Research Frontiers in Earth Science - 2019 entry

In this module you will gain an appreciation of how to critically analyse research methods, data collection, balanced argument and weighing of the evidence. This will be achieved through a series of seminars taking a forensic look at emerging and exciting frontiers in the Earth Sciences. You will also learn how to communicate scientific results, as well as critically evaluate presentations by others. The topics will be focused on a wide range of research fields reflecting expertise across the discipline, and will include ore deposits and critical metals, mineral recovery, palaeoclimate and global change in geological time, active earth and mining. This module will build upon the concepts and skills learned during CSM modules spanning years 2–3.

1. To provide an overview of new and emerging research areas in the Earth Sciences, relevant to the broad range of research carried out in the Camborne School of Mines.

2. To gain an understanding and critical assessment of exciting research methods.

3. To understand the process of hypothesis testing, balanced argument and creating theory.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge:

1. Read, assimilate and make critical judgement on recently published research articles and methods.

2. Discern the most important scientific points from these papers in order to participate effectively in class discussions.

3. Critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the main aims, methods and findings of the work being examined.

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge:

4. Describe the main ideas relating to important research fields in the Earth Sciences.

Personal and Key Transferable/ Employment Skills and Knowledge:

5. Participate in discussions effectively, making points simply and coherently with the aim of producing a balanced analysis of the theme under discussion.

6. Summarise and critique topics discussed in a way accessible to a general Earth Science audience, both through writing and oral presentation.

Each topic will focus on a new and emerging scientific area, in terms of both theory and methods. The study of each topic comprises time for reading provided papers, a seminar in which students will present and discuss the research papers with each other and the lecturer, followed by a broader discussion led by the lecturer. These seminars will focus on all aspects of the research, including sample collection, data generation, methods of analysis, hypothesis driven critical analysis of data.

Re-assessment will be based on updated portfolio (50%) and a revised essay (50%).

There is no specific course text, as these will be the scientific papers that relate to the topics of each seminar. They will be identified by the lecturer.

ELE: https://vle.exeter.ac.uk

Reading list for this module: