The project provides the opportunity for you to draw together the practical experience, knowledge and critical understanding you have acquired from your previous studies, and utilise these to demonstrate your development as a healthcare science practitioner. Your project will be a major piece of independent work, and is viewed as a culmination of your discipline expertise and professionalism.

You are required to study a topic relevant to your practice and informed by a detailed review of current literature. From an idea generated by yourself in discussion with an academic advisor and your workplace supervisor you will design, plan and undertake a research project to test a hypothesis whilst considering and observing ethical governance and suitable and sufficient safety risk assessments required to undertake the planned project.

The key principle in determining the suitability of your project is the presence of independently sourced information that is critically analysed. Traditionally this will involve the generation and evaluation of new data, but could include other examples such as the sourcing, manipulation, and analysis of existing data or the generation and evaluation of new ways of imparting information or providing a service.

Having conducted your investigation you will:

- Analyse the data using appropriate methods and statistical techniques and interpret, critically discuss and draw conclusions from the data.

- Write a research-informed professional output that describes and critically evaluates your research project, clearly identifying the strengths and weaknesses, and integrates this within the context of other published studies or current clinical laboratory practice. The nature of the output will be negotiated with your university and workplace supervisors as appropriate the nature of your project (for example, research paper, technical options appraisal, clinical guidelines, or business plan).

- Present a summary of the research project, in poster form, suitable for presentation to peers at a scientific conference.

- Prepare a summary of the research project suitable for a non-specialist audience.

Throughout your project you will further-develop the skills necessary for self-managed and lifelong learning (e.g. working independently, time management, organisational, enterprise and knowledge transfer skills) and build on your knowledge and understanding of the role and impact of intellectual property within a clinical and research environment.

This module is mapped against the Quality Assurance Agency Benchmark for Biomedical Science and the National School of Healthcare Science Practitioner Training Programme curriculum and contributes to the Healthcare Science Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship Standard by developing your knowledge of the underlying scientific principles of the investigations offered by healthcare science services, together with evidencing your knowledge and skills in personal and professional development, health, safety and security, quality, audit / service improvement and research and innovation.

Research Informed Professional Output (5000 words) LOs 1,2,4,5,
You will present your project methodology, data, and outcomes in a professional style allowing for their integration within the context of other published studies, or their implementation within a clinical laboratory setting. The format of the output can be adapted to suit the nature of your project through negotiation with your university and workplace supervisor (for example, research paper, technical options appraisal, clinical guidelines, or research-informed business plan). Further details and examples are given within the module handbook.

Research Poster Presentation (A0 poster presentation with 10 minutes for oral questions / discussion) LO 3,6
You will summarise your work, including key findings and outcomes, in a format suitable for presentation at a scientific conference. You will then present your poster at an undergraduate poster conference, including answering structured questions on your study design, methodology and outcomes.

This module is delivered as a blend of asynchronous online learning sessions, on campus study days and work-based study. The key focus of this module is developing your skills as an independent researcher working within the framework of safe and ethical practice.

Within the module, support units will provide you with a toolkit of resources to develop your research, statistical analysis, critical evaluation and communication of your findings, and you will work in partnership with a university academic supervisor and your workplace project mentor.

As you develop your independent research, you are encouraged to reflect upon this experience and its contribution both to improved patient care and your developing role as an autonomous professional.

Your learning is supported by a group discussion board and weekly online sessions where you can discuss your learning with the academic teaching team, together with regular online meetings with your project supervisor.

1. Gather, synthesise, summarise and critically evaluate information and evidence including biological research and to use that information to support and develop arguments. Knowledge and Understanding, Learning

2. Safely and ethically execute appropriate practical work to conduct a largely independent biological investigation with minimal guidance and indirect supervision. Application, Enquiry, Reflection

3. Explain the scientific principles underlying the methods and techniques employed, be aware of alternative approaches and to evaluate the limitations of both (including ethical and safety issues). Application, Knowledge and Understanding, Learning

4. Apply quantitative, numerical and statistical techniques appropriate to the investigation and demonstrate an awareness of the assumptions and limitations of the tests employed. Application, Enquiry, Learning

5. Confidently and proactively employ IT skills as an integral tool to support learning. Enquiry

6. Communicate in the format and style appropriate to a professional biologist. Communication

You will require access to a computer with internet access.
Access to specialist facilities on campus.

Barnard, C.J., Gilbert, F.S. and McGregor, P.K. (2011). Asking Questions in Biology (4E). Pearson Education Ltd, Harlow.

Knisely, K. (2013). A Student handbook for Writing in Biology (4E). Sinauer Associates, Inc., Massachusetts.

Jones, A.M, Reed, R. and Weyers, J.D.B. (2016). Practical Skills in Biology (6E). Pearson Education Ltd, Harlow.

Luck, M. (1999). Your Student Research Project. Gower Publishing Ltd, Aldershot.

The project provides the opportunity for you to draw together the practical experience, knowledge and critical understanding you have acquired from your previous studies, and utilise these to demonstrate your development as a healthcare science practitioner. Your project will be a major piece of independent work, and is viewed as a culmination of your discipline expertise and professionalism.