HLH107-4 Research Project 4

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Gardens Point, Internal

Overview

A career in research will involve your understanding of the methods of independent scientific investigation and analysis, your ability to identify the need for a particular investigation, your skills to frame a testable hypothesis and design appropriate tests to examine it, and communicate your ideas and arguments to others. Thus, this unit builds on the knowledge you have gained in your undergraduate units, with particular emphasis on practical aspects of technique applications, data interpretation, and the presentation of a scientific argument in a coherent and acceptable format.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Identify and effectively communicate knowledge gaps in the scientific literature.
2. Demonstrate sound knowledge of recording data for scientific analyses, interpretation and argument in accordance with current standards in biomedical science.
3. Frame testable hypotheses to address a research question.
4. Demonstrate cognitive skills to acquire reliable data.
5. Demonstrate advanced skills in scientific writing.

Content

Learning Approaches

You will be guided in your work by your individual supervisor(s) and designated senior researchers in the laboratory in which you work, and these individuals will provide personalised tuition on the technologies and instruments you will use. The senior researchers in your project team will lead research team meetings in which you will participate and from which the aim is for you to learn to also to practice team-based research in addition to your one-on-one research with your Principal Supervisor. They will also discuss and explain the philosophy of investigation within the paradigm of accepted scientific practice, and instruct you in appropriate recording of data, its subsequent analysis, and the best ways to present your findings in convincing and honest formats. You will also be expected to incorporate skills and information from the companion units in the course (HLH101, HLH104, HLH105 and HLH106) into the development, execution and reporting of your project. You will be expected to develop independent skills searching for information from the literature and from individual researchers, and to exhibit critical faculties in relation to your own project, as well as in relation to those of others in your research group, and in your peer group. In most research groups, regular meetings to review projects are held, and it will be in these forums that you will develop skills in scientific questioning and argument, again under the guidance of your supervisor and senior research staff.

An interview (viva voce) with senior academic staff of the discipline area of 15 to 20 minutes duration involving discussion of the research project and of written feedback and comments provided by reviewers on the written paper (Assessment item 1). This is an opportunity for consideration of circumstances affecting performance during the year, and for moderation of grades as necessary.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You will be provided with extensive formative assessment during this unit, through the regular group meetings with the Honours Coordinator and Honours teaching team and presentation of project results and analysis, as well as through one-on-one weekly or fortnightly meetings with your supervisor(s) who will review your progress with you. In the writing of your final research, you will be expected to submit a draft or drafts to your supervisor(s) for comment and feedback in a timely enough fashion for their input to be incorporated into the final document.

Assessment

Overview

You will be graded in this unit on the basis of a written research paper which will describe the background and reasons for your investigation, the methods used, the results obtained, how they were analysed, and how they contribute to the body of scientific knowledge about your project topic.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Progress Report

You will provide a report on your progress to date on your research project by reflecting and updating your project timeline and completing a viva voce. This assessment will allow an opportunity to evaluate your performance early in your project and determine whether you have made satisfactory progress. For this Progress Report assessment task, for you to be eligible to receive a passing grade, threshold assessment conditions apply. If you do not achieve a satisfactory result, you are able to make one resubmission to meet the minimum pass level. You are advised to seek feedback on your assessment from the unit coordinator prior to resubmission.

You will receive feedback from the course team to support your successful completion of your research project.

Threshold Assessment:

In this unit, for you to be eligible to receive a passing grade, threshold assessment conditions apply to the Progress Report assessment task. You are advised to seek feedback on your assessment from the unit coordinator prior to resubmission.

• If you do not achieve a satisfactory result, you are able to make one resubmission of this task for the minimum pass level, when your achieved mark/grade is U (unsatisfactory) grade.

Assessment: Research Paper

A substantial report on the outcomes of the research project in the form and style of a submission to a peer-reviewed scientific journal of good standing. You are assessed for clarity and argument, appropriateness of methods, data handling and analysis, and placement of the work in the context of the scientific literature.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Risk Assessment Statement

This unit includes a laboratory component. In order that you become proficient in necessary practical skills, you will be trained in the handling of equipment, materials and specimens normally associated with this discipline. You will be provided with the latest edition of a comprehensive safety booklet pertinent to life sciences laboratories and specifically to this unit, and you will be required to adhere to the safety procedures detailed in it. You are referred to the university's health and safety web site for further information. You are required to undertake the Faculty of Health Sciences Health and Safety Induction Program and to undergo a formal induction session with the Laboratory Manager of the research laboratories of the School of Biomedical Sciences. If you are conducting your project through an external affiliated institution, it is expected that you will also need to undergo a Health and Safety Induction program pertinent to their organization; this program may be in addition to, or in place of, the Faculty of Health Sciences and School of Biomedical Sciences sessions. If you have an underlying health condition you are encouraged to consult the lecturer in charge of the unit, and your project supervisors, as you may be required to take additional precautions on occasions.

Course Learning Outcomes

HL53 Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Honours) (Study Area A)

1. Students will demonstrate coherent and advanced knowledge of a biomedical science research area and understand the principles and practice of research ethics and laboratory health and safety related to this discipline.
   Relates to: Research Paper
2. Students will demonstrate critical thinking, independent judgement and technical skills required to conduct, analyse and disseminate research in the biomedical sciences.
   Relates to: Research Paper
3. Students will be able to effectively plan, execute and evaluate a piece of research by demonstrating responsible professional practice, and advanced problem-solving working independently and in collaboration with a research team.
   Relates to: Research Paper