Knowledge on how to search for scientific information in databases.
Awareness of how to store and manage scientific information such as journal articles.

This module is designed to engage you with a variety of methods used in modern research, to critically evaluate published information and allow you to understand different methods for solving a scientific problem. You will learn about experimental design and use of a wide range of different statistical tests to analyse and interpret data. You will develop your ability to critically evaluate and summarise scientific information. You will be introduced to research ethics and also legal frameworks that govern aspects of the research process and also how research information is reported for example to regulatory bodies, stakeholders or the public using a variety of examples. We will look at aspects of qualitative and quantitative analysis and also where use of a combined approach may be beneficial for some problems. Throughout this module a range of examples will be used to encourage problem solving and to allow you to identify issues with experimental design and also to ensure a subject based focus for learning. This module will give you a foundation of skills that will be applied in other modules and provides you with a range of tools that will aid planning and design of your final year research project.

LO1: Understand the research process, considerations of experimental design and data collection
LO2: Summarise and present data using appropriate graphs and descriptive statistics
LO3: Select and apply the appropriate statistical test for use on different types of quantitative data
LO4: Evaluate the appropriate use of quantitative and qualitative techniques in different situations
LO5: Critically evaluate and summarise scientific information