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A research project designed for MRes students in the Biodiversity, Evolution & Conservation programme in the Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, Division of Biological Sciences programme in the Faculty of Life Sciences. A range of project titles will be offered within Biodiversity, Evolution & Conservation from ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº-GEE, the Natural History Museum, and the Zoological Society of London to complement the taught material in the programme. Under supervision, students will carry out original experimental, field, modeling and/or analytical work. They will then write a dissertation critically analysing and presenting their results. Students will also be expected to prepare and defend an oral presentation of their work.

Practical experience of research methods, of designing an investigation and analysing the results of and of the writing-up and poster presentation of the study. To allow students to gain a supervised, hands-on, experience of Biodiversity research. To enhance student skills in data collections, handling and analysis and placing of individual results within a wider theoretical framework. To give students an experience of real experimentation and the methodology needed to deal with practical problems. To equip students with the ability to present their results and conclusions in a written report and an oral presentation.

Students will be given the opportunity to learn how to: design experiments to test particular hypotheses, analyse experimental results using modern statistical techniques, write up research in the style of an article for an established scientific journal, convey their research results to others in an oral presentation, survey the literature in their chosen area of research, organise their time in order to carry out and analyse their experiments, and make written and poster reports within a 16-week period, use current laboratory and field research techniques and equipment, work as part of a team with research staff ranging from PhD students through to project supervisors.

The student will gain a raft of transferable skills (these will vary to some degree on different projects): use of databases; statistical analysis and other analytical techniques; word processing; the production of a major written report and poster presentation; independent learning and working in a team with variable ability and seniority.