BIMRPP: Research Project

Module code: BIMRPP

Module provider: School of Biological Sciences

Credits: 120

Level: 7

When you’ll be taught: Full year

Module convenor: Dr Chris Foster , email: c.w.foster@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Sofia Gripenberg, email: s.gripenberg@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 4 June 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The module provides students with the opportunity to carry out a substantial piece of independent research under the guidance of academic supervisors and, where appropriate, external research partners. The research can be carried out in the field, laboratory, at the university or with an external organisation. Students will be expected to design and carry out research resulting in the collection of a high calibre data set suitable for suitable statistical analysis. The final submission for assessment will be judged against suitability for submission to a scientific journal for publication as well content.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Informed by the scientific literature, devise research questions or hypotheses that address a relevant entomological topic
2. Plan, prepare and carry out a research project  
3. Collect, manage and analyse a high quality entomological dataset designed to address the aims of the research project
4. Communicate the results of the research project through oral presentations and the preparation of a manuscript suitable for submission to a scientific journal for publication.

Module content

In the first semester students will be introduced to potential research project topics and supervisors. These will take place in seminars from ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ academics engaged in entomological research as well as during visits to external partner organisations. Towards the end of the first semester students will be asked for a research plan and given formative feedback.

Content for the remainder of the module will largely be driven by the demands of the particular research project topic. Students will deliver an interim presentation on their research during the second semester.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module will consist primarily of independent research, under the guidance of academic supervisors and (where appropriate) external partners.

Study hours

At least 120 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Level 3 (i.e. foundation modules for Part 0) and Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs