Networked PC's with the current student image and access to Blackboard.
University Library and the Sciences Learning Resource Centre.
Appropriately equipped laboratory or field site.

Barnard, C.J., Gilbert, F.S. and McGregor, P.K. (2001). Asking Questions in Biology. Pearson Education Ltd, Harlow.
Knisely, K. (2002). A Student handbook for Writing in Biology. Sinauer Associates, Inc., Massachusetts.
Luck, M. (1999). Your Student Research Project. Gower Publishing Ltd, Aldershot.
Jones, A.M, Reed, R. and Weyers, J.D.B. (2003). Practical Skills in Biology. Pearson Education Ltd, Harlow.
Holmes, D., Moody, P. and Dine, D. (2006). Research Methods for the Biosciences. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Ruxton, G.D. and Colegrave, N. (2006). Experimental Design for the Life Sciences. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Dytham, C. (2003). Choosing and Using Statistics. Blackwell Science, Malden, USA.

It is expected that students will enact the project plan developed in the Level 2 module Research Skills & Professional Development, although some updating may be required. This will normally be done under the guidance of same academic tutor who contributed to your Research Skills project plan. Students will execute their previously designed programme of investigative practical work, analyse the data obtained and write a clear, concise and informative research paper presenting their findings in a professional style in the context of other published studies.

Contact time will typically comprise fortnightly 30-minute tutorials with project supervisors throughout the duration of the module. It is anticipated that supervisors will vary the frequency and duration of meetings dependent on their perceptions of the needs of the student.

Students will be required to complete 2 pieces of summative assessment. A minimum of gp4 in BOTH assessments is required to pass the module.

1. A research paper in the format of those published in a scientific journal (5000 words max, weighting 70%).
to assess Learning Outcomes 1, 4, 5 and 6

2. A structured viva voce examination (approx 20 minutes, weighting 30%)
to assess learning outcomes 2, 3 and 6

Additional Assessment Details
The research paper will present the project methodology, data and outcomes in a professional style allowing for their integration within the context of other published studies.

The structured viva voce examination will focus on the student?s rationale for the particular practical approaches that they adopted, any particular practical difficulties encountered and how they circumvented them.

Formative Assessment:
1. Individual tutorials with project supervisors will focus on students' development as professional biologists and their progress with their investigative work. Such discussion will provide continuous feedback to students and help prepare them for the viva voce examination.

2. Students are encouraged to submit a draft of sections of their dissertation to their individual tutors for formative feedback prior to the summative submission of the whole dissertation.

Students are required to study a topic relevant to their award. Topics suggested by students themselves are encouraged. Suitable topics for individual students will be identified and developed during the Level 2 module Research Skills & Professional Development.

Some examples of suitable topics are:
- Can clinically significant antibodies of the Rh blood group system other than anti-D be readily detected in antenatal screening procedures using the IBG Galileo analyser?
- Does the vitamin content (beta carotene, riboflavin and ascorbic acid) of fruit and vegetables vary between organically grown and conventionally grown produce?
- Does ABO blood group have an effect on closure time of platelet function analysis?
- The evaluation of the autodimer D-Dimer assay in the exclusion of DVT
- The potential effect of coffee phenols on nicotine metabolism: CYP2A6 inhibition by caffeic acid and quercetin in vitro
- Investigation into the effectiveness of antiseptic throat sprays on strep throat bacteria
- An investigation into the effect that price has on the efficacy of common household antiseptics when used to kill three species of bacteria commonly found in the home
- Identifying an ideal incubation time for detection of MRSA which optimises both sensitivity and specificity
- Pharmacological properties of Moringa oleifera: Preliminary screening for antimicrobial activity
- The antimicrobial activity of the essential oils tea tree, eucalyptus and lemon oil on two microorganisms Escherirchia coli and Staphylococcus aureus
- Can a more quantitative method be developed for the testing of residual kanamycin in DNA samples than the Delvotest SP method?
- A comparative study of the number of Aeromonas species and Bacillus cereus in pre-packed lettuce and how these bacteria grow compared to the use by date
- The variation and diversity of observed bacterial growth on a muti-user and a single-user computer keyboard
- The effect of mouthwash on the bacteria found in the mouth
- Comparison of tap and bottled drinking water for microbial; contamination
- The potential antimicrobial activity of commercial washing up liquids towards a range of bacteria and fungi
- Does the stress caused by an intelligence test have a short term effect on the secretion of salivary immunoglobulin A?
- The effect of academic examination on the secretion rate of salivary immunoglobulin A and mood state in final year biology university students
- Comparison of the ELISA method for the anticardiolipin antibody assay using a manual and an automated technique
- Does stress produce a clearer fingerprint?
- Does the mouse CYP2D22 gene express the same poymorphisms as the human equivalent?
- Sequencing of nuclear small subunit ribosomal DNA isolated from species of fungi within the order Entomophthorales of uses in phylogenetic analysis
- Impaired warfarin metabolism: investigations of methods for assessing polymorphisms in the CYP2C9 gene
- To what extent does regular moderate alcohol intake have an effect on high density lipoprotein cholesterol in blood plasma?
- Physiological effects of methylxanthine: a comparison of habitual and non-habitual drinkers
- The effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on general intelligence in university undergraduates
- The effect of vitamin E supplementation on exercise-induced muscle damage in female university hockey players