Module Specification
The information contained in this module specification was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen circumstances, or following review of the module at the end of the session. Queries about the module should be directed to the member of staff with responsibility for the module.
Title RESEARCH SKILLS AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Code ELEC483
Coordinator Prof JW Bradley
Electrical Engineering and Electronics
J.W.Bradley@liverpool.ac.uk
Year CATS Level Semester CATS Value
Session 2018-19 Level 7 FHEQ Whole Session 15

Aims

To provide students with the necessary background information so that they will be able to satisfactorily research, plan and undertake their project.


Pre-requisites before taking this module (other modules and/or general educational/academic requirements):
Completion of an Undergraduate Degree in Engineering, Science, Maths or Computing  

Co-requisite modules:
 

Learning Outcomes

Ability to demonstrate and appreciate the importance of communicating technical/scientific information.

Ability to demonstrate and appreciate the importance formalising the organisation and planning of project work

Capable of collecting and assessing the resources required to complete a project and presenting their findings in both oral presentation and written reports

Determining the critical path in the planning of a project

Show use of methodologies for organising and planning project work

  • communicate via executive summaries, technical reports and oral presentations
  • analysing and synthesise research data

Syllabus
1 

1. Introduction to projects: course components and purpose; executive summary

2 - 3. Independent work: developing independent working & self-motivation'' preliminary report

4.   Planning skills: Problem solving and time-management

5 - 6. Key research project management skills: report preparation and writing skills

7. Literature search principles: importance of scientific, referencing literature

8. Practical skills in literature search: Practical session on library search, including on-line searching.

9-10. Data production and analysis: Data Analysis, errors, results presentation.  

11-12. Project selection and specification: How to select a project; aims and objectiv es; milestones; deliverables

13-14. Project planning: Task descriptions'' estimating a task duration; specifying hardware tasks; speficfying software tasks.

15-16. Project progress and monitoring: Monitoring work; assessing progress; identifying and addressing problems. 

17-18. Project presentation: Essentials of project oral presentation.

19. Project presentation practical skills: project results presentation.

20.  Critical review of the project work and presentation.


Teaching and Learning Strategies

Lecture - Lectures and demonstrations

Seminar - Departmental Seminars

Tutorial - Further lectures

Other - Oral Presentations

Teaching Schedule
  Lectures Seminars Tutorials Lab Practicals Fieldwork Placement Other TOTAL
Study Hours 20
Lectures and demonstrations
8
Departmental Seminars
8
Further lectures
    4
Oral Presentations
40
Timetable (if known)              
Private Study 110
TOTAL HOURS 150

Assessment
EXAM Duration Timing
(Semester)		 % of
final
mark		 Resit/resubmission
opportunity		 Penalty for late
submission		 Notes
             
CONTINUOUS Duration Timing
(Semester)		 % of
final
mark		 Resit/resubmission
opportunity		 Penalty for late
submission		 Notes
Coursework    Semester 1 - as scheduled  20  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Short Pilot Literature Review 
Practical Assessment    Sem 1, as scheduled  20  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Oral Presentation of Literature review 
Coursework    Sem 2 as scheduled  20  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Project Specification and planning 
Coursework    Semester 2, as scheduled  25  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Project Preliminary Report 
Coursework    Semester 2 - as scheduled  15  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Executive Summary Notes (applying to all assessments) Assignment 1- Short pilot Literature Review Coursework will not be anonymously marked to provide meaningful feedback. Oral Presentation of literature review Assignment 3 -Project Specification and planning Coursework will not be anonymously marked to provide meaningful feedback. Assignment 4 - Project Preliminary Report Coursework will not be anonymously marked to provide meaningful feedback. Assignment 5 - Executive Summary Coursework will not be anonymously marked to provide meaningful feedback  

Reading List
Reading lists are managed at readinglists.liverpool.ac.uk. Click here to access the reading lists for this module.
Explanation of Reading List:

        Essential Texts
"The approach to organisation and planning" (Departmental Document 2001)
Recommended Texts
 
 
Blaxter, Loraine, How to Research, Open University Press, 2001
Bell, Judity, Learning from Research:Getting more from your data, Buckingham: Open University Press, 2002.
Greenfield, Tony, Research Methods for Postgraduates, Arnold; Oxford University Press, 2002