Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group activities on campus, and most will keep an online version available to those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face-to-face and online activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Alison Rodger
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Credit points |
Credit points
10
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MRes and 40cp at 7000 level
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit is designed to provide hands-on experience by direct interface with molecular science underway in the Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences. Students will participate in the programs of two distinct research groups over the semester and navigate typical situations encountered as members of a scientific research team. They will engage in a range of pertinent laboratory activities, receive preparative training in advanced molecular techniques from research scientists, and attend team meetings at which experimental data are reviewed and research planning is encountered.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
---|---|---|---|
Laboratory notebook A | 15% | No | Wednesday week 7 |
Supervisor A report | 20% | No | Friday week 7 |
Supervisor B Report | 20% | No | Friday week 13 |
Research presentation A | 15% | No | Friday, week 7 |
Research presentation B | 15% | No | Monday week 13 |
Laboratory notebook B | 15% | No | Wednesday week 13 |
Assessment Type 1: Lab book
Indicative Time on Task 2: 4 hours
Due: Wednesday week 7
Weighting: 15%
A notebook will be provided for the recording of your laboratory activities in a style appropriate to the relevant research discipline. A laboratory notebook forms the primary source of new experimental information and contributes to formal records maintained by a research team Your lab notebook must be written up as experiments are set-up and progress, alongside your observations or insights. Each task and observation must be clearly dated, and reflection noted on the experimental result. The level of description should be sufficient to allow experiments to be replicated by another worker. The names and storage location of all data files and samples related to each experiment must be identified clearly. Your notebook must be certified on a weekly basis by your supervisor or a senior researcher in your team.
Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 0 hours
Due: Friday week 7
Weighting: 20%
Your supervisor will report on your laboratory performance, technical competencies and degree of research engagement. Factors such as attention to detail, ability to learn new methods, and your contribution to experimental interpretation will be assessed.
Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 0 hours
Due: Friday week 13
Weighting: 20%
As for A, your supervisor will report on your laboratory experience
Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 4 hours
Due: Friday, week 7
Weighting: 15%
During your last week of placement, you will give a short presentation at a research team meeting outlining the experiments in which you were involved and some background literature. You will receive constructive feedback on your results or understanding. By attending group meetings throughout your research team visit, you will be exposed to examples of short presentations by other student researchers.
Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 4 hours
Due: Monday week 13
Weighting: 15%
As for A, during the last week of placement, you will give a short presentation at a research team meeting
Assessment Type 1: Lab book
Indicative Time on Task 2: 4 hours
Due: Wednesday week 13
Weighting: 15%
As for A, you will maintain a certified record of your laboratory activities
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
This unit is designed to help you learn about the process of undertaking research - rather than simply techniques and methods for particular types of research. Molecular sciences research is invariable undertaken as part of a team and it is really important that you experience different team dynamics and practices before you become responsible for your own research project. You will be required to choose placements in two quite different types of research group. You will shadow one or more researchers and may also undertake research activities, depending on the nature of the work. This unit has only 3 timetabled sessions. In addition, we will arrange to meet towards the conclusion of each placement to share what has been learned about the people and processes of research. You will also give a short group seminar which will be assessed by your supervisor. The three timetabled sessions for this Unit are:
The key feature of this unit is that you need to organise, coordinate and drive it. It will not happen without your leadership!
The assessment will test your ability to communicate aspects of molecular science. The Laboratory Notebook will be undertaken in two different formats and the key assessment criteria is whether the marker can understand what was done in the laboratory sufficiently to repeat it. The seminar tests your higher level understanding of a research area. The supervisor assessment tests whether you have worked well with group members to understand an area of science.
This unit is offered in special circumstances mode. If you need to take advantage of this you must discuss your situation with the Unit Convenor. Prior to that discussion you need to have considered the technology required for you to shadow a researcher.
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Unit information based on version 2021.02 of the Handbook