Module Identifier EAM3260  
Module Title RESEARCH DISSERTATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ANALYSIS  
Academic Year 2004/2005  
Co-ordinator Dr Bill Perkins  
Semester Semester 3 (Summer)  
Other staff Dr Nicholas J G Pearce, Dr Bill Perkins  
Pre-Requisite Successful completion of core and optional semester 1 and 2 Masters level modules  
Course delivery Other   No formal contact time but students will be assigned a supervisor to provide guidance and advice during the course of the research and the writing of the dissertation.  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Assessment Produce a 15,000 ? 20,000 word (maximum) research thesis.80%
Semester Assessment Present a research seminar.20%
Supplementary Assessment Students will be required to resubmit the research thesis and present their research findings in the form of an oral presentation. Both assessed elements must be successfully completed. 

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Independently formulate research design and hypotheses.

2. Demonstrate their knowledge of the theoretical principles of scientific research.

3. Place research in appropriate wider contexts.

4. Search relevant databases.

5. Undertake independent fieldwork (if applicable)

6. Undertake appropriate laboratory analyses.

7. Demonstrate proficiency in appropriate statistical and analytical methodologies.

8. Present the results and conclusions of their research in a coherent manner in the form of professional quality thesis with due consideration to aspects of data quality.

9. Present the results and conclusions of their research in a coherent manner in the form of an oral presentation.

10. Work to a tight schedule.

Brief description

The research project is an independent study on a chosen research question in EMA. Students will have the possibility to specialise in the use of specific technique(s) in order to solve particular research questions. Students will be encouraged to collect materials for analysis and thus obtain data sets from appropriate environmental media. Projects will often be related to research interests of staff and may involve collaboration with external bodies (e.g. Environment Agency)
Students will be expected to devise a research enquiry and to use appropriate laboratory and interpretation/visualization as well as GIS techniques (where appropriate modules have been taken) to solve the research problem.

Content

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 7