Module Information

Module Identifier
BR12410
Module Title
Study and Communication Skills
Academic Year
2016/2017
Co-ordinator
Dr Arwyn Edwards
Semester
Semester 1
Mutually Exclusive
BG12410
Other Staff
 

Course Delivery

Delivery Type Delivery length / details
Lecture 5 x 1 Hour Lectures
Tutorial 7 x 2 Hour Tutorials
 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Formative essay  (1200 words, fully referenced)  10%
Semester Assessment Project report  (1500-2000 words, fully referenced)  60%
Semester Assessment Seminar presentation  20%
Semester Assessment Curriculum vitae PDP task  10%
Supplementary Assessment Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to failure of the module.  100%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

1. Communicate information and ideas in the form of oral and written presentations.

2. Develop a reasoned argument and challenge assumptions.

3. Formulate hypotheses and research questions, undertake data collection, and make academic arguments.

4. Identify appropriate data sources and information resources.

5. Instill appropriate academic conduct (e.g. avoiding unacceptable practice).

6. Interpret and use data.

7. Demonstrate basic computer literacy.

Brief description

The module is intended to prepare students with the key skills necessary for a successful academic and professional career such as time management, critical thinking and reflective learning. An important aspect of the module is an introduction to a range of research issues such as literature evaluation, qualitative and quantitative data assessment and oral, visual and written communication. The module content is delivered through a range of formats including lectures, workshops, e-learning and tutorials.

Aims

Through a combination of formal introductory lectures, supplemented by tutorial session with personal tutors, the module aims to introduce students to and enhance their key study and communication skills. These include but are not limited to:
  • Writing and presentation skills
  • Evaluation of information sources
  • Critical thinking, inductive and deductive reasoning
  • Research ethics
  • Data handling and analysis

Content

5 x 1h formal introductory lectures over the first 5 weeks of the Semester
6 x 2h tutorial sessions across the Semester (not centrally timetabled)

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number Students will be required to generate and present data within their project report, though at this level they will not be expected to engage in high level statistical analysis of such data.
Communication The formative essay, project report and seminar presentation, with the detailed feedback provided by personal tutors, are deigned to help develop and improve these skills.
Improving own Learning and Performance Students will be required to identify and use appropriate literature sources to underpin their essay and project report. In addition, the formal tutorial sessions embedded within the module allow personal tutors to review and comment upon the work plans and progress of their tutees in meeting the requirements for the various assignments.
Information Technology Across the various assignment, students are required to demonstrate effective use of a range of relevant IT software packages (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Personal Development and Career planning PDP is fully embedded within this module, with personal tutors required to introduce and comment upon the individual PDPs of their tutees. PDP is assessed by a 10% weighted CV task.
Problem solving Students may be introduced to the concepts of problem solving in developing the hypothesis to underpin their research project, but problem solving will not be an important element of skills development within this module.
Research skills Students will be required plan and undertake a mini research project and produce an academically appropriate report in which they will also be expected to comment critically upon the experimental approaches adopted.
Subject Specific Skills While individual students may well undertake a research project and produce an essay on a topic related to their particular degree scheme, the emphasis of the module is on the development of generic transferable study and communication skills not on subject specific skills.
Team work The research for the project is undertaken in personal tutor groups to introduce students to the concepts of team-working, and, based on feedback from the group, tutors are required to comment upon the contribution of individual group members towards achieving the required group outputs.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 4