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CHEMNEW010: CHEMISTRY BSC DISSERTATION

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Type	Tied
Level	3
Credits	20
Availability	Available in 2024/2025
Module Cap
Location	Durham
Department	Chemistry

Prerequisites

Core Chemistry 2 (CHEM2012).

Corequisites

Core Chemistry 3 (CHEMNEW005) OR Bioactive Chemistry 3 (CHEMNEW006) or Chemical Physics 3 (CHEMNEW007)

Excluded Combinations of Modules

None

Aims

To provide a research-led capstone module in Chemistry, where BSc students in their final year can demonstrate the development of their own research and independent study skills, and expertise in chemistry through a literature survey.
To provide students with an opportunity to collect, read and analyse data from primary sources
To enable students to develop the transferable skills of critical analysis, advanced literacy and presentation

Content

Dissertation on a individual title chosen by, or allocated to, the student in week 26 of Year 2 from a list of titles offers by a member of the Board of Studies in Chemistry.
Progress is monitored by the Dissertation Supervisor through a series of tutorials in Level 3
Oral Presentation

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

describe and critically analyse the topic of their dissertation at an advanced level

Subject-specific Skills:

produce a sholarly and critial review of the relevant literature
show relevance and depth in their study of a topic
produce a critical summary of their review

Key Skills:

enhanced skills in chemical information retrieval, scientific writing, editing and proof-reading, oral presentation and discussion of scientific results;
self-motivation, in self-guided learning.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

At the end of level 2 students will be given guidance in literature survey methods, writing long documents and drawing chemical structures. They will meet with their dissertation supervisor to establish the bounds of the topic, and will provide a dissertation outline before the end of year 2.
During year 3 students will meet with their dissertation supervisor, as needed, to discuss the student's progress.
A draft chapter must be submitted during Michalemas term
Training will be given at the end of level 2 in oral presentation skills.
Assessment is by the written dissertation and a 15 minute oral presentation

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity	Number	Frequency	Duration	Total	Monitored
Tutorials	6	Terms 1 & 2	Typically 30 minutes	3	Yes
Preparation and Reading				197
Total				200

Summative Assessment

Component: Dissertation		Component Weighting: 100%
Element	Length / Duration	Element Weighting	Resit Opportunity
Written report	10,000 words	80
Oral presentation	15 minutes	20

Formative Assessment

Formative feedback on a two page outline of the dissertation consisting of section headings in week 28 of Year 2 Further feedback on a draft of a chapter in Michalemas Term of Year 3.Formative feedback on the oral presentation will be given.

More information

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