Course Title: Honours Experimental Design and Analysis

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Honours Experimental Design and Analysis

Credit Points: 12.00


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

BIOL2304

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

135H Applied Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2006,
Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 1 2009

Course Coordinator: Assoc. Prof. Ann Lawrie

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 7157

Course Coordinator Email: aclawrie@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 223.1.68

Course Coordinator Availability: Email for appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Completion of Honours research methods and concurrent enrolment in Honours research project.


Course Description

This course aims to achieve competence in critical thinking in relation to the design, interpretation and reporting of studies for the research student.  The topics studied are: experimental design and analysis, statistical aspects of experiments, computers and software.The student will be assisted to achieve theoretical understanding and practical skills in performing the tasks expected of a researcher in the appropriate field of research.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

At the end of the course, the student should be able to:  evaluate a problem, synthesise appropriate hypotheses that are testable and experimental plans that test these hypotheses (and that result in unambigous conclusions), analyse data appropriately and critically (including logical and statistical aspects) and communicate the results to others.    This course is particularly important in developing critical thinking and creativity in scientists.



Overview of Learning Activities

Students will be guided by formal sessions during Honours Research Methods and by informal advice from their supervisors for their research projects during the project.    They will obtain feedback on a regular basis on their proposed methodology and interpretation of results.


Overview of Learning Resources

Various books will be The DLS Blackboard pages have copies of documents handed out during scheduled classes, including the lecture notes and the assignments. Students will also need to use a statistical program for data analysis.    Also see the list of thesis writing references for specific references about experimental design and data interpretation.


Overview of Assessment

The course will be assessed by two examinations, one for practice followed by feedback on marking schemes and what was wanted, during and after the research project.