ES2G4-Skills for Environmental Scientists

Module Provider: Soil Science
Number of credits: 20 [10ECTS credits]
Terms in which taught: Autumn and Spring
Module Convenor: Dr HJ McGoff
Pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Module version for: 2008/9

Email: h.j.mcgoff@reading.ac.uk

Aims:
To bring students into contact with experts in the field of providing careers advice and to stimulate students into realising their own potential. In addition the course will promote the development of sampling, analytical, library and web research skills; a critical approach to scientific data and literature and presentation skills.

Assessable learning outcomes:
Students will generate a Personal Profile of 400 to 600 words. They will each produce a 'Job Study' on a career that interests them. They will complete either a CV (curriculum vitae) or a standard application form suitable to be sent to prospective employers. They will present precis of selected pieces of scientific literature, critical evaluations of selected papers and, as teams, make presentations on particular scientific concepts and controversies. They will complete laboratory exercises, recording results in a laboratory notebook and write up their results in the form of a scientific paper. They will complete a series of statistical exercises.

Additional outcomes:
They will perform interactive tasks as teams which will contribute to their own self-evaluation. As well as broadening self awareness the course should equip the students to undertake the writing-up of library-based and practically-based project in a mature way.

Outline content:
The module is in three parts. The first given by the Careers Advisory Service will allow students to find out about themselves, their profile, career potential and plans, dealing with interview situations, transferable skills, making job applications and preparing CVs. The second covers sampling and analytical skills (both practical laboratory based skills and data analysis skills), particularly in preparation for final year project work. The third part includes critical approaches to the scientific literature, and preparing reports and papers. IT skills will be developed in all parts of the module, particularly in the acquisition of library and web-based information and its use.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
Illustrated lectures, team roles, team exercises, problem solving, web- and library- approaches to scientific and career information.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures	10	10
Tutorials/seminars
Practicals	20	20
Other contact (eg study visits)
Total hours	30	30
Number of essays or assignments	7	1
Other (eg major seminar paper)		3

Assessment:
Coursework
The Personal Profile, Job Study and Curriculum Vitae will each contribute 7.5% to the final assessment.
Production of a written abstract 5%, an essay 7.5%, the production of a poster 7.5% and a team talk and abstract 7.5%.
The notebooks from the chemistry practicals will count as 12.5 %, the write up of the practical as a scientific paper will count as 12.5 %, the statistics practical sheets will count as 25 %.
Relative percentage of coursework:
100%
Examinations
None
Requirements for a pass: 40% overall
Reassessment arrangements
Resubmission of coursework in September