BNS4100 - Behavioural neuroscience honours: Research project

Leader: Dr Dianne Sheppard

Offered

Clayton Full year 2008 (Day)

Synopsis

The Honours year in behavioural neuroscience aims to increase students understanding of theoretical and methodological aspects of research, develop their analytic, research and communication skills, as well as provide students with advanced knowledge in specific areas of the discipline including laboratory techniques and other research-related skills. The unit is also designed to prepare students for higher degree studies. The relatively high weighting of this unit reflects the intensity of taking on a major research project in this field. In this unit students undertake two serperate, though typically closely-related, research projects in an area within behavioural neuroscience that aim to provide training in both discipline specific and generic research skills. Their research projects form the basis of a literature review and reseach paper(s) presented at the end of the year.

Objectives

On completion of BNS4100 Behavioural Neuroscience Honours Research Project students will:

1. be able to critically review the scientific literature in their domain of behavioural neuroscience research,

2. have acquired sound knowledge of the processes involved in research design, development and implementation through the completion of a research project,

3. be able to execute and analyse the outcomes of a laboratory-based and/or field-based study,

4. be proficient in the use of computer-based analysis, data-base, presentation, word processing and data-base/internet search engine software,

5. be able to prepare a report of a research project in a potentially publishable way,

6. show communication skills in both oral and written presentations to both audiences who are specialists in the student's field of study of research and non-specialist scientific audience,

7. have acquired a range of technical skills appropriate to their research area,

8. have the capability to perform a variety of scientific procedures and techniques that are essential to the satisfactory completion and reporting of a research project.

Assessment

Oral presentation of research (hurdle)
Literature review (4000 - 5000 words): 20%
Two Separate research papers (5000 - 7000 words each) or one combined research paper (8000-10000 words): 80%

Contact hours

42 hours/week on their research project. Six 2-3 hour seminars/workshops

Co-requisites

BNS4200

Must be enrolled in the Honours degree of Bachelor of Behavioural Neuroscience.