MRes Evolution: Galapagos Field Course

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Show development of existing scientific writing skills and data visualisation
• Evidence survey expertise; Including carrying out bird surveys, and possibly snorkelling (as appropriate)
• Evidence independent research working skills and group working skills;
• Evidence the development of recording activities as well as data collection, analysis and reporting.
• Evidence data manipulation skills along side statistical skills;
• Show an Increased understanding of tropical working environment, safety issues beyond those normally encountered in UK;

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Demonstrate improvement in writing skills,
• Demonstrate improvement using spreadsheets, data visualisation software and statistical packages for data analysis.
• Evidence travelling to non-European destination, understanding of non EU country entry requirements and travelling logistics;
• Evidence learning to work in an unfamiliar situation;
• Be able to work independently,
• Understand need for prior planning with respect to inoculations and equipment availability,
• Be able to work effectively in a small group,

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Identify a range of tropical island terrestrial and aquatic plants and animals (as appropriate) and record their habits and/or behaviours.
• Undertake safe, independent research in a tropical environment.
• Understand how to collect, analyse and present data.
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of major aspects of evolutionary biology.
• Understand how to report findings at level 7 for MRes.

The course will provide a thorough immersion in evolutionary biology and associated fieldwork. Fieldwork will include surveys of Galapagos birds, and other animals, snorkelling in shallow inshore habitats so ensuring that there is first hand experience of seeing a variety of animals and plants in their native environment.

Teaching and learning methods

This is an intensive fieldcourse course of around 2 weeks duration (exact length depends on destination and logistics).

Formal Lectures: will provide an appropriate grounding in elements of evolutionary biology.

Practical sessions, group learning: will be supported by extensive fieldwork that will include handling birds. Training in the UK, with the BTO will be provided.

Informal field based tutorials: advice and support will be available from staff and, if applicable, staff associated with field stations.

One to one research training in the field: advice and support will be available to help students plan and execute survey work.

Individual learning with staff: advice and support available for presentation and reporting of results.

Assessment strategy

Presentation of key results (60%): Specific aspects of the survey work will be analysed in details and presented in an appropriate format. Specifically, this assessment will summarise field data collection and analytical methods, discuss the outcomes of the analysis and propose follow-on work prompted by the field surveys.

Tests learning outcomes 1, 3, 4 & 5.

Documentation of data collection (40%): This assessment will provide evidence for the successful participation in scientific activities, data collection and documentation created over the duration of the entire fieldcourse . Tests learning outcomes 2, 3 & 5 . This will provide experience of documenting survey activities and results. This will be of additional value for their final year independent research project.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.