Overview

This module is designed to introduce a range of skills required for a marine science degree and to encourage wider reading in marine science. It involves directed reading and the practice in oral and written presentations. Regular tutorials (7 to 10 students per group) will be held throughout the year during which essay writing skills, oral presentation skills and abstracting information from the scientific literature will be discussed. The module will be assessed by two essay assignments, two oral presentations and one abstract assignment.

Assessment Strategy

Threshold - (D- grade) Communicate ideas using verbal and written skills. Able to abstract a scientific paper demonstrating a basic understanding of source material. Produce rudimentary scientific figures.

Good - (B grade) Communicate ideas effectively without deviation from the point both in the essays and presentations, using appropriate slides and self-drawn figures. Show a basic understanding of the underlying principals of the ideas being communicated in both the essays and presentations. Able to abstract a scientific paper demonstrating good understanding of the source material. Present adequate quality scientific data in the form of figures which are of a professional standard.

Excellent - (A grade) Communicate ideas very effectively in both the essays and presentations, using high quality slides and self-drawn figures. Fully understand the ideas being communicated in both the essays and presentations. Able to abstract a scientific paper demonstrating full understanding of source material. Present high quality scientific data in the form of figures which are of a professional standard.

Learning Outcomes

• Be able to give short oral presentations using appropriate visual aides within a given time limit.

• Be able to write abstracts of scientific papers and for scientific essays

• Foster a scientific mindset and ability to present arguments in a coherent manner.

• Use library facilities to undertake literature searches.

• Write logical, well structured scientific essays drawing upon appropriate information from the scientific literature, using correctly formatted in-text citations and reference list.