to be done before these types of data collection sessions can sensibly be arranged (e.g., background reading about the analytical techniques, mastering data acquisition and analysis protocols, sample preparation, identifying analysis priorities, and obtaining laboratory access permissions), and this should be factored into the project planning timeline. The project supervisor will guide the student through this preparation process and the analysis, interpretation, and presentation of the data via one-on-one meetings at timely moments throughout the academic year. However, students are expected to carry out most of the analyses and interpretations needed to address their research question independently. A semester 1 report (due end semester 1) covering project motivation, aims and objectives, critical literature review, and project plan will allow assessment of project status and formal feedback. Towards the end of their 3rd year students will present their findings in a presentation session and in a written dissertation.</div>  <div> To test the ability of students to answer an energy and resource-focused research question, based on observations and data systematically collected in the field and using the state-of-the-art laboratory facilities in DEES.</div>  <table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:500px;"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2" rowspan="1">On the successful completion of the course, students will be able to:</td> <td>Developed</td> <td>Assessed</td> </tr> <tr> <td>ILO 1</td> <td>Formulate a research question and define an appropriate analytical strategy to address a specific problem in resource geology.</td> <td>Y</td> <td>Y</td> </tr> <tr> <td>ILO 2</td> <td>Acquire relevant data sets, by using focused field mapping, sampling, and data acquisition, as well as appropriate laboratory and computational techniques.</td> <td>Y</td> <td>Y</td> </tr> <tr> <td>ILO 3</td> <td>Analyse and interpret their data, and integrate different data sets that represent microscopic to macroscopic scales of observation.</td> <td>Y</td> <td>Y</td> </tr> <tr> <td>ILO 4</td> <td>Critically evaluate the project findings in the light of relevant literature, as well as geological, economic and environmental constraints on the resource studies.</td> <td>Y</td> <td>Y</td> </tr> <tr> <td>ILO 5</td> <td>Communicate scientific findings clearly and succinctly to an audience of academics and professionals.</td> <td>Y</td> <td>Y</td> </tr> <tr> <td>ILO 6</td> <td>Manage their project in timely fashion through to its conclusion.</td> <td>Y</td> <td>N</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4">The ILOs of this unit are intended to help develop and demonstrate the following important career skills:(a) literacy, numeracy, and presentational skills (ILOs 2, 3, 5)(b) critical thinking (ILOs 1, 4)(c) self-motivated engagement with a challenging large and extended task (ILOs 2, 6)</td> </tr> </tbody></table>   During 2nd year [part of EART29200]·  Before Christmas: students choose their research topic and field area·  1st and 2nd semesters: students undertake academic preparation for the project (background reading about their topic and the geology of their area; overview on possible analytical skills; introduction to some of the presentational skills)·  2nd semester: students undertake logistical preparation for the project (travel, accommodation if needed, risk assessments, first aid course)Field data collection (summer between years 2 and 3, and/or early in semester 1 of yearMinimum 7 daysYear 3·  Early in 1st semester, a one-on-one session with project supervisor to review (field) data collection, discuss project planning, and to outline any preparations for laboratory data collection that are needed·  End semester 1: Semester 1 report outlining project motivation, aims and objectives, critical literature review, and project plan·  Data collection and analysis across both semesters but note that access to DEES analytical facilities is not normally before the start of 2nd semester [data collection should be completed well before Easter]·  Across both semesters, one-on-one sessions with project supervisor to discuss data analysis, interpretation and presentation·  Towards the end of the 2nd semester (probably last week before Easter): poster presentation session, hopefully also attended by the Programme External ExaminerWeek 12: submission of dissertation <div>Preparation for this unit will begin in the 1st semester of Year 2 within the tutorial-style unit EART29200 Professional Development and Project Preparation. Through small group discussions, tutors will provide some guidance in choosing a research question, field area and planning the analytical approach. Once students have selected their research question and field area, they will be guided through the necessary academic and logistical preparations for data collection. In the 2nd semester of Year 2 that tutor will be their project supervisor. Some of the preparations (e.g., first aid training, part of the risk assessment training, training in the use of GIS software) will be provided in larger groups.Students are expected to spend a minimum of 7 days collecting data in their field area; field days need not be consecutive. The students are expected to collect their data independently. However, their project supervisor will visit them in their field area for 1 day to provide some extra guidance.It is essential that students meet their project supervisor early in the 1st semester of Year 3 to (a) review the field and laboratory data collection, (b) to discuss what needs to be done before gaining access to the laboratory facilities, and (c) to consider when that access is best arranged. Actual booking of data collection sessions should be done through the supervisor, and in most projects the supervisor will be present at these sessions. In planning these arrangements, it is important to allow for delays of access (caused by, e.g., the needs of other users, equipment failures, the requirement for laboratory induction). The main project guidance during Year 3 should come in one-on-one meetings with the project supervisor, who will advise on data analysis, interpretation, and presentation matters. In recognition of the fact that this is an independent project, the number of supervisory meetings longer than a few minutes during Year 3 is restricted to not more than 6 (at least one in each semester), plus 10 hours on instruction in analytical facilities, data collection and data analysis. Write-up supervisors are limited to providing comments on only ~10% of the text (nominally 1000 words), and must return those comments orally and not as written notes. Note that the onus is on the student to arrange timely meetings with their write-up supervisor and to decide what text and figures to show them; the supervisor will not do this.Reports will be assessed and marked by project supervisors, with blind-double-marking by another member of academic staff. A final mark is then discussed and agreed by both markers. Further unit guidance, including report structure and example poster presentations, will be provided via the Blackboard unit for the course.</div>  3 Report 20% 4 Dissertation 70% 7 Oral assessment/presentation 10% <table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width:102px;height:68px;"> Assessment type</td> <td style="width:85px;height:68px;"> % Weighting within unit</td> <td style="width:113px;height:68px;"> Hand out and hand in dates</td> <td style="width:85px;height:68px;"> Length </td> <td style="width:151px;height:68px;"> How, when and what feedback is provided</td> <td style="width:104px;height:68px;"> ILO tested</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:102px;height:101px;"> Semester 1 report (Project Outline and Literature Review)</td> <td style="width:85px;height:101px;"> 20</td> <td style="width:113px;height:101px;"> Start semester 1Hand-in: last week of semester 1</td> <td style="width:85px;height:101px;"> 2000 words</td> <td style="width:151px;height:101px;"> Feedback at the start of semester 2</td> <td style="width:104px;height:101px;"> 1, 5</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:102px;height:101px;"> Dissertation</td> <td style="width:85px;height:101px;"> 70</td> <td style="width:113px;height:101px;"> Two semesters to completeHand-in: last week of teaching in semester 2</td> <td style="width:85px;height:101px;"> 10000 words</td> <td style="width:151px;height:101px;"> Feedback is possible at the end of Semester 2 (by arrangement)</td> <td style="width:104px;height:101px;"> 2-5</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:102px;height:46px;"> Presentation</td> <td style="width:85px;height:46px;"> 10</td> <td style="width:113px;height:46px;"> Two semesters to completeHand-in: last week of teaching before Easter in semester 2</td> <td style="width:85px;height:46px;"> 1 hr of 2 hr session</td> <td style="width:151px;height:46px;"> As an end-of-unit submission, no formal feedback will be given but students will be able to obtain feedback after the exam period by arrangement</td> <td style="width:104px;height:46px;"> 5</td> </tr> </tbody></table>  EART25102 Advanced Geological Field Techniques Pre-Requisite Compulsory EART28101 Fieldcourse: Introduction to Geological Mapping Pre-Requisite Compulsory EART29200 Professional Development and Project Preparation Pre-Requisite Compulsory <table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width:204px;"> Pre-requisite units</td> <td style="width:437px;"> EART28101 Field Course: Introduction to Geological Mapping</td> </tr> </tbody></table>  BSc (Hons) Earth and Plan Scie BSc (Hons) Earth (Resources) Third Year Mandatory MEarthSci (Hons) Ea and Pl Sci MEarthSci (Hons) Earth (Resou) Third Year Mandatory MEarthSci (Hons) Earth Industr MEarthSci EPS Yr Industry (ER) Third Year Mandatory MEarthSci (Hons) Earth Abroad MEarthSci EPS Abroad (ER) Third Year Mandatory MEarthSci (Hons) EPS with Res MEarthSci (H) EPS (ER) with Re Third Year Mandatory Depending on project 0 0 300 STUDY HOURS<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td rowspan="3" style="width:64px;"> Contact time</td> <td style="width:510px;"> Field supervision</td> <td style="width:60px;"> 8 hr</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:510px;"> Supervisor meetings (one-on-one)</td> <td style="width:60px;"> 6 hr</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:510px;"> Analytical data collection (supervisor and/or laboratory technician present) and explanation of data analysis procedures</td> <td style="width:60px;"> 10 hr</td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="3" style="width:64px;"> Independent study</td> <td style="width:510px;"> Background reading</td> <td style="width:60px;"> 40 hr</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:510px;height:45px;"> Field work (nominally 7 field days, incl 1 day supervision)</td> <td style="width:60px;height:45px;"> 48 hr</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:510px;height:47px;"> Data collection and analysis required to address the research question</td> <td style="width:60px;height:47px;"> 120 hr</td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2" style="width:64px;"> Assessment</td> <td style="width:510px;"> Poster preparation and presentation</td> <td style="width:60px;"> 10 hr</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:510px;height:48px;"> Dissertation write-up</td> <td style="width:60px;height:48px;"> 60 hr</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:64px;"> Total</td> <td style="width:510px;">  </td> <td style="width:60px;"> 302 hr</td> </tr> </tbody></table>