CH3NUINU-Health and Safety and Professional Skills

Module Provider: Chemistry
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2021/2

Module Convenor: Dr Philippa Cranwell
Email: p.b.cranwell@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module is specifically for Part 3 NUIST students studying on the BSc Applied Chemistry programme (in this case the 4+0 route completed at NUIST). The module is designed to prepare and support such students for working in a UK chemical laboratory and for carrying out independent research in a practically based investigation in the Spring Term. The module uses a variety of different approaches to support students in the development of transferable skills.

Module Lead:ÌýJun LiÌý(summili@163.com)

Aims:

• To help students develop the independent learning skills necessary for research;


• To familiarise students with UK health and safety practices, regulations for working in a chemical laboratory and to train students to write comprehensive COSHH and risk assessments;


• To help students develop excellent recording skills in the lab and to provide practice in writing structured lab reports;


• To help students develop self-study skills to enable them to research an unknown topic, and solve a problem based upon it;


• To introduce students to with a range of programmes, packages and resources, esp. the chemistry databases used routinely by chemists for learning and researching;


• To familiarise students with a range of resources for researching unknowns;


• To help students develop self-study skills to enable them to research an unknown topic, and solve a problem based upon it;


• To introduce students to effective team working, problem solving and to understand how successful teams operate;


• To help students develop effective time management, organisation, communication and team working skills.


• To give students practice and support in written and oral communication, and to develop scientific writing skills in preparation for writing a literature review and project report.


• To support students in developing career plans and prepare applications for employment or future study.

Assessable learning outcomes:

Students should be able to:

• recognise the risks with different types of laboratory procedures and chemicals and to mitigate them; comply with the good practice in a chemical laboratory.


• use a laboratory notebook to accompany practical work and understand how to good practice in keeping a lab notebook;


• understand how to structure and compile a practical report;


• tackle unseen problems and devise strategies for solving them;


• extract and manipulate numerical data;


• organise themselves and team members to communicate in appropriate ways or through appropriate media;


• access a variety of resources, including the chemical literature and database, to obtain data and summarise findings;


• understand what constitutes good academic practice and the importance of referencing and ci tations;


• construct a reasoned argument to arrive at a valid solution to a problem;


• write a report using suitable scientific language to justify the methods used to solve the problem and the results;


• effectively present findings and results orally.

Additional outcomes:

It is hoped students will develop a thorough understanding and appreciation for good academic practice and teamwork.

Outline content:

Week 1: COSHH and risk assessments. How to keep a laboratory notebook. How to write up a practical report. Thinking about careers: deciding career options, employer deadlines and careers fairs.

Week 2: Effective use of library resources and online search facilities. Time management and deadlines.

Week 3: Introduction to the MSc at ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø. Group working: Introduction to the Ti