University of St Andrews

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 10

ECTS credits : 5

Level : SCQF level 9

Semester: 1

Availability restrictions: Enrollment is limited to BSc Neuroscience students

Planned timetable: Lectures: Tue, 1-2pm Tutorials: Wed, 1-2pm, Fri, 1-2pm

This module aims to introduce students to an increasingly important aspect of the scientific process in psychology and neuroscience: data analysis and visualisation. Weekly lectures delivered by a different member of staff drawn from various subdisciplines of the biological/behavioural sciences will highlight the variety and complexity of different data types and how insights from these data can be visualised and communicated effectively. Students will self-direct their learning and work to analyse datasets provided by members of staff, and create scientific figures for assessment. Throughout, students will learn to critically evaluate primary research articles. At the end of the module, a one-day conference will be held in which students give oral presentations on new advances in the field.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisite(s): Honours entry to BSc Neuroscience

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact: Week 1: -1-hour introductory meeting with teaching staff, Weeks 2-11: -6 x 1-hour lectures -6 x 1-hour tutorials -2 hours devoted to critical analysis of primary research -1 full day (5 hours) of oral presentations as part of research festival

Scheduled learning hours: 20

Guided independent study hours: 80

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews: Coursework = 100%


Re-assessment: Coursework = 100%. Re-assessment applies to failed components only.

Personnel

Module coordinator: Dr M F Zwart
Module teaching staff: Team Taught

Intended learning outcomes

• To understand the variety and complexity of different data types in the behavioural and neural sciences;
• To understand how insights from these data can be visualised and communicated effectively;
• To create scientific figures from datasets provided by members of staff;
• To critically evaluate primary research literature.