1. Richard Pickersgill r.w.pickersgill@qmul.ac.uk Final Year Research Projects

2. Three options - which option is right for you? 1)Investigative Project (15 credit) Dr Ewan Main 1)Project Skills in the Life Sciences (30 credit) Dr Andrew Hirst 2)Experimental Project (30 credit) Prof. Richard Pickersgill

3. Investigative Project (15 credit) Laboratory experience & Laboratory report (50%) - about 15 hours in Laboratory Dissertation - dissertation outline (5%) - dissertation (45%) 5000 words maximum

4. Project Skills in the Life Sciences (30 credit) A combination of formal lectures, seminars, student led debates and presentations There are four elements to the module (detailed over) Course organizer: Dr Andrew Hirst

5. Project Skills in the Life Sciences (30 credit) 1.Communicating science – the key roles that writing and speaking play in scientific progress (20% of total credit) with Dr Brendan Curran 2.Data presentation and display design (20% of total credit) with Professor Lucinda Hall and Dr Richard Grose. 3.Science journalism (‘New Scientist’ articles) (20% of total credit) marked by your Dissertation mentor 4.Dissertation a formal review of information and professional report writing (40% of total credit) marked, and with advice, from your Dissertation mentor.

6. Project Skills in the Life Sciences (30 credit) A recent QMUL graduate who chose PSLS went on to study MSc in Science Communication at Imperial College and has since won a prize for her work at the Association of British Science Writers (ABSW) Science Journalism Awards.

7. Experimental Research Project (30 credits) 1)25 full days in laboratory (9-5) (2 days a week for first term / possibly in the summer) 2)15 min talk at Project Symposium with Q&A (Semester B Week 7) 3)Project Report 10,000 words (Semester B Week 12)

8. Which Option is right for you? Investigative Project OR Project Skills in the Life Sciences Experimental Project I plan to do a PhD. I want a career as a research scientist. I plan NOT to work in a lab directly as a research scientist, e.g. Science Journalism, Manager, Finance, Law, Marketing, Sales

9. Which Option is right for you? Investigative Project OR Project Skills in the life Sciences Experimental Project I want to be a scientist I don’t want to be a laboratory scientist

10. Which Option is right for you? Experimental Project (30 credit) Normally need an average of 60% in 1 st year exam Project Skills in the Life Sciences (30 credit) Normally need an average of 55% in 1 st year exam Investigative project (15 credit) More than a practical, but not a full research project

11. How do you make your supervisor choice? 1) What skills do you want to learn? 2) What subject area are you interested in? 3) Does the supervisors’ projects sound interesting? 4) Do you want to work in the summer or term time? 5) Do you want to be guided by the lecturer or mostly by postdocs/PhD students?

12. Final year Research Projects - an Important Choice: This your first taste of research, adds meaning to your degree This is the time with you discover if you want to do research in future You may gain valuable skills and techniques 30 credits in 3 rd year 25% of your final year mark (1.5 x your whole first year mark)

13. What to do next? Make your project selection on QMplus. If you want to do an experimental project, then: a) Look at the list of projects available for each academic b) Choose an academic you would like to work with c) You may request to work with an external supervisor d) Fill out the form on QMplus and make your selection of supervisors

14. I wish you every success with your project – whichever one you choose. Questions? Investigative project Project Skills in the Life Sciences Experimental project