1. General Information
Welcome to the School of Medical Sciences
Welcome to your Postgraduate Taught Programme in the School of Medical Sciences within the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health at the University of Manchester. The University has a worldwide reputation based on high quality teaching and research, and I am sure that your programme will provide a solid foundation for your future career success.
Within the School and the wider Faculty, our goal is to create an environment that allows you to excel and reach your full potential. Offering access to first-class facilities and strong links with regional health-service providers, our postgraduate programmes are designed to meet the diverse needs of all our students. The curriculum of our taught programmes provides the knowledge and skills you will need in your subject area and all our Masters programmes include an opportunity to carry out an independent research project on topics spanning all areas of biomedical research from molecular to experimental biology and clinical medicine. While subject areas cover a broad range, all our taught programmes have two common aims:
- To develop your skills in your chosen field of study
- To enhance your knowledge within the field you have chosen. Whether you are a graduate, professional or have a clinical background, the programmes have been tailored to meet your specific needs.
As a student of the School of Medical Sciences, you will be expected to take responsibility for your degree, within a supportive environment that fosters your development and helps prepare you for your future career. This handbook will be a useful resource as you progress through your programme. It provides programme-specific information that I am sure that you will find helpful throughout your study. If however, you have questions or would like some further advice, please do not hesitate to contact the people listed in this handbook for further information and assistance.
I wish you every success as you embark upon your programme, and in your future career.
Dr Carol Yates
Director of Postgraduate Taught Education
School of Medical Sciences
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
Updated version
Academic year 2019/20
Welcome to the MRes Experimental Medicine
At a joint meeting entitled “Ensuring UK leadership in experimental medicine” given by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) and the British Pharmaceutical Society (BPS) in October 2014 Sir John Savill, Chief Executive of the MRC reported: “Central to experimental medicine is the need for a skilled workforce able to design and lead early clinical studies, as well as the infrastructure and personnel required to deliver high-quality studies to industry-relevant timescales”
This MRes degree in Experimental Medicine is an integral part of the strategic plan development of Experimental Medicine in Greater Manchester and more broadly across the UK. It is currently the only UK course to provide the opportunity for students to gain experience through learning whilst being embedded in clinical research teams.
The objective of the course is to enable students to gain skills in designing and leading high quality early clinical studies and to ensuring delivery to industry-relevant timescales. Three principle methods will be used to achieve this:
• Taught units: Four compulsory taught units will provide the theoretical framework to understand experimental medicine
• Dissertation: Two six month projects will enable students to design, deliver and interpret projects related to experimental medicine
• Experience: As members of Experimental Medicine Teams, students will become part of the skilled workforce designing and contributing to early clinical studies
As programme director for the MRes in Experimental Medicine, I would like to formally welcome you onto the programme, and also take the opportunity to invite you to contact me should any concerns or clarifications arise during your graduate learning experience. The Pathway Lead is also available to offer you specific support during your studies (please see below for contact details).
List of important contacts
List of important contacts with e-mail, telephone and location
| Programme Directors: | Programme Director Dr Natalie cook Honorary Consultant in Medical Oncology Experimental Cancer Medicine Team (ECMT) The Christie NHS Foundation Trust Wilmslow Road Manchester M20 4BX Tel: 0161 918 7672 natalie.cook@christie.nhs.ukDeputy Programme Director – Cancer Dr Louise Carter Senior Clinical Lecturer in Experimental Cancer Medicine. Honorary Consultant in Medical Oncology Experimental Cancer Medicine Team (ECMT) The Christie NHS Foundation Trust Wilmslow Road Manchester M20 4BX Tel: 0161 918 7672 Louise.Carter@christie.nhs.ukPathway Lead – Dermatology Prof Rachel Watson University of Manchester 1.721 Stopford Building Oxford Road Manchester M13 9PT Tel: 0161 275 5505 Rachel.Watson@manchester.ac.ukPathway Lead – Hearing Health Dr Kai Uus University of Manchester B2.1 in Ellen Wilkinson Building Oxford Road Manchester M13 9PT Tel: 0161 275 3373 kai.uus@manchester.ac.ukPathway Lead – Musculoskeletal Dr Benjamin Parker University of Manchester Room 2.704 Stopford Building Oxford Road Manchester M13 9PT Benjamin.Parker@manchester.ac.ukPathway Lead – Respiratory TBC |
|
Programme Administrator:
MRes Experimental Medicine Student Representative |
Christie Finegan Programme Administrator University of Manchester Room 1.485 Stopford Building Oxford Road Manchester M13 9PT e-mail: cancer@manchester.ac.uk or Christie.finegan@manchester.ac.ukTo be appointed by students post registration. The student rep will be nominated from the selection of the students who would like to volunteer for the position. The student rep is required to feedback to the programme directors and administrator on any issues or queries that the students have. They will be required to attend official programme committees throughout the year. |
| eLearning Support: | You can contact eLearning to receive support at elearning@manchester.ac.uk. However, you must enter “FBMH eLearning – MRes Experimental Medicine” in your email subject header. This will help ensure your request reaches us quickly. Further information on BMH eLearning can be found here. |
| General IT Support: | Contact the Service Desk via the online Knowledge Base http://servicedesk.manchester.ac.uk/portal/ss and report any IT failure or submit a service request. Call the Service Desk on: 0161 306 5544 (or ext 65544). Opening hours are: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. |
Online Skills Training Resource
The Faculty has developed a skills training resource to support you through your postgraduate taught programme. This online material should supplement the assessed learning material and activities undertaken in your taught programme.
Accessing the online skills resource
You can access Blackboard through the My Manchester portal (http://my.manchester.ac.uk). The skills training resource is available in an academic community space available to all registered PGT students in the Faculty through Blackboard.
If you cannot see these units in your Blackboard please contact your Programme Administrator.
Content
Full details of all these resources can be found in the introduction to each unit. These resources have been designed to give you formative feedback on your progress through them. If you experience any problems and would like to talk to someone please contact your Programme Director. If you have questions about referencing and how it applies to your own work, please contact your Programme Director or dissertation supervisor/module lead.
| Academic Writing | This is an excellent resource that supports you to write your assignments and dissertation. It is split into units that focus on key areas that previous students have found difficult and aims to enhance your academic writing style. |
| Research Methods* | This course is spilt into 3 units that cover introductions to study design, statistics and dissertation skills. It has a number of online quizzes where you can test your knowledge. |
| Statistics* | The course provides a valuable foundation for understanding and interpreting biostatistics. It aims to provide you with the fundamentals of quantitative analysis. |
| Presentation Skills | This short interactive unit is designed to help you to enhance your presentation skills. Regardless of whether you are presenting in public, preparing for conferences, an oral examination or more informal settings this unit will give you the tops tips to improve your delivery. |
| Qualitative Research Methods* | This unit has been designed to give you an introduction to Qualitative Research. |
| SPSS* | This is an introduction to statistics, using SPSS, a popular and comprehensive data analysis software package containing a multitude of features designed to facilitate the execution of a wide range of statistical analyses. |
| Intellectual Property Awareness Resource | This Intellectual Property (IP) awareness resource has been created in order to improve your understanding of IP. Topics include: Types of intellectual property • Copyright and IP clearance • University policy on IP • IP commercialisation • IP in research or consultancy • IP issues to be aware when dealing with academic materials |
* NOTE: the material in this online resource is for reference and formative learning purposes only. In some of your taught programme you may be required to undertake assessed course units for Research Methods, Qualitative Research or Statistics. If your programme involves taught units then you should refer to the Blackboard material relating to that course unit. Please contact your Programme Administrator if you are unsure which material relates to your assessed work. You will still be able to refer to the online skills resource in later years.
Introductory Courses
All students are automatically enrolled onto an introductory unit that provides information on health and safety, academic malpractice and academic literacy. Completion instructions for each of these sections are clearly defined within the course. Completion of the academic malpractice and health and safety sections is mandatory for all students. All assessments must be completed as soon as possible after the programme begins, with the academic malpractice assessment completed before the first piece of coursework is submitted. Completion of these assessments is monitored by the School. All students are also strongly advised to complete the academic literacy section.
Health and Safety
Before you visit the University campus, please take time to read the University’s Health and Safety Policy.
2. Overview of the Programme
This programme offers both part-time and full time pathways. The structure of the programme is as follows:
PG Cert Experimental Medicine
Complete the 4 course units indicated below. These units together contribute 60 credits to the programme.
Course Units
Unit 1: Research Methods MEDN 69910 (15 credits)
Unit 2: Introduction to Experimental Medicine MEDN 69631 (15 credits)
Unit 3: Designing a translational medicine strategy for a clinical intervention MEDN69632 (15 credits)
Unit 4: Assembling pre-clinical and early clinical development strategies for a new candidate drug MEDN 66212 (15 credits)
MRes Experimental Medicine – 1 year full time or 3 years part time
Under supervision, students will produce 2 research dissertations (MEDN66230 and MEDN 66242). This will involve identifying research questions, developing the design of a research project, carrying out the research, analysing the data and then writing up the project. This will usually be in the format of a report based dissertation or systematic review. Submission in another format may be permitted by prior approval by the Programme Director.
Progression between stages is subject to satisfactory performance. You will not be able to progress to the dissertation unless you have successfully completed 120 credits at Masters level.
Aims and Learning Outcomes
Overall this programme aims to present an integrated and multi-disciplinary programme that will equip the student with the knowledge, understanding and core skills to practice and/or conduct research in an experimental medicine centre within the healthcare sector.
The programme aims to
01. Provide students with the key background knowledge and understanding of experimental medicine clinical trials
02. Train students to understand the pre-clinical data which is required before human testing of investigational therapeutic products can commence
03. Introduce key technical skills in interpretation of pharmacokinetic (including absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination – ADME), pharmacodynamic and safety data which arise during early phase clinical trials
04. Emphasise the breadth and depth of the application methods used to design an early phase clinical programme of studies to determine whether to progress into later phase clinical testing
05. Comprehend key concepts and distinctions of the disciplines that need to be synthesised for conducting an effective early phase clinical trial
06. Provide an appreciation of the role of the experimental medicine scientist and how they fit in the wider landscape of therapeutic developments
07. Equip students with transferable clinical research methods
08. Embed the importance of patient-focused delivery and outcomes
Additionally for the Masters and PG Diploma programmes, it aims to
09. Equip students with in-depth knowledge, understanding and analytical skills to be able to work with data from experimental medicine trials to adapt the clinical trial, the clinical programme or to close the clinical trial and or clinical programme
10. Equip students with a systematic and critical understanding of relevant knowledge, theoretical frameworks and analytical skills to determine whether the pre-clinical package of information is sufficient to warrant early clinical trials
11. Develop a practical understanding of the skills, tools and techniques necessary to design first-in-human clinical trials
12. Apply practical understanding and skills to setting up, conducting and closing out a clinical study or clinical programme
13. Train students to be able to work in a multi-disciplinary community and communicate specialist knowledge of how to use data in a diverse community
14. Evaluate the effectiveness of alternative clinical trial and clinical programme designs with respect to time, cost and uncertainty of understanding
15. Enable students through the systematic, in-depth exploration of a specific area of experimental medicine practice and/or research to extend their knowledge, understanding and ability to contribute to the advancement of experimental medicine delivery, research or practice
Intended Learning Outcomes of the Programme
A. Knowledge & Understanding
Within the context of their chosen award students should:
For the Postgraduate Certificate
Identify pre-clinical data required by regulatory authorities in order to approve experimental medicine trials to commence
Demonstrate a critical understanding of the nature and value of different research approaches to the design of a first-in-human experimental medicine trial
Have knowledge and understanding of how to qualify and validate pharmacodynamics and predictive biomarkers
Appreciate and be able to discuss whether further investment to progress a drug or alternate therapy into expensive late phase clinical testing is warranted on the basis of data from experimental medicine trials
Awareness of national and international frameworks, strategies and policies to set up and run an experimental medicine trial
Understand the role of the experimental medicine scientist in early phase clinical development
Acquire knowledge of the history and current status of precision medicine
Understand the activities required to set up, recruit to and close a clinical study
Identify and explain the appropriate data sources to support approval for a clinical trial
Understand widely used pharmacokinetic principles to explore the anticipated drug exposure on an individual and population basis
Know how to formulate a translational strategy for a novel therapeutic intervention
Understand the range of statistical techniques to construct robust go/no go criteria
Additionally for the Masters and PG Diploma programmes
Have advanced knowledge of clinical trial designs aimed at testing a therapeutic intervention
Understand how an experimental medicine scientist fits in the organisational model for an experimental medicine centre
Systematically and critically examine hierarchies of research evidence that inform and underpin human experimental medicine clinical trials
Consolidate, synthesise and critically apply the in-depth knowledge and understanding of relevant policy, literature, methodologies and technologies acquired through the taught components of the programme to the formulation of an extended research project relevant to a specific aspect of experimental medicine
B. Intellectual Skills
At the end of the programme students should be able to:
For the Postgraduate Certificate
Appraise and synthesise information from a variety of sources in order to develop a coherent critical analysis of issues relating to testing therapeutic interventions in human subjects
Recognise problems and devise appropriate solutions
Translate knowledge and understanding obtained from other disciplines and make connections to experimental medicine
Critically analyse and summarise others and your own work and consider how it could have been done differently
Engage in a literature research strategy and be able to summarise key points
Additionally for the Masters and PG Diploma programmes
Consider critically a variety of established techniques and methods of research and enquiry and how they relate to the advancement of the testing of novel therapeutics
Critically evaluate a range of possible options or solutions to construct a clinical trial design and present a soundly reasoned justification of a final recommendation
Translate ideas, practices, knowledge and understanding between academic disciplines in order to provide innovative solutions to unfamiliar problems
Demonstrate original independent thinking, and an ability to develop theoretical concepts
Justify the methodologies, techniques and decisions used in one’s own work
Engage in a systematic exploration of the literature, policy and research related to a specific area of experimental medicine so as to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the relationship between theory and practice
Understand relevant research methodologies and techniques and their appropriate application to research
C. Practical Skills
At the end of the programme students should be able to:
For the Postgraduate Certificate
Perform independent information acquisition and management
Critically appraise all aspects of experimental medicine protocol development
Additionally for the Masters
Draw on their knowledge and understanding of different approaches to research to formulate appropriate questions and methods for research and/or evaluation into aspects experimental medicine
Utilise diverse data sources and select key data to enable the clinical trial to be designed in a manner which mitigates risks and seeks to maximise understanding of the potential of a new therapeutic intervention
Plan, execute and evaluate experimental medicine clinical studies
Organise and pursue a scientific research project in a specific aspect surrounding experimental medicine
D. Transferable Skills and Personal Qualities
At the end of the programme students should be able to:
For the Postgraduate Certificate
Prepare, present and effectively communicate and defend complex ideas in documents and oral presentations to a range of audiences
Apply statistical skills
Demonstrate research and enquiry skills by accessing and analysing literature in order to inform, research and develop strategies
Work cooperatively and effectively with others as a member of a team
Reflect on their own academic performance and utilise strategies to improve these
Use logical and systematic approaches to problem-solving and decision-making
Work as an individual on self-directed learning and research
Transfer knowledge, understanding and skills to a range of experimental medicine settings
Manage resources and time effectively
Identify and access appropriate bibliographical resources, archives and other sources of relevant information to investigate a topic
Ability to make cross-disciplinary connections with other scientists and professionals
Additionally for the Masters and PG Diploma programmes
Show flexibility, open-mindedness, self-awareness, self-discipline, motivation and thoroughness to sustain a piece of research
Progression through the Programme
The diagram below shows progression through the programme, related to the semester dates. Students will be required to attend the allocated teaching days and to undertake the associated assessments. Progression from the PG Cert and the PG Dip will be dependent on successful completion of 60 credits, at the required standard. Similarly, progression from PG Dip to the MSc will depend on successful completion of 120 credits, at Masters Level.
| Units of Learning | Credits | Exit Award |
| 1. Taught Unit 1: Research Methods | 15 | |
| 2. Taught Unit 2: Introduction to Experimental Medicine | 15 | |
| 3. Taught Unit 3b: (Respiratory, Dermatology, Hearing Health and Musculoskeletal Pathways): Designing a translational medicine strategy for a clinical therapy or intervention | 15 | |
| 4. Taught Unit 4: Assembling pre-clinical and clinical strategies for a new candidate drug | 15 | PG Cert in Experimental Medicine (60 credit exit award for all pathways) |
| 1.Research Project 1 | 60 | PG Diploma in Experimental Medicine (120 credit exit award for all pathways – comprising Taught Units [60 credits] and Research Project 1 [60 credits]). |
| 2.Research Project 2 | 60 | MRes in Experimental Medicine (180 credits – comprising Taught Units [60 credits] and Research Projects 1 & 2 [120 credits]) |
Unit 1: Research Methods MEDN 69910 (15 Credits)
The Research Methods Course is a 15 credit, interactive blended learning course which provides students with an introduction to key material required for the design, execution and interpretation of medical, scientific and clinically-related research and the production of a high quality dissertation.
The unit will run online over one semester. There will be online material opened on each topic at specific timetabled slots throughout the semester and face-to-face consolidation sessions.
The unit incorporates online material and 10 face-to-face sessions covering:
Introduction to Blackboard and research methods online;
Dissertations skills – covering literature search, principles of academic writing, critical appraisal of publications, plagiarism and abstract writing;
Study design – covering project planning, time management and an overview of specific research designs, ethical issues and principles of good governance that apply to all clinical research;
Statistics – covering a basic introduction to statistical methods;
Communication skills – presentation skills and posters.
Unit 2: Introduction to Experimental Medicine MEDN 69631 (15 credits)
The Introduction to Experimental Medicine module is a 15 credit, interactive blended learning course which provides students with an overview of issues related to conducting EM research. This area of research is broad and the aim of this module is to give students a generic introduction to the concepts, practical issues, and challenges that researchers may experience when conducting EM research.
This module will cover basic concepts, ethical and regulatory considerations, study design, statistical methods, protocol development, and challenges encountered frequently in EM, including recruitment. The teaching will be delivered by clinical researchers active in EM research and will be supported by the Manchester Clinical Research Facilities.
Unit 3: Assembling pre-clinical and early clinical development strategies for a new candidate drug MEDN 66212 (15 credits)
The purpose of this unit is to provide a framework to consider how to optimise the chances of success in the early clinical testing of a novel intervention. Despite having a potentially excellent drug, testing it in the wrong disease type, or at the wrong schedule or dose; or with the wrong combination of agent- could terminate an otherwise promising drug. Students will gain a foundation for considering which pre-clinical experiments can be done to inform on the optimal options for clinical testing. With the help of a tutor, students will choose a scenario to the practice of relevant translational medicine within the drug development environment and constructively critique it.
Unit 4: Designing a translational medicine strategy for a clinical intervention MEN69632 (15 credits)
The purpose of this module is to provide a foundation and appreciation of what has to be considered in planning and designing the pre-clinical and early clinical strategy for a new candidate drug. A wide range of issues has to be considered before a drug is dosed in man. Amongst these is whether the pre-clinical toxicity supports entry into man, and if so, whether the first in man study should be performed in patients or healthy volunteers and what the initial starting dose should be, escalation dose increments and setting an upper dose limit?. A basic understanding of drug handling will also be provided, along with the pre-clinical pharmacokinetic and pharmaceutical development packages required to support an application to the regulatory authorities to gain approval to dose the drug in man. Key objectives of any early clinical development programme are the determination of (a) drug exposure- pharmacokinetics (b) drug safety (c) drug effect- pharmacodynamics and clinical efficacy. Understanding these three elements is critical if clear go/no-go criteria for progression of the drug into further clinical development are to be put in place and adhered to.
Unit 5: Research Project 1 MEDN 66230 (60 credits)
Under supervision, students will produce a research dissertation. This will involve identifying research questions, developing the design of a research project, carrying out the research, analysing the data and then writing up the project. This will usually be in the format of a report based dissertation or systematic review. Submission in another format may be permitted by prior approval by the programme director.
Unit 6: Research Project 2 MEDN 66242 (60 credits)
Under supervision, students will produce a research dissertation. This will involve identifying research questions, developing the design of a research project, carrying out the research, analysing the data and then writing up the project. This will usually be in the format of a report based dissertation or systematic review. Submission in another format may be permitted by prior approval by the programme director.
Course Unit Outlines
Unit 1: Research Methods MEDN 69910 (15 Credits)
The Research Methods Course is a 15 credit, interactive blended learning course which provides students with an introduction to key material required for the design, execution and interpretation of medical, scientific and clinically-related research and the production of a high quality dissertation.
The unit will run online over one semester. There will be online material opened on each topic at specific timetabled slots throughout the semester and face-to-face consolidation sessions.
The unit incorporates online material and 10 face-to-face sessions covering:
Introduction to Blackboard and research methods online;
Dissertations skills – covering literature search, principles of academic writing, critical appraisal of publications, plagiarism and abstract writing;
Study design – covering project planning, time management and an overview of specific research designs, ethical issues and principles of good governance that apply to all clinical research;
Statistics – covering a basic introduction to statistical methods;
Communication skills – presentation skills and posters.
2. AIMS
The unit aims to:
– introduce students to the skills and knowledge to critically design, effectively implement, ethically conduct and knowledgeably interpret research in Biomedical and Human Sciences.
– provide students with life-long critical appraisal skills that they will be able to apply to any research evidence that comes before them.
3. LEARNING OUTCOMES
On completion of this unit successful students will be able to:
| Knowledge and understanding |
|
| Intellectual skills |
|
| Practical skills |
|
| Transferable skills and personal qualities |
|
4. TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODS
The course unit will be delivered predominantly through e-learning over one semester, with seven timetabled face-to-face sessions run by the Graduate Training Team and three face-to-face sessions run by the Library Training Team. A variety of online material will be utilised including web-based reading, podcasts, online discussions, tutor feedback, interactive exercises, self-assessment through MCQs and self-reflection.
The timetabled sessions will be a mix of tutor presentations, group discussions and workshops.
5. ASSESSMENT METHODS
To help students appropriately focus their efforts throughout the unit, a combination of formative and summative assessments is offered.
All students must complete all formative assessments by the end of the semester.
Summative assessments will contribute a percentage towards the final mark. All students must complete three summative assessments in total. Two summative assessments “Critical appraisal of literature” and “Ethical issues related to clinical research” are compulsory for all programmes. Whereas each programme of study can choose the third summative assessment from three optional assessments: either Abstract writing or Grammar quiz or Statistics quiz.
6. FEEDBACK METHODS
Students will be provided with personalised feedback for their summative assignments, within 15 working days.
Unit 2: Introduction to Experimental Medicine MEDN 69631 (15 credits)
The Introduction to Experimental Medicine module is a 15 credit, interactive blended learning course which provides students with an overview of issues related to conducting EM research. This area of research is broad and the aim of this module is to give students a generic introduction to the concepts, practical issues, and challenges that researchers may experience when conducting EM research.
This module will cover basic concepts, ethical and regulatory considerations, study design, statistical methods, protocol development, and challenges encountered frequently in EM, including recruitment. The teaching will be delivered by clinical researchers active in EM research and will be supported by the Manchester Clinical Research Facilities.
2. AIMS
The unit aims to:
1. introduce students to general concepts of experimental medicine (EM) research
– understand the infrastructure and resource available to support EM research
– provide students with practical and real world understanding of the regulatory oversight of EM
– develop students’ understanding of ethical issues related to EM research, and introduce ethical considerations involved in special scenarios (e.g. children)
2. give students understanding of how to conduct EM research:
– develop an EM protocol and define research outcomes
– understand methodological issues and how they may be overcome
– awareness of clinical research facilities and how they support EM
– how to define populations of interest and choose appropriate inclusion/exclusion criteria
– understand how to plan data collection and statistical analysis in EM studies
3. provide students with an awareness of challenges in EM research:
– recruitment, retention, and healthy control populations
– how to develop collaborations
– how to translate EM into later phase research
– how to integrate public and patient involvement when planning EM studies
3. LEARNING OUTCOMES
| Category of outcome | Students should/will (please delete as appropriate) be able to: |
| Knowledge and understanding |
|
| Intellectual skills |
|
| Practical skills |
|
| Transferable skills and personal qualities |
|
4.TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODS
The course unit will be delivered through a mix of lectures, workshops, interactive group sessions and will be supported by e-learning opportunities. Presentations will be delivered by clinical researchers and staff involved in delivery of EM in Manchester, and will utilise the expertise of the NIHR Manchester Clinical Research Facilities (based at CMFT, UHSM and The Christie) to ensure students experience real-world EM examples to demonstrate key concepts. A variety of additional material and learning opportunities will be utilised to support the students’ learning, including journal articles and interactive exercises.
5. ASSESSMENT METHODS
| Assessment task | Length | Weighting within unit (if relevant) |
| Formative: tutor review and feedback from workshops on performance, engagement and content | Continuous through module | All formative |
| Assignment one: design patient information and consent forms to submit to ethics committee | 1000 words | Summative – 40% |
| Assignment two: design a methodology for running an EM study, to include experimental methods, outcomes, recruitment strategy and statistical design | 1500 words | Summative- 60% |
6. FEEDBACK METHODS
Students will be provided with personalised feedback for their summative assignments, within 15 working days.
Unit 3b: Respiratory, Dermatology, Hearing Health and Musculoskeletal Pathways – Designing a translational medicine strategy for a clinical intervention MEN69632 (15 credits)
The purpose of this unit is to provide a framework to consider how to optimise the chances of success in the early clinical testing of a novel intervention. Despite having a potentially excellent drug, testing it in the wrong disease type, or at the wrong schedule or dose; or with the wrong combination of agent- could terminate an otherwise promising drug. Students will gain a foundation for considering which pre-clinical experiments can be done to inform on the optimal options for clinical testing. With the help of a tutor, students will choose a scenario to the practice of relevant translational medicine within the drug development environment and constructively critique it.
2.AIMS
Equip students with knowledge and skills to
● Understand the principles of designing translational medicine strategies for a clinical intervention including application of statistical theory
● Gain comprehensive knowledge of the translational research cycle
● Understand how pre-clinical experiments should be conducted to inform the design of a first in human clinical trial
● Prioritise the most pertinent pieces of pre-clinical data to inform the design of a first in human clinical trial
● Explore baseline and outcome measures that define success of an intervention
● Prioritise in a resource constrained environment which pre-clinical experiments are critical to attaining the next milestone and enlightening the clinical plan beyond that milestone
● Understand how to interpret data from Phase 1 clinical studies including measures of safety and efficacy
3. LEARNING OUTCOMES
| Category of outcome | Students should/will (please delete as appropriate) be able to: |
| Knowledge and understanding |
Understand the key design challenges for a first in human experiment Explain the types of biomarkers and their application to drug development Understand the steps required to qualify and validate biomarkers Appreciate available pharmacodynamics biomarkers to demonstrate biological activity against the hallmarks of disease Understand how to interpret pre-clinical toxicological data to inform the safety design of the first-in-human study Level of evidence required to credential a putative target as meritorious of clinical testing Understand the research landscape for conducting experimental medicine studies |
| Intellectual skills |
Explain how pre-clinical experiments can inform the key design challenges and thus optimise for success; yet balance the danger of over-interpreting pre-clinical data; identify the key data which governs whether a new drug should/should not progress into further clinical testing Develop and communicate a strategy to recommend whether a dose escalation should/should not proceed in a first-in-human clinical trial Critically review which pre-clinical translational experiments most inform the clinical plan in a resource constrained environment Apply the framework of biomarker qualification to prioritise putative pharmacodynamics biomarkers from literature review |
| Practical skills |
Perform and communicate how to assemble a translational strategy to support entry of a drug into man Construct a schedule of assessments from a protocol synopsis |
| Transferable skills and personal qualities |
Work collaboratively within a team Present ideas and work in a verbal and written format Understand about resource allocation and project planning Identify and solve problems Reflect on your one’s response to both normal and complex situations demonstrating the professional behaviours and insights working within the limits of professional competence referring as appropriate to senior staff |
4. TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODS
This unit will use Project-Based Learning and will be delivered in a blended format combining independent directed and undirected reading, one-to-one tutorials and discussions to explore examples and encourage candidates to draw upon their own clinical experience and reading.
5. ASSESSMENT METHODS
| Assessment task | Length | How and when feedback is provided | Weighting within unit (if relevant) |
| Academic critical reflection on clinical testing of a novel drug | 2,000 words | Online | 100% |
6. FEEDBACK METHODS
Students will be provided with personalised feedback for their summative assignments, within 15 working days.
Unit 4: Assembling pre-clinical and early clinical development strategies for a new candidate drug MEDN 66212 (15 credits)
The purpose of this module is to provide a foundation and appreciation of what has to be considered in planning and designing the pre-clinical and early clinical strategy for a new candidate drug. A wide range of issues has to be considered before a drug is dosed in man. Amongst these is whether the pre-clinical toxicity supports entry into man, and if so, whether the first in man study should be performed in patients or healthy volunteers and what the initial starting dose should be, escalation dose increments and setting an upper dose limit?. A basic understanding of drug handling will also be provided, along with the pre-clinical pharmacokinetic and pharmaceutical development packages required to support an application to the regulatory authorities to gain approval to dose the drug in man. Key objectives of any early clinical development programme are the determination of (a) drug exposure- pharmacokinetics (b) drug safety (c) drug effect- pharmacodynamics and clinical efficacy. Understanding these three elements is critical if clear go/no-go criteria for progression of the drug into further clinical development are to be put in place and adhered to.
This unit will cover the following indicative content:
- An introduction to drug manufacture, formulation development, stability testing of the pharmaceutical product
- Pre-clinical pharmacology and toxicological studies pivotal to the design of the first in human experiment
- Basic pharmacokinetic parameters
- Understand the regulations surrounding first-in-human studies from the Expert Scientific Committee report from the TeGenero incident
- Inform students on how to conduct a site audit to appraise the feasibility of a clinical trials unit to conduct the study according to protocol
- Interpretation of tolerability data from an ascending dose Phase 1 trial in cancer patients, simulating a real-life dose escalation meeting
- Plot and interpret a pharmacokinetic drug concentration-time data from a Phase 1 trial
- Using real datasets to determine whether specific drugs should/should not progress into further clinical testing
2. AIMS
This unit aims to:
● Understand the safety, pharmacology and drug disposition data in animals which is required prior to commencing human clinical trials
● Understand the pharmaceutical manufacturing issues which need to be addressed to ensure the quality of the pharmaceutical product for human administration
● Understand the requirement for and basic design of pre-clinical safety studies required to assist clinicians in determining the likely range of safe exposures to the candidate drug, and the possible consequences if these doses are exceeded
● Provide practical guidance to balance the importance of a range of pre-clinical toxicities to safely entering man. If considered suitable for clinical testing, students will calculate the safe starting dose, dose increments and determine criteria for ceasing dose escalation
● Experience the platform of evidence data required to justify progressing a compound forward for further development incurring the significant resource and human exposure implications of the decision or whether to cease drug development
● Provide basic design considerations for first in human administration designs along with how to determine early tolerability, pharmacokinetics and efficacy of a candidate drug in the clinic
● Provide opportunity for students to learn the critical skill of site selection- to enhance the chance of a successful first-in-man study; assembling a site audit programme and then utilise this in a site visit to two first-in-human units to consider their suitability as a site
● Provide understanding of basic pharmacokinetic parameters
3. LEARNING OUTCOMES
| Category of outcome | Students should/will (please delete as appropriate) be able to: |
| Knowledge and understanding |
Understand the pre-clinical package of information to support a MHRA application Explain basic pharmacokinetic parameters and how these relate to safety and efficacy implications. Discuss issues surrounding whether or not to progress a drug into further development Appreciate data which is derived from each phase of clinical development Discuss the challenges in setting a safe starting dose Understand the role of quality manufacturing systems underpinning the pharmaceutical product Discuss and understand concepts for alternative designs of first-in-human trials |
| Intellectual skills |
Identify the key data which governs whether a new drug should/should not progress into further clinical testing Balance findings revealed during an audit of a clinical trials unit to inform the decision whether or not to place a clinical study Critically review a the recommendations from the Expert Scientifc committee report into the TeGenero incident and discuss the relevance to cancer trials Apply pharmacokinetic knowledge to dose setting decisions Design approaches and queries to retrieve data |
| Practical skills |
Perform and communicate how to assemble a pre-clinical strategy to support entry of a drug into man Construct a concentration-time plot and derive basic pharmacokinetic parameters |
| Transferable skills and personal qualities |
Work collaboratively within a team Present ideas and work in a verbal and written format Understand about resource allocation and project planning Work through the problem-solving cycle |
4. TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODS
This unit will delivered in a blended format combining face-to-face lectures and open discussions to introduce concrete examples and encourage attendees to draw upon their own reading and experience. Group, problem based learning will show a deeper understanding of the area and encourage collaborative working. Example case-studies will be drawn from real, anonymised datasets from first in human studies and drug development programmes. The F2F teaching will be delivered as ~20x 0.5-1.5h lectures over 2 weeks, and ~7 x 1.5–5h workshops. The workshops will allow the students (as groups) to actively participate in the different stages of pre-clinical and clinical development. The first will ask each student to individually prepare a proposal for a pre-clinical development package of a compound based on early physiochemical data and initial concepts for clinical testing. Students will be provided with a number of pre-clinical tests which can be conducted to support entry into man (and a limited budget which will not support conducting all tests) and will be required to prioritise those tests most informative to support the proposed clinical plan. In preparation for the second workshop, students will be provided with the Duff report from the TeGenero incident and each student will be allocated to defend the actions of one of the stakeholder groups. During the third workshop, data from a dose escalation cohort will be presented and discussed, simulating real-time dose escalation meetings. The limitations of differing definitions for “Dose limiting toxicity” will be demonstrated. The fourth workshop with introduce students to methods of plotting and interpreting a concentration-time profile on a semi-log plot, with calculation of basic PK parameters which can be used to calculate a loading dose and dosing interval. For the fifth workshop, students will be presented with data from the early clinical studies for several drugs and be asked to justify their rationale as to whether to continue or discontinue the drug from further development. A sixth workshop will consider what comprises a good phase I unit and features to audit- followed by a visit to 2 of the Manchester CRF’s to determine their suitability for conducting first in human studies. The seventh workshop will introduce students to the principles of human pharmacokinetics.
5. ASSESSMENT METHODS
| Assessment task | Weighting within unit | |
| Bitter Pill | Workshop and assignment | Summative (33%) |
| TeGenero review | Assignment | Summative (33%) |
| Go/No GO | Workshop and assignment | Summative (33%) |
6. FEEDBACK METHODS
Students will be provided with personalised feedback for their summative assignments, within 15 working days.
Research Projects 1 and 2 (MEDN66230 and MEDN66242)
Course Administrator: Christie Finegan (cancer@manchester.ac.uk)
Academic Unit Lead: Natalie Cook (Natalie.cook@manchester.ac.uk)
The two research projects provide an opportunity for students to participate directly in clinical research.
Examples of suitable practical research projects (matching the skills and interest of the student with the prevailing project portfolio of the Experimental Cancer Medicine team) include:
| Type of dissertation | Example of practical research project |
| 1. Research Proposal |
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| 2. Publication based/Dissertation by publication |
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| 3. Service development/professional report/ report based dissertation |
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| 4. Adapted systematic review (qualitative data) |
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| 5. Full systematic review that includes data collection (quantitative data) |
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| 6. Qualitative empirical research |
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| 7. Quantitative empirical research |
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| 8. Qualitative secondary data analysis/analysis of existing quantitative data |
|
| 9. Quantitative secondary data analysis/analysis of existing qualitative data/theoretical study/narrative review |
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Aims of the Course Unit
The research project will be chosen by the student from a project pool suggested by supervisors within the Experimental Cancer Medicine Team. Whilst there are a number of master’s courses in the area of experimental medicine within the UK, including those with a focus on cancer, none offer the dissertation element through direct participation in clinical research. The ability of MRes students to practice experimental cancer medicine through participation in clinical research projects as part of The Christie Experimental Cancer Medicine Team is therefore a key distinguishing feature of this programme.
Timetable
One research project will be conducted in each of the first and second 6 months of the full-time placement.
Guidelines and Assessment of the course unit
Each research project should be a dissertation between 10,000 and 15,000 words
Formative assessment of the unit
- Research Grant ProposalThis option is likely to appeal to those who have identified the need for a particular area of research or those who are keen to develop a research project after completing your studies. The dissertation will contain information under the headings often used by funding bodies (for example Medical Research Council or the Economic & Social Research Council. Similarly refer to the guidance for Empirical Research in this document. You will also need to include a detailed critical appraisal of the existing literature as part of your justification for the study.The dissertation can be considered in four main sections:a) Case for Support. This section needs to show:
– Why does this particular research need to be done?
– Why should resources be dedicated to this topic and what gaps in knowledge does the research seek to address?
– How might it lead to an improvement in a particular setting/context/population?
You will clearly formulate the problem setting it in context of scientific and/or theoretical debates. You need to show how it is relevant to trying to improve the health of a particular group of people or locality. This section will include a detailed critique of existing literature relating to the topic and bring in other information to highlight the case for support. You will acknowledge and critique existing studies or data sources and explain the problems with these – in other words, why more research is needed. It is important to reflect on the implications of the proposed research in terms of future healthcare policy/planning or interventions and how it might benefit potential users of your findings. Thus you could include at some point in the dissertation a clear dissemination policy of your findings.b) Research/study methods:
The detailed study design must be directly related to your stated primary and secondary objectives and capable of answering the proposed research question. Whilst you are not asked to go on and do the actual study, the proposal must be related to current circumstances and existing evidence – it must be a study design that could actually be carried out in practice. You will give a clear rational for the particular elements of the research project, using appropriate references to support specific parts of your study design. For example, your methods of sampling (if relevant) and evidence to support the sample size for the project needs to be clearly justified. Similarly you need to justify your choice of data collection methods/measurement tools, and what can be expected in terms of response rates. Part of the study design will include an analysis plan of your collected data. It is not sufficient to just say that “methods suitable for continuous data will be used” for example – you need to give a detailed plan and again support your methods.c) A section on resources/costing is required. Here you need to provide information on the direct costs to carry out the research project. This section must be realistic, set in a particular context/country and where possible, supported with evidence. This will coincide with a detailed time plan which can be helpful to present as a Gantt chart. All research needs to follow accepted ethical principles such as the Declaration of Helsinki and research governance. Whilst these may vary across different countries, remember that your final postgraduate award (if successful) is from the University of Manchester – as such you would be expected to show your understanding and application of research ethics and governance expected from research conducted in the United Kingdom and apply this as appropriate to your own setting. This will include an assessment of risks to different stakeholders and how you have tried to minimise any risks, including contingency plans, in your research design.d) Discussion: The discussion section is one of the most important parts of any dissertation. Here you need to reflect on the relevance/importance of your research question and of your proposed research design. This can bring in some of the wider literature/evidence to develop arguments to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of your proposed research. You can discuss and reflect on some aspects of the study design, including a critique of your methods, and show how you have tried to use rigorous methods for your research that reflect the body of existing knowledge in that area. Research rarely goes to plan and you can show how you have considered some of the potential difficulties in completing the research and how you have tried to overcome these in your proposal. Whilst you will not have any actual findings to discuss, you can postulate what these might be and the implications of a positive or null-finding from your research in terms of service delivery/health policy for example.
Other sections are likely to include references, appendices etc. - Dissertation by publication
The aim of the dissertation is to develop critical faculties in research including:
– Cognitive skills (analysing, synthesising, critical thinking, evaluating and problem solving)
– Creativity (intellectual insight and argument construction)
– Knowledge (about subject area and research methods)
– Personal skills (perseverance, self-reflection, responsibility)
– Self-management (preparation, commitment, time management)
– Professional conduct (ethics, confidentiality, appropriate practices)
– Research management (project planning and delivery)
– Communication (written and oral dissemination)It is achieved by completing a research dissertation, under supervision, in a relevant area. The research project is an opportunity for you to consolidate much of your previous learning and to pursue a specialist area of interest that is relevant to your professional life. This overarching aim can be broken down into a number of Intended Learning Outcomes:
– Conduct a critical review of the literature on the topic of your project
– Identify a gap in current knowledge on this topic and define (or refine) a clearly justified research question
– Design an experiment that will answer this research question and obtain ethical approval
– Collect the data (after piloting) using carefully designed methodology
– Document the data and analyse them using appropriate statistical methods
– Interpret and critically consider the results of the analysis with published work
– Draw (and justify) conclusions of the findings
– Recommend further research questions that lead on from your findings
-Present your findings in the format of a manuscript to be submitted to a peer-reviewed scientific journal.The dissertation can be considered in three main sections:a) Literature review: The literature review will consist of numbered headings and sub-headings. A reference list of all cited works should appear immediately at the end of the literature review.b) Journal manuscript: The journal manuscript will follow the convention of [appropriate journal]. The order of the sections (with an indication of approximate page numbers) is provided below:
i) Title page (1)
ii) Abstract (1)
iii) Introductions (3)
iv) Methods – with appropriate subheadings for Subjects, Procedures etc (3)
v) Results – with pages of figures and tables later (3)
vi) Discussion (6)
vii) Conclusion (1)
viii) Acknowledgements (1)
ix) Tables & Figures (4-6) – each illustration appears on a separate page
x) Reference list (4)c) Appendices: Since the space in academic journals is restricted, there is a level of detail that is normally not provided in the manuscript; however, you will need to provide this information for examination purposes. The best way to do this is to have additional appendices on a CD which is stored inside the rear cover of the dissertation. You may require separate appendices for information on methodology (e.g., the finer details about equipment calibration) and results (e.g., raw data and statistical analysis). Note that these supplementary appendices are for the purposes of the examination of your dissertation. They are not the same as the appendices that are an essential part of your manuscript.
- Service development/professional report/ report based dissertation
The format for a dissertation based on a service development or academic health report will vary according to the focus of the report. But throughout, you will need to demonstrate academic rigour and move beyond a descriptive or discussion focused report. This option (Service development/organisational change/audit OR Evaluation of service delivery/policy) allows you to present a proposal for a service development or a plan to audit/evaluate an aspect of service delivery. The format for a dissertation reporting on these aspects of organisational change/evaluation will usually include a small-scale literature review, detail of the change /audit proposed and the methods which will inform its implementation. However, it is not necessary to implement the organisational change/audit for the purposes of the dissertationStructure and Objectives
The content of the report of the organisational change/audit will usually include the following:a) Background, existing evidence and rationale for change/audit
i) To clearly identify, describe and the organisational change/service evaluation which will be the focus of the dissertation
ii) A review of relevant research, literature and policy related to the aspect of provision that is to be changed/audited.
iii) To provide an evidence synthesis of the above review and a justification for the organisational change/service evaluation proposed.b) Organisational change/audit
i) To set out clear aims and objectives for the proposed service development/audit. These should be drawn from and linked to the preceding literature review.
ii) To present a clear plan (including timescale, resources and methods of evaluation) of the service development/audit and how it will be completed; informed by relevant concepts/theories (e.g. leadership management of change, service development/improvement frameworks) and rationale for the strategies proposed.
iii) To consider the factors that is likely to facilitate/impede the development/audit.
iv) To provide an overview of how the outcome of the proposed change/audit will be disseminated to relevant stakeholders)c) Relevant documentation
i) Any relevant documentation that supports the proposal (e.g. GANTT chart, detail of protocol to be implemented, audit tool etc.) - Full OR
- Adaptive systematic review
The option of completing a full or adapted systematic review provides an opportunity for you to develop your skills in systematically collating, assessing and summarising existing sources of evidence. This can include quantitative or qualitative data. The amount of work involved can be influenced by the number of studies that could be included in the review. For the purposes of this dissertation, you can limit the number of studies in your review (see below) to ensure that the dissertation can be completed within the time/resources available. It is also possible to complete a good review even if no studies can be found. Similarly the review does not have to focus on randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and other types of evidence can be used. Note that you are not expected to complete a meta-analysis for the dissertation though you can include one if appropriate.a) Introduction/background: This is similar to the Case for Support described earlier in the Grant Proposal option.b) Study design/methods including: You need to develop a suitable review methodology appropriate to your research question. The structure of the review is then likely to include:
i) Clearly defined research question
ii) Definition of intervention
iii) Criteria for inclusion/exclusion of studies
iv) Definition of study populations
v) Primary and secondary outcomes for the review
vi) Methods of analysis/summarising data
vii) Methods for assessing study quality
viii) Search strategy & sources of literature/information)c) Results including:
i) Flow chart of search process/included & excluded studies
ii) Summary of data extraction
iii) Summary of included studies
iv) Assessment of methodological quality
v) Summary of treatment effects)d) Discussion: this is likely to cover some of the areas/issues described in the proceeding dissertation option “Quantitative Research Report”e) Other sections are likely to include conclusion, references, appendices etc.
Dealing with too many or too few studies: Good quality search strategies for some research questions can identify hundreds, sometimes thousands of potentially eligible studies to be reviewed. As a student you are unlikely to have sufficient time (and do not have support from a second reviewer) to suitably deal with this. It is possible to limit the number of studies for the dissertation. This could be done for example, by limiting the years of publication in the search strategy, or only including UK studies (or for that matter non UK studies), or limiting studies by population such as just women, or by a specific age group. If you use one of these approaches then it needs to be clearly stated in the methods, results and discussion section.
In some cases, you might find less than a handful of potentially eligible studies for your review or none at all. This does not rule out conducting a systematic review for your dissertation though it can make it more challenging. You could still complete all of the sections outlined above until the results section. You could then explore possible strengths and weaknesses of your search strategy, or inclusion/exclusion criteria for example, before providing a more narrative review of some of the ‘weaker’ forms of evidence that did not pass your criteria. It is unlikely that nothing has been published on your research question at all. You could then conclude with recommendations about what research was needed, what form this might take, and why it was important. These are just ideas and if you take this option you will need to engage in some wider thinking with your supervisor. - Empirical research, either qualitative OR
- Quantitative
This primary research option will include collecting new information/data or biological/environmental samples or e.g. examining the effectiveness of an intervention.The aim of a dissertation by empirical research is to develop critical faculties in research including:- Cognitive skills (analysing, synthesising, critical thinking, evaluating and problem solving)
-Creativity (intellectual insight and argument construction)
– Knowledge and practical skills (about subject area and research methods)
– Personal skills (perseverance, self-reflection, responsibility)
– Self-management (preparation, commitment, time management)
– Professional conduct (ethics, confidentiality, appropriate practices)
– Research management (project planning and delivery)
– Communication and presentation skills (written and oral dissemination of research)The intended learning outcomes of a dissertation by empirical research are as follows:
– Conduct a critical review of the literature and the current status of research in a chosen field
– Identify and isolate, where relevant, basic scientific, translational, clinical, epidemiological, demographic and social elements of the research problem
– Show critical thinking capacity, including abstraction, analysis and critical judgement
– Synthesise and analyse data and information
– Identify a gap in current knowledge on this topic and define (or refine) a clearly justified research question that is amenable to solution
– Be familiar with the theoretical and practical basis of research methods and techniques, including, where relevant, laboratory methodologies
– Design an experiment / research protocol that will answer this research question and, where necessary, obtain ethical approval
– Collect and integrate data using carefully designed methodology
– Document the data, analyse using appropriate statistical methods, and critically evaluate in the context of published work
– Draw (and justify) conclusions from the results
– Recommend further research questions that lead on from your findings
– Command an appropriate battery of written and spoken communication skills to engage in constructive dialogue with peers and supervisor(s) and communicate your work concisely in writing
– Make effective use of library, electronic and online resources, including word processing, referencing software and development of appropriate illustrative materials
– Plan time effectively
a) Introduction and aims
The main aim of the Introduction is to inform the reader of why the area of research is important, and how the project is linked to the research field and/or human health and disease. This section should end with a paragraph that clearly states the overall aims and key objectives of the project.
i) Overview of the research topic or area
ii) The questions being addressed and why they are important. What is the research need?
iii) The purpose of the project; what hypothesis is being tested or questions being asked?
iv) Aims/objectives
b) Methods
The methods and analysis of the data appropriate to address the research questions/hypotheses should be clearly described. The methods section will include some or all of:
i) Type of study/experimental design
ii) Participants/samples/exposures
– Inclusion/exclusion criteria & how determined
iii) Intervention/controls (as appropriate)
– How designed, allocation methods & concealment & attempts to reduce bias
iv) Type & justification of outcome measures or collection of qualitative data
v) Equipment; audio recorders/field notes, models/versions, how set up, calibration, experimental methods & materials used
vi) Analysis plan
– Sample size calculation / proposed informants & estimated recruitment rates
– Statistical and qualitative methods, considerations & software used
vii) Regulatory issues
– Ethics
– Data protection
– Tissue/sampling handling or recordings / transcripts & storage
– Staff & participants health & safety issues/out of hours working/home visits
viii) Costings and resources
ix) Time plan/gantt chart
c) Results
A detailed description of the results and findings, divided into sections with a different theme. This section should provide sufficient information to allow the reader to ascertain the aim of each experiment/method and what the result was. The text should be appropriately supported with figures and tables or text boxes containing participant quotes. Tables and figures should be self-contained with an informative heading, appropriate annotation and a concise explanatory legend.
d) Discussion
The discussion is normally headed by a brief summary of your findings. The Discussion should consist of a logical flow of arguments and reasoning that explains and expands upon the results in simple English, and identifies their relevance to published findings. The Discussion also provides an opportunity to defend the conclusions, identify how experiments or data collection and analysis could have been improved upon, and to discuss how the project might develop given more time. A final conclusion should be given at the end
e) References
The dissertation should be appropriately referenced using a range of sources, including important historical references and the most up-to-date research of relevance, in a journal style appropriate to the field of research. References to web pages are acceptable but should be used sparingly, and the date at which the page was accessed noted. Students are encouraged to use a referencing software package such as Endnote or Reference Manager.
f) Appendices
Appendices are useful to include supplementary data without breaking the flow of the dissertation.
8. Qualitative secondary data analysis/analysis of existing quantitative data
This option takes the format of a quantitative research project. It provides an opportunity for you to work from an existing data set to answer research questions. You need to ensure that you have legitimate access and use of the data for the purposes of your dissertation. In some cases you will be asked to provide a formal letter of access from the person/organisation responsible for the data.Sources of data are likely to include routine datasets/surveillance information, such as those accessed from the World Health Organisation (WHO) or national surveys such as the Health Survey for England or the British Social Attitudes Survey. You might have access to more locally based sources of data, such as routine statistics from a health or social care provider. It is also possible to use data from an established research project that you might have been involved with.A quantitative research report for your dissertation is likely to include the following sections:
a) Introduction, Background & Critical Review of Existing Literature
These sections will cover similar issues/areas to those highlighted in the Case for Support in the option of Research Grant Proposal, on the previous page.
b) Methods & Study Design
Here you will need to provide a detailed description of the existing data set, including how the information was obtained, over what time period, using what methods, who was invited to participate and who actually took part. You will also need to be clear about the aims of the main data set/research project, AND the specific aims you are seeking to address in the dissertation. This will be followed by your proposal to answer those questions yourself using all or part of the dataset of choice. In a way, you might be performing a sub-study nested within a much broader and larger information/research project. At some point in your dissertation you will need to give attention to the integrity of the data, and how reliable it might be.c
) Analysis & Results
This will form a key part of your dissertation, along with the other sections. You will need to provide a detailed plan, and justification for your proposed methods of analysis. Before starting the analysis, you will need to familiarise yourself fully with the dataset and ensure that you understand the meaning of each variable. You will need to check that the data are free from errors and presented in a workable format for your dissertation. Do not underestimate the time involved in this ‘cleaning and preparation’ stage. In the analysis you will need to justify any deviances to your original plan and be clear about any assumptions that you make. In presenting your results, think about the most effective ways to present and communicate your findings. Remember that you want to capture key findings from the study in a clear and meaningful way; otherwise the reader will find it difficult to identify what you found. But don’t go overboard with the number of tables, charts and graphs. Stick to presenting what the reader needs to know to understand what you found in relation to your study objectives. A key skill is in knowing what and how much needs to be presented by way of analysis output and results.
d) Discussion
The discussion section is one of the most important parts of any dissertation. Here you will reflect on the relevance/importance of your research question, the quality of your research findings, and set these into the current context of existing knowledge. You can bring in some of the wider literature/evidence to develop arguments to highlight the internal and external generalisability or strengths and weaknesses of your research and show what value can be placed on your actual findings. It is important to discuss the value of the existing data source and to consider alternative/superior ways to answer your research question in the future. The discussion section usually includes consideration of the implications of your findings, particularly to health or social work policy and practice. In other words, what recommendations might arise from your work? It is not uncommon to find dissertations and academic papers finishing with the phrase“more research is required” – this obvious statement conveys little information to the reader about what you actually know about the subject. If questions remain unanswered then provide some direction in terms of how they might be answered.
Other sections are likely to include references, appendices etc.
9. Quantitative secondary data analysis/analysis of existing qualitative data/theoretical study/narrative review
This form of dissertation provides an opportunity for you to develop your skills in working with qualitative data and could include one of the following approaches:
a) Qualitative study using available data
b) A theoretical/narrative review
c) Policy analysis or discourse analysis/content analysis
d) A critical review of a policy using framework analysis
A qualitative research report for the dissertation is likely to include the following sections:
a) Introduction/background: This section needs to show:
– Why this particular research needs to be done? Or outline the impetus for the study
– Why resources should be dedicated to this topic and the gaps in knowledge the research seeks to address
– How improvements in a particular setting/context/population/policy framework might be achieved
These actions help contextualise the study, demonstrate its relevance and build an argument for what you want to do and why. This section will include a detailed critique of the existing literature and/or other information to highlight the case and generate support for your analysis of the topic. You will also need to acknowledge and critique existing studies/data sources and explain the problems that have arisen when others have used different methods to investigate the topic to discuss how previous work has shaped your own ideas
b) Study design/methods including:
You need to develop a review methodology appropriate to your research question. The structure of the review is likely to include although it is not exclusive to the following:
– A clearly defined research question
– Statement of intent outlining what you want to achieve as part of the investigative process
– Inclusion/exclusion criteria for the studies/texts/policy documents/data sets being analysed
– Definition of study population
– Methods for assessing study quality
– Methods of analysing/summarising(secondary) data
– Sources of data arranged into themes outlining their appropriateness ready for presentation in the results section
c) Results:Here you need to generate and present themes from the data to demonstrate where ideas originated OR highlight themes following analysis of the policy/theory/empirical data sources to generate alternative ways of considering the findings.
d) Discussion:
This is where you will reflect on the relevance/importance of your analysis, and quality of your conclusions set in the context of existing knowledge. You can draw on wider literature/evidence to highlight the robustness, transferability or strengths and weaknesses of your analysis; to show what value can be placed on the conclusions you derived from the generated/reanalysed data. It is important to discuss the value of existing data sources and what you would have done differently if starting again. The discussion needs to explore the implications of your findings, particularly related to health and social care policy and/or practice by highlighting any recommendations arising from your work. If questions remain unanswered you need to demonstrate how they might be addressed and outline the focus of any future research. It is important to reflect on the implications of the research to demonstrate what future health and/or social care policy/planning interventions or practice improvements might ensue and benefit potential service users and/or users of your findings.
e) Other sections
A conclusion will need to draw the debate to a close by synthesising the main points highlighted by your research. This final section could also include a clear dissemination policy of your findings. Other sections will include references, appendices – which come after references – should only include supporting information not material vital to the integrity of the dissertation.
Timetable for submission and completion of assessments
| Assessment Task | Length | Submission/completion date | Weighting within unit |
| Research Project 1 | 10,000 – 15,000 words | 4pm | Summative (100%) |
| Research Project 2 | 10,000 – 15,000 words | 4pm | Summative (100%) |
Credit Rating
The total credit rating for each research project is 60 credits. A 60 credit postgraduate taught dissertation is expected to involve you engaging in 600 hours of study (in other words 10 hours of study per credit). For a 60 credit dissertation your supervisor will normally provide you with 20 hours of supervision.
You should be aware that plagiarism software will be applied to dissertations. Please refer to Guidance to Students on Plagiarism and Other Forms of Academic Malpractice: http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=2870
You should expect some help from your project supervisor in writing the report. ONE project supervisor will be expected to read and comment on ONE draft of the whole report.You should provide your supervisor with adequate notice when submitting your draft since they have many calls on their time. You will find it helps to prepare figures and to work on aspects of your report during the period of lab work (e.g. methods section), rather than waiting for the lab work to end before you start writing.
Keep in mind that an aim of the MRes degree is to provide research training. It should be clear to the examiners what training the project has provided. The projects are short and the examiners will know that the students are unlikely to produce a finished piece of work or to have accumulated large quantities of data. There should, however, be a clear demonstration that new skills have been acquired. Remember that one of your markers will not be closely familiar with your project. It is therefore important to provide a clear and concise write-up. Given that projects will vary in the number and size of figures/images, the fairest and most consistent method to standardise the length is to impose a word limit. This is excellent preparation for scientific writing; most journals impose strict and exacting word limits.
Guidelines on the Presentation of the Dissertation
The MRes dissertation should be prepared in line with MRes Dissertation guidelines for the University of Manchester at the following link:
Formatting
The report will be submitted electronically as a Word document or pdf via Blackboard by the deadline stated.
- For the main text, double or 1.5 spacing with a minimum font size of 12 must be used; single spacing may be used for quotations, footnotes and references.
- Page numbering must consist of one single sequence of Arabic numerals (i.e. 1, 2, 3 …) throughout the reports at the bottom on the right hand side. Page numbers must be displayed on all pages EXCEPT the title page, though this is counted as page one.
- All references must be included in the Bibliography in numerical order.
- Figures or images used in the dissertation must be of sufficient size and clarity.
Required Pages
The following items (a-f) must be included as preliminary pages of the dissertation in the order given.
a) Title page
A title page giving:
i) the full title of the dissertation
ii) a statement as follows: “A dissertation submitted to the University of Manchester for the degree of Master of Research in Experimental Cancer Medicine in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health”.
iii) the year of submission (not including the month)
iv) the candidate’s ID number
v) the name of the candidate’s School – School of Medical Sciences
b) List of Contents
A list of contents, giving all relevant sub-divisions of the dissertation and a page number for each item.
The final word count, including footnotes and endnotes, must be inserted at the bottom of the contents page
c) Other Lists
Separate lists of tables, figures, abbreviations etc. If a dissertation contains tables it is recommended that a separate list of each item, as appropriate, is provided immediately after the contents page(s). These lists must give the page number of each item on the list. Terms should be abbreviated if used 3 or more times in the text. They should be written in full the first time they are used, followed by the abbreviation in parenthesis.
d) Abstract
This must be a short summary (not more than 300 words) of the research presented in the dissertation, including a brief rationale for the study, details of the methods employed, a summary of the results, and an indication of the wider implications of the research.
e) Declaration
A declaration stating that the dissertation is the student’s original work unless referenced clearly to the contrary, and:
EITHER: that no portion of the work referred to in the dissertation has been submitted in support of an application for another degree or qualification of this or any other university or other institute of learning;
OR: what portion of the work referred to in the dissertation has been submitted in support of an application for another degree or qualification of this or any other university or other institute of learning.
f) Intellectual Property Statement
All four of the following notes on copyright and the ownership of intellectual property rights must be included as written below:
i) The author of this dissertation (including any appendices and/or schedules to this dissertation) owns certain copyright or related rights in it (the “Copyright”) and s/he has given The University of Manchester certain rights to use such Copyright, including for administrative purposes.
ii) Copies of this dissertation, either in full or in extracts and whether in hard or electronic copy, may be made only in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as amended) and regulations issued under it or, where appropriate, in accordance with licensing agreements which the University has entered into. This page must form part of any such copies made.
iii) The ownership of certain Copyright, patents, designs, trade marks and other intellectual property (the “Intellectual Property”) and any reproductions of copyright works in the dissertation, for example graphs and tables (“Reproductions”), which may be described in this dissertation, may not be owned by the author and may be owned by third parties. Such Intellectual Property and Reproductions cannot and must not be made available for use without the prior written permission of the owner(s) of the relevant Intellectual Property and/or Reproductions.
iv) Further information on the conditions under which disclosure, publication and commercialisation of this dissertation, the Copyright and any Intellectual Property and/or Reproductions described in it may take place is available in the University IP Policy: http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=24420, in any relevant Dissertation restriction declarations deposited in the University Library, and The University Library’s regulations (see http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/about/regulations/_files/Library-regulations.pdf).
g) Other Pages (not compulsory)
The preliminary pages may also include the following:
Dedications, acknowledgements and similar. These should appear after the compulsory pages listed above. Short items may be combined on the same page.
You must declare in your RP2 report any contribution to your project from other members of the research team. This may be background elements or preliminary data generated prior to the start of your project. This should be written in the acknowledgements section at the beginning of your report, together with acknowledgment of any help or training provided during your research project.
Detailed Guidance for the Dissertation
- Introduction and Aims
This section should provide information about the background to the project. The main aim of the Introduction is to inform the reader of why the area of research is important, and how the project contributes to the research field. This section should end with one or two paragraphs that clearly state the overall aims of the project (e.g. what hypothesis will be tested?) and the key objectives (e.g. what experiments will be performed?). The Introduction should be self-contained and should not require the reader to access additional material in order to understand it. Neither should it be a leisurely review of the field. The referencing of reviews to cover large areas of literature is appropriate. However, research that is directly relevant to the project should be referenced in full as primary research papers. The use of figures to illustrate concepts or previous work is encouraged. It is best that figures are originals. Where unavoidable figures may be copied or adapted from journals, in which case they must be cited in full within the legend. It is important to avoid any issues with repetition of material from the RP1. As all reports are uploaded onto the Turnitin software, any sentences or paragraphs that are direct copies of the literature review will be highlighted as self-plagiarism. It is therefore important to ensure that the text of the introduction is distinct from that of the literature review.
i) The literature review had much broader coverage of the general topic and probably contained a greater level of detail in many areas. Here the introduction should be more focussed and tailored to the project that has actually been conducted
ii) It should be similar in format and organisation to the introduction in a paper, covering the key background literature in a concise manner. The goal is to provide sufficient relevant information that the hypothesis and rationale for the study can be understood by someone external to the field
iii) You will undoubtedly need to include some information that was presented in the literature review; it must be re-written for this new context rather than directly copied
iv) Although there are not defined word limits, the introduction should be relatively short (recommendation of no more than 4-5 pages), so that more of the word allowance can be conserved for the thorough discussion of the research findings.
v) In summary, it is important to identify in the Introduction;
vi) The research topic or area;
vii) The question or questions being addressed, and why they are important;
viii) The purpose of the project. In most cases, the project should seek to test a hypothesis, or at least to generate reagents or devise methods that should allow the testing of a hypothesis. Some projects may be more observational, in which case it is important to identify how these observations might be utilised to advance the field, and;
ix) The aims of the work: what did you try to do, how did the experiments allow you to test the hypothesis?- Materials and Methods
This should provide a description of the experimental systems and designs employed to obtain data, the materials used (including suppliers), and the methods of data and statistical analysis. Detail should demonstrate that the student has understood the methods used and be sufficient for others to repeat the work. The key here is to appreciate which methodologies require detailed descriptions and which standard procedures can be dealt with quickly by referencing previous publications or manufacturers’ instructions. - Results
A description of the results and findings, often best divided into sections, each with a theme. Do not endlessly restate the aims of the project but provide sufficient information to allow the reader to ascertain the aim of each experiment/method development and what the result was. The reader should be able to do this without getting bogged down in detail.
The text should be supported with figures and tables. These should be placed in the appropriate position within the main body of the report, i.e. immediately following the first reference to each table or figure, and not all put at the end of the report. Unless there are special reasons, do not present the same data in more than one form. Tables and Figures should be should be numbered consecutively in separate series. They must have an informative heading and a brief explanatory legend. These should make the general meaning comprehensible without reference to the text. Consider the layout carefully so the significance of the data can be grasped readily. Do not make the figures over-complicated by presenting too many sets of data. Statistics should be quoted where appropriate. Units in which the results are expressed should be given at the top of each column. On graphs, each line should have a separate symbol and error bars should be shown where appropriate. Gel lanes should be easily identified from the annotations. Micrographs should include scale bars. It should normally not be necessary to describe every aspect of the table/figure in the text. There may however be occasions when you want to draw the reader’s attention to specific components of the Table/Figure (for example, “note differences between columns X and Y in Table II”, or “note the asterisked bands in lane 6 of Figure 4” etc). - Discussion
The Discussion should not be a paraphrasing of the results and is normally headed only by a brief summary of your findings. Rather it should consist of a logical flow of argument and reasoning that explains and expands upon the results in simple English, and identifies their relevance to published findings. You will be expected here to refer mainly to primary papers in the literature. The Discussion also provides an opportunity for you to defend your conclusions, identify how experiments could have been improved upon, and to discuss how the project might develop given more time. A final conclusion should be given at the end with a view to the broader impact of the findings. - Acknowledgements
You should acknowledge the people who have helped you in your project including any contribution from other members of the research team. For example, you may have used background elements or preliminary data generated prior to the start of your project. In addition please acknowledge any help or training provided during your research project. - References
References should use a numerical citation in the text e.g. (1-3, 5). This is to avoid impacting on the word count by using author names. The use of a referencing software package such as Endnote or Reference Manager is recommended. References must be cited in full at the end (all author names and initials, date, title, journal, volume, pages). The format for references to papers and books is as follows:Lipp P, Egger M & Niggli E (2002). Spatial characteristics of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release events triggered by L-type Ca2+ current and Na+ current in guinea-pig cardiac myocytes. J Physiol 542, 383-393.Adrian ED (1932). The Mechanism of Nervous Action. Humphrey Milford, London.Buchan AMJ, Bryant MG, Polak JM, Gregor M, Ghatei MA & Bloom SR (1981). Development of regulatory peptides in the human fetal intestine. In Gut Hormones, 2nd edn, ed. Bloom SR & Polak JM, pp. 119-124. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh - Appendices
Appendices are useful ways to include supplementary data (e.g. DNA sequences) without breaking the flow of the dissertation. Buffer compositions are best described in parentheses within the Methods section, but their inclusion in an appendix is acceptable.Submission of Dissertation
You need to complete an on-line notice of submission form at least six weeks prior to your submission deadline.
To submit your on-line notice of submission form, please follow this link:
https://apps.mhs.manchester.ac.uk/applications/students/thesis/StudentSubmission.aspx.
The dissertations will be submitted electronically as a Word document or pdf via Blackboard. Upon submission of your dissertation you will be sent a receipt for confirmation. Research project 2 report will be assessed after submission and will be double marked by one of your supervisors and an independent assessor. Both will mark the report separately and then meet to agree a mark and the feedback.
Dissertation Mark Sheet
Dissertation mark sheets reside in e-Management of Dissertation System; hence a copy is not in the handbook. eMOD uses a number of interactive functions for both staff and students to make the process as seamless and user-friendly as possible. The student completes their online Notice of Submission form and the data supplied in that feeds through to populate the staff view of the database. Staff then use the database to manage the dissertation process all the way through to completion of the student record. A sample copy of the dissertation marksheet is, however, included below for information about the assessment criteria.The following table gives a breakdown of the standard required to achieve a grade within a particular marking band:
Mark Explanation 90-100% Exceptional (allows award of distinction):
Exceptional work, nearly or wholly faultless for that expected at Masters level. Perfect presentation.
80-89% Outstanding (allows award of distinction):
Work of outstanding quality throughout. Excellent presentation.
70-79% Excellent (allows award of distinction):
Work of very high to excellent quality showing originality, high accuracy, thorough understanding, critical appraisal. Shows a wide and thorough understanding of the material studied and the relevant literature and the ability to apply the theory and methods learned to solve unfamiliar problems. Very good presentation.
60-69% Good Pass (allows award of merit):
Work of good to high quality showing evidence of understanding of the research topic, good accuracy, good structure and relevant conclusions. Shows a good knowledge of the material studied and the relevant literature and some ability to tackle unfamiliar problems. Good presentation.
50-59% Pass:
Work shows a clear grasp of relevant facts and issues and reveals an attempt to create a coherent whole. It comprises reasonably clear and attainable objectives, adequate literature review and some originality. Presentation is acceptable, minor errors allowed.
40-49% Referral:
Work shows a satisfactory understanding of the research topic and basic knowledge of the relevant literature but with little or no originality and limited accuracy. Shows clear but limited objectives, and does not always reach a conclusion. Presentation adequate but could be improved.
30-39% Referral:
Work shows some understanding of the main elements of the research topic and some knowledge of the relevant literature. Shows a limited level of accuracy with little analysis of data or attempt to discuss its significance. Presentation poor.
Students starting their programme: From September 2012 From September 2016 20-29% Referral:
Limited relevant material presented. Little understanding of research topic. Unclear or unsubstantiated arguments with very poor accuracy and understanding. Presentation unacceptable.
Fail with no opportunity to resubmit:
Limited relevant material presented. Little understanding of research topic. Unclear or unsubstantiated arguments with very poor accuracy and understanding. Presentation unacceptable.
10-19% Referral:
Limited understanding of the research process. The topic is largely without evidence to support its exploration for research and the arguments are supported by poor sources of evidence. The dissertation is disjointed and does not demonstrate logical coherent thinking with unacceptable presentation.
Fail with no opportunity to resubmit:
Limited understanding of the research process. The topic is largely without evidence to support its exploration for research and the arguments are supported by poor sources of evidence. The dissertation is disjointed and does not demonstrate logical coherent thinking with unacceptable presentation.
0-9% Referral:
The text demonstrates no understanding of the research process. The topic is totally inappropriate and there is no evidence to support its exploration as an area of interest for research. Presentation is extremely poor and is not in an appropriate format for submission as a Masters dissertation. The topic would need to be reconstructed and totally rewritten if it were to be presented for re-submission.
Fail with no opportunity to resubmit:
The text demonstrates no understanding of the research process. The topic is totally inappropriate and there is no evidence to support its exploration as an area of interest for research. Presentation is extremely poor and is not in an appropriate format for submission as a Masters dissertation. The topic would need to be reconstructed and totally rewritten if it were to be presented for re-submission.
- Materials and Methods
The examiner is required to give feedback to the student on the following aspects of the dissertation. There MUST be a seamless link between your written comments AND your marks. Please expand to ensure each section has supportive feedback:
-
- The extent to which the project reported on within the dissertation is based upon a clearly formulated problem/research question and sound rationale informed by a critical understanding of relevant existing evidence/knowledge base.
- The clarity, depth and repeatability of methods of the study/review (including detail re: ethical/regulatory issues).
- The clarity of key study/review findings and reporting of any statistical tests and or narrative/qualitative synthesis
- The depth of discussion including summary of key findings, critical appraisal of study/review reported upon in the dissertation, degree of self-reflection and implications for practice, policy and/or research.
- In addition, please give further detail regarding the strengths of the dissertation providing encouragement and guidance for any future academic study, submission for publication and so on
3. Teaching, Learning and Assessment
Teaching and Learning Overview
The programme provides the necessary knowledge and understanding to work in experimental medicine. The programme aims to be problem-orientated. Students undertaking the full MRes programme will engage in experience-based learning so that on completing the programme they can take their newly acquired skills and knowledge and use them in other experimental medicine centres.
The course is designed to be flexible, to enable students to balance taught work with their research projects and by the integration into the Experimental Medicine Research Teams of the Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) (with 1 each for Hearing Health, Respiratory, Musculoskeletal and Dermatology). It is anticipated, given the interdisciplinary nature of the field, that students will come from a range of backgrounds, including physician, nursing, allied health professions and clinical trials administration. The programme will train them to be able to operate in an interdisciplinary environment using their specialist backgrounds, but also develop their understanding of the key concepts, methods and processes from other areas. It is this ability to work at the intersections of many disciplines that will highlight the unique position of the experimental medicine scientist.
Three taught units in the programme are core. The teaching on these units will be standard or a blend of F2F teaching and e-learning. The Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health has extensive experience of blended learning which will be used in the first unit (Research Method course unit) and good practice in on-line learning with dedicated e-learning technologists and learning materials that include rich on-line audio/video/teleconference technologies; on-line problem/enquiry-based learning; interactive materials, exercises and self-assessment tools.
In order to complement on-line components of the course additional opportunities for F2F learning and networking between students, academic and relevant research staff within experimental medicine teams will be provided (particularly as elements of the course will be delivered on different sites such as the Clinical Research Facility, The Christie Hospital and at research centres based at the University and host Trusts of the BRC). This will allow students to be aware of the different settings for experimental medicine research.
A range of teaching and learning methods are used to facilitate achievement of unit and programme learning outcomes. More details on the specific methods are detailed in the individual unit specifications.
Postgraduate Taught Degree Regulations for Students
Students should familiarise themselves with the degree regulations for Postgraduate Taught Degrees by clicking on this link http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate-degree-regulations/ or reading the University document here: Introduction to the Postgraduate Degree Regulations for Students
Please note that students cannot progress to the MSc Paediatric Anaesthesia dissertation unless they have successfully completed 120 credits at Masters Level.
Guidance for Presentation of Taught Masters Dissertations
The University of Manchester guidance on presentation of taught Masters Dissertations is available at:
Guidance for the presentation of Taught Masters dissertations
The guidance explains the required presentation of the dissertation, and failure to follow the instructions in the guidance may result in the dissertation being rejected by the examiners.
Turnitin and Plagiarism
Plagiarism and Other Forms of Academic Malpractice
Academic malpractice is any activity - intentional or otherwise - that is likely to undermine the integrity essential to scholarship and research. It includes plagiarism, collusion, fabrication or falsification of results, and anything else that could result in unearned or undeserved credit for those committing it. Academic malpractice can result from a deliberate act of cheating or may be committed unintentionally. Whether intended or not, all incidents of academic malpractice will be treated seriously by the University.
The Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health have designed a learning module to raise your awareness of academic malpractice and how it can occur in general writing during your studies. This resource can be accessed via Blackboard - SMS Introductory Course and must be completed before you submit your first piece of academic writing for assessment.
The University provides workshops and online training via My Learning Essentials
Please refer to the University of Manchester guidance to students on plagiarism and other forms of academic malpractice
The full guidance document can be viewed here: http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=2870
Academic Malpractice: Procedure for the Handling of Cases can be found at: http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=639
Turnitin
The University uses electronic systems for the purposes of detecting plagiarism and other forms of academic malpractice and for marking. Such systems include TurnitinUK, the plagiarism detection service used by the University.
As part of the formative and/or summative assessment process, you may be asked to submit electronic versions of your work to TurnitinUK and/or other electronic systems used by the University (this requirement may be in addition to a requirement to submit a paper copy of your work). If you are asked to do this, you must do so within the required timescales.
The School also reserves the right to submit work handed in by you for formative or summative assessment to TurnitinUK and/or other electronic systems used by the University.
Please note that when work is submitted to the relevant electronic systems, it may be copied and then stored in a database to allow appropriate checks to be made.
Mitigating Circumstances
Mitigating circumstances are personal or medical circumstances which are unforeseeable and unpreventable that could have a significant adverse effect on your academic performance. You should only submit a mitigating circumstances application if you consider it serious enough, and the timing critical, to have affected your performance in your assessed work and examinations.
Request for mitigation must be submitted to your programme administrator, in advance of your assessment submission deadline or exam. Requests for mitigation submitted after the assessment or exam (except those requests made as a result of circumstances that have arisen during the course of that assessment period) will not be considered without a credible and compelling explanation as to why the circumstances were not known before the beginning of the assessment period or why you were unable to complete or submit an application prior to the assessment or exam. Please note that not informing the University of circumstances due to personal feelings of embarrassment and pride, or having concerns over the confidential treatment of requests for mitigation, are not considered to be credible and compelling explanations
All mitigating circumstances applications must be supported by independent third party evidence. The type of evidence required will vary according to the nature of the circumstances. Examples of evidence include a doctor or other health professional’s letter, counsellor’s letter, self-certification form signed by your GP or GP’s Medical Practice (for illnesses of 7 days and under only). Please note that it is a University policy that the self-certification form must be signed by a GP; we cannot accept forms which have not been signed by a GP. Please note that if evidence has not been received within 2 weeks of the submission of your form, and you have not contacted them to inform them of any delay, your application will be refused and no further action will be taken.
Please ensure that you password protect or encrypt your mitigating circumstances form and supporting evidence before sending to your programme administrator.
Any requests for mitigation will be considered confidentially by a mitigating circumstances panel or sub-panel. Where a request for mitigation is supported, a recommendation will be made to the exam board for them to decide on the best course of action for the student.
You are advised to consult the following guidance, which directs you to seek advice and support before and whilst submitting a request for mitigation.
The University form and guidance for students is available on the web: A Basic Guide to Mitigating Circumstances.
For further information about the process and acceptable grounds for mitigation see: Mitigating Circumstances Policy & Procedures: http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=4271
Please be advised that any requests need to be submitted by midday the day before the pre-arranged Mitigating Circumstances meeting.
23rd October 2019
27th November 2019
8th January 2020
19th February 2020
18th March 2020
22nd April 2020
20th May 2020
17th June 2020
Late Submission Penalty (Including Dissertation)
Work submitted after the deadline without prior approval will be subject to a late penalty in accordance with the University Policy on Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes. The penalty applied is 10% of available marks deducted per day/24 hours (from the time of the original or extended deadline), until the assignment is submitted or no marks remain.
Penalties for late submission relate to 24 hours/calendar days, so include weekends and weekdays, as well as bank holidays and University closure days.
The mark awarded for the piece of work will be reduced by:
10% of the available marks deducted if up to 24 hours (1 day) late
20% of the available marks deducted if up to 48 hours (2 days) late
30% of the available marks deducted if up to 72 hours (3 days) late
40% of the available marks deducted if up to 96 hours (4 days) late
50% of the available marks deducted if up to 120 hours (5 days) late
60% of the available marks deducted if up to 144 hours (6 days) late
70% of the available marks deducted if up to 168 hours (7 days) late
80% of the available marks deducted if up to 192 hours (8 days) late
90% of the available marks deducted if up to 216 hours (9 days) late
100% of the available marks deducted if up to 240 hours (10 days) late
If the assessment is submitted within 10 days of the deadline the assessment should be marked and feedback to the student provided. If this mark before the penalty is applied reaches the appropriate pass mark but the applied penalty results in a fail of the assessment, the student should not be required to resit the assessment as the original mark can be taken as the resit mark. Further information and examples can be found in the Policy and associated Guidance documents.
For work submitted more than 10 days late, it is regarded as a non-submission and need not be marked. In this case a mark of zero will be awarded and normal resit regulations will apply.
The sliding scale should only be applied to first-sit submissions. For all referred (resit) assessment, any late submission will automatically receive a mark of zero.
For further information:
Policy on the Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes
Assignment Word Count (Including Dissertation)
In accordance with the University Policy on Marking:
Each written assignment has a word limit which you must state at the top of your first page. It is acceptable, without penalty, for you to submit an assignment within a range that is plus 10% of this limit. If you present an assignment with a word count exceeding the specified limit+10%, the assignment will be marked but 1% will be deducted from this mark for every 100 words over the limit given.
For an original word limit that is 1000 words and an assignment that is marked out of 100. If a submission is made that is 1101 words then it exceeded the 10% leeway, and is more than 100 words over the original limit and should receive a 1 mark deduction.
In accordance with accepted academic practice, when submitting any written assignment for summative assessment, the notion of a word count includes the following without exception:
- All titles or headings that form part of the actual text. This does not include the fly page or reference list
- All words that form the actual essay
- All words forming the titles for figures, tables and boxes, are included but this does not include boxes or tables or figures themselves
- All in-text (that is bracketed) references
- All directly quoted material
Certain assessments may require different penalties for word limits to be applied. For example, if part of the requirement for the assessment is conciseness of presentation of facts and arguments. In such cases it may be that no 10% leeway is allowed and penalties applied may be stricter than described above. In such cases the rules for word count limits and the penalties to be applied will be clearly stated in the assessment brief and in the submission details for that assessment.
Fitness to Practise
Where a programme of study requires the student to undertake practical training in a quasi-professional role in relation to patients, clients or service-users or where the qualification provides a direct license to practise, the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health has a duty to ensure that the student is fit to practise. In order to protect present or future patients, clients or service users and to comply with the requirements of professional/regulatory bodies, the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health has established a procedure for dealing with student-related fitness to practise issues.
Fitness to Practise issues are initially investigated and considered locally within the School (e.g. by a Health and Conduct Committee) and if necessary referred to the Faculty Fitness to Practise Committee.
A student may appeal against the decision of a Fitness to Practise Committee within twenty days of the decision but only on one or more of the following grounds:
a) procedural irregularity;
b) availability of new evidence which could not reasonably have been expected to be presented to the original hearing;
c) the disproportionate nature of the penalty.
The TLSO facilitates the arrangements for Fitness to Practise Appeals Committees. An Appeals Committee has the power to confirm or alter the original decision, and the outcome is confirmed to students in a Completion of Procedures letter. A student may then decide to pursue a complaint with the OIA.
Information on Fitness to Practise related matters can be found at: www.tlso.manchester.ac.uk/appeals-complaints/fitnesstopractise
Academic Appeals, Complaints, Conduct and Discipline
Academic Appeals
- Students have a right of appeal against a final decision of an Examination Board, or a progress committee, or a graduate committee or equivalent body which affects their academic status or progress in the University.
- Students thinking of appealing should first discuss the matter informally with an appropriate member of staff, in order to better understand the reason for the result or decision.
- Should you wish to proceed to a formal appeal, this must be submitted within the timeframe outlined in the Academic Appeals Procedure to the Faculty Appeals and Complaints Team, Room 3.21, Simon Building, University of Manchester, M13 9PL (e-mail: FBMHappealsandcomplaints@manchester.ac.uk).
- The Academic Appeals Procedure (Regulation XIX) and associated documents, including the form on which formal appeals should be submitted, can be found at www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/academic
Student Complaints
- The University’s Student Complaints Procedure (Regulation XVIII) and associated documents, including a complaints form, can be found at www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/academic
- The University has separate procedures to address complaints of bullying, harassment, discrimination and/or victimisation - see https://www.reportandsupport.manchester.ac.uk/
- Students thinking of submitting a formal complaint should, in most instances, attempt informal resolution first (see the procedure). Formal complaints should be submitted on the relevant form to Faculty Appeals and Complaints Team, Room 3.21, Simon Building, University of Manchester, M13 9PL (e-mail: FBMHappealsandcomplaints@manchester.ac.uk).
Conduct and Discipline of Students
- General University information on the conduct and discipline of students can be found at www.tlso.manchester.ac.uk/appeals-complaints/conductanddisciplineofstudents/
- Faculty policies for students on communication and dress code, social networking. and drugs and alcohol can be found at:
- http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=29038 (Communication and Dress Code)
- http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=29039 (Drugs and Alcohol)
- http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=29040 (Social Networking)
- Information on Academic Malpractice and how to avoid it can be found at http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/guidance-to-students-on-plagiarism-and-other-forms-of-academic-malpractice/
- In accordance with the Policy on Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes, ‘All typed summative assessment, including dissertations, should be submitted online and subjected to plagiarism detection software, where appropriate’.
4. Student Progression
Monitoring Attendance and Wellbeing of Students
The programme director and teaching staff will monitor the work and attendance of students on the programme. This is for your benefit and helps to ensure you are coping with the work. Regular or a pattern of non-attendance and/or engagement will result in you being contacted by the School to meet with your programme director. Following this, further action will be taken if there isn’t a significant improvement in attendance.
For further information see:
Regulation XX Monitoring Attendance and Wellbeing of Students
The University offers a range of advice and support to students experiencing problems with attendance. The A-Z of Services can be found on the MyManchester website. Here you can find a information on a wide range of topics such as library services, disability support and careers advice.
You can also speak to your Programme Director and/or Academic Advisor.
What to do if you are absent
In case of illness you should supply a doctor’s certificate or, if the illness is brief, a self-certification. If you are absent for other reasons then you should write a letter to the Programme Director explaining the circumstances. Medical certificates or letters should be given in person or sent to the Programme Administrator. Whatever your reason for being away, tell your supervisor about it and make any necessary arrangements to catch up with work you have missed.
Special Permissions
Interruptions to programme and extensions to writing up
It is the expectation of the University that postgraduate taught students pursue their studies on a continuous basis for the stipulated duration of their programme. However, it is recognised that students may encounter personal difficulties or situations which may seriously disrupt or delay their studies. In some cases, an interruption or extension to your programme of study may be the most sensible option.
Students who wish to interrupt the programme or extend to write up the dissertation should initially discuss their plans and reasons with the Programme Director and/or their Academic Advisor.
Students should also provide documentary evidence when appropriate, for example, doctor’s letter, sick note etc.
The forms required for formal application are available from your Programme Administrator.
Tier 4 Visa Attendance Monitoring Census
The University operates attendance monitoring census points within the academic year in order to confirm the attendance of students holding a Tier 4 Student Visa. This is to ensure the University meets the UKVI statutory requirements as a sponsor of Tier 4 students and its responsibilities in accordance with its Highly Trusted Sponsor status.
If you are a Tier 4 visa holder, you must attend these attendance monitoring census points, in addition to complying with your programme’s attendance requirements.
When are the census points?
In the 2019/20 academic year, the attendance monitoring census points will be during the following periods:
- 23rd September - 4th October 2019
- 13th January - 24th January 2020
- 13th May - 3rd June 2020
- 13th July - 24th July 2020
Please note:
- If you are a new student, registration is your first point to confirm your attendance at the University and you will not be required to attend a separate census point in September/October 2019.
- You will receive an e-mail from your programme administrator to confirm when and where you should go to have your attendance confirmed. You must check your University e-mail account regularly. Failure to check your e-mail account is not a valid reason to be absent from a census point.
What if a Tier 4 student cannot attend a census point?
If you cannot attend in person due to a valid reason which includes: illness; placement; field studies; on year abroad; research work; or any other reason connected to your programme of study, you must email your programme administrator to inform us of your absence and your inability to attend in person. In the case of illness, you must provide a copy of a medical certificate. If you are in this position you should report in person to the School as soon as possible after you return to campus.
Students who are recorded as interrupting their studies are not expected to attend during their period of interruption.
What happens if a student does not attend a census point?
The School must be able to confirm your presence to the UKVI by the end of each census point in the academic year. If you do not attend a census point when required by your School and you do not provide a valid explanation for your absence you will be deemed to be “not in attendance”.
Those students identified as “not in attendance” will be reported to the UKVI and the University will cease to sponsor the student’s Tier 4 visa. The Tier 4 visa will then be curtailed and the student must leave the UK within 60 days.
Further information
For more information on Tier 4 visas: https://www.gov.uk/tier-4-general-visa
If you have any concerns about the attendance monitoring census points, or your Tier 4 visa status, please contact visa@manchester.ac.uk
Withdrawal from the Programme
Students who are considering withdrawing from the programme should discuss this in the first instance with the Programme Director.
If arrangements for withdrawal need to be made, this will be handled by the Programme Administrator, who will manage communication with the Fees and Records Departments and other University bodies as appropriate OR Students may liaise directly with the Programme Administrator who will communicate this information directly to the University Student Services Centre.
5. Student Support and Guidance
Student Support and Guidance
Student support and guidance within the programme
Support and advice is available to all students both formally and informally from the Programme Directors, the Programme Administrator and research project supervisors.
If you have any queries or would like to discuss any issues at all – academic, administrative, technical or personal – please do not hesitate to get in touch. All personal issues will be dealt with confidentially.
If we are unable to help you directly, we can put you in touch with many of the support services that are available to students of the University through our Student Services Centre. You can approach these services independently, without the involvement of programme staff. Use the A-Z of Student Services Guide as an additional source of information.
Student support for the dissertation
During the research project and writing up of the dissertation, students will have individual support from their research project supervisor and scheduled structured sessions to monitor their progress and provide support, with help being offered if any problems are being encountered. In addition, students are made aware that they have the option of contacting the programme directors at any time if they are experiencing difficulties, whether this is in relation to their project, or indeed, with regard to any other issue of relevance.
Student support from the University
The University offers a range of support and guidance services to students, for example, Student Health Service, Student Union Advice Centre, Student Counselling and Careers Advice. Details of all these services can be obtained from the A-Z of Student Services
Counselling Service
The Counselling Service is available for all students. It is free and consists of a team of professional counsellors. The service provides confidential counselling for anyone who wants help with personal problems affecting their work or well-being.
The service is open 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday all year round except public holidays.
Occupational Health
The Occupational Health service is a specialised area of medicine concerned with the way in which an individual’s health can affect his or her ability to do a job and to study and conversely how the work environment can affect an individual’s health. Their aim is to promote the physical, mental and social well-being of students and to reduce the incidence of ill-health arising from exposure to work place hazards.
Students Union Advice Centre
The Students Union has advisers who can help with any matter ranging from finances to housing and beyond. On the South Campus, the Advice Centre is on the first floor in the Student Union Building, and is open Monday to Friday, 10.00am to 4.00pm, term time and vacation. There is no need to make an appointment.
Academic Success Programme
You’re studying at the University of Manchester – congratulations! Writing and speaking Academic English can be challenging, even for native speakers. Our team of experienced tutors are here to support you, and will help boost your confidence to work independently in English through a series of interactive workshops - freely available to all University of Manchester students.
To find out more, and to register, please go to www.manchester.ac.uk/academicsuccessprogramme
Disability Advisory and Support Service (DASS)
The University of Manchester welcomes students with a disability or specific learning difficulties. The University has a Disability Advisory and Support Service, who can supply further information and DASS advisors will be pleased to meet you to discuss you needs. DASS will liaise with your School through the Disability Coordinator to make the necessary arrangements for your support during your time in Manchester.
The DASS office can also provide a copy of the University’s Disability Statement, ‘Opportunities for Students with Additional Support Needs at the University of Manchester’ which sets out the policy and provision for students with a disability.
DASS Contact Details:-
Location: 2nd Floor, University Place
Email: dso@manchester.ac.uk; Phone: 0161 275 7512
Text: 07899 658 790; Website: www.dso.manchester.ac.uk/
Disability Coordinator Contact Details:-
Name: Kay Gardner (0161 306 7978) & Wiktoria Obidniak-Marciniak (0161 306 5519)
Email: kay.gardner@manchester.ac.uk or wiktoria.obidniak-marciniak@manchester.ac.uk
Religious Observance and Looking after yourself and your patients during Ramadan
Policy on Religious Observance:
- University Policy
- The Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health has produced guidance for healthcare students on fasting and caring: Fasting and Caring - Looking after yourself and your patients during Ramadan: guidance for health care students.
6. Student Representation and Feedback
Student Representation and Feedback
Students, in consultation with the Programme Administrator, should arrange an informal election of their Student Representative near the beginning of the academic year. If more than one person is interested in the role, then each candidate is asked to write a short proposal which is circulated to the student body, and an election is held.
The overall responsibilities of the Student Representative are
- to liaise between staff and students about matters of concern
- to provide two-way feedback on programme and teaching quality
- to promote active student involvement in the development of the programme
- to identify student issues and needs on the programme
- to attend programme committee meetings representing the student voice
- to find effective ways to feedback the outcomes of meetings to the student body
- to attend relevant student representative training
- to liaise with other Student Representatives to gain support and ideas
- to become established as a central point for information and guidance for students in the group.
Student representatives are not required to get involved with fellow students’ personal problems, academic difficulties, or individual student allegations of unfair or inappropriate treatment.
Confidentiality is imperative when dealing with student issues. The representative is chosen by fellow students and has their trust, and must maintain it. Any discussion of an individual student’s situation with a third party requires their consent beforehand.
7. Programme Management
Programme Management and Committee Structure
Programme Management
The programme is managed and operated in accordance with the policies, principles, regulations and procedures of the University of Manchester.
Programme Directors relate to the School and Faculty Postgraduate Teaching Committees on matters relating to admissions, exams, reviews and approval of new programmes and units, quality assurance etc. and policy issues of broad relevance to the Graduate School.
The Programme Committee will meet each semester and consist of the Programme Director, Programme Administrator, Programme Committee members and the unit co-ordinators.
The remit of the committee will be to:
- Oversee the teaching, assessment and examining arrangements;
- Monitor cohort progression including failure rate, withdrawal rate;
- Evaluate the extent to which the learning outcomes are achieved by students;
- Monitor, maintain and enhance standards of all aspects of the programme;
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum and of assessment in relation to programme learning outcomes;
- Evaluate the effectiveness and relevance of the teaching and learning methods employed;
- Review and revise the programme in the light of any relevant Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) benchmarks, any other relevant external and/or professional requirements and developing knowledge in the subject area;
- Receive, consider and respond to feedback from students, employers and external examiners;
- Where the need for change is identified, effect the changes quickly and efficiently;
- Produce an annual action plan via annual monitoring;
- Produce reports for periodic review
- Produce relevant information for an Institutional Audit;
- Review programme documentation, e.g., programme handbooks, programme specifications, promotional literature and programme website;
- Ensure suitable and efficient arrangements are in place for recruitment, admission and induction.
Committee Structure
The Programme Committee acts as a curriculum development team for the Programme. The Programme Committee will report to a School, or Department, or Faculty level committee. The Programme Director is responsible for the management of the programme, and the Programme Committee is established to support the Programme Director in the carrying out of their responsibilities.
The role of the External Examiner
External Examiners are individuals from another institution or organisation who monitor the assessment processes of the University to ensure fairness and academic standards. They ensure that assessment and examination procedures have been fairly and properly implemented and that decisions have been made after appropriate deliberation. They also ensure that standards of awards and levels of student performance are at least comparable with those in equivalent higher education institutions.
External Examiners’ reports
External Examiners’ reports relating to this programme will be shared with student representatives and details of any actions carried out by the programme team/School in response to the External Examiners’ comments will be discussed. Students should contact their student representatives if they require any further information about External Examiners’ reports or the process for considering them.”
External Examiner Details
The Programme External Examiner for this programme is Dr. Chris Twelves, Professor of Cancer Pharmacology and Oncology, from the University of Leeds
The Subject External Examiner – TBC
Please note that it is inappropriate for students to make direct contact with External Examiners under any circumstances, in particular with regards to a student’s individual performance in assessments. Other appropriate mechanisms are available for students, including the University’s appeals or complaints procedures and the UMSU Advice Centre. In cases where a student does contact an External Examiner directly, External Examiners have been requested not to respond to direct queries. Instead, External Examiners should report the matter to their School contact who will then contact the student to remind them of the other methods available for students. If students have any queries concerning this, they should contact their Programme Office (or equivalent).
8. Learning Resources
Learning Resources
Libraries
All registered students may become members of the University of Manchester Library on the main campus.
Up-to-date news about the library is available here.
IT Services and eLearning
IT Services Support Centre online
Details of what IT support is available and how to access it can be found on the FBMH eLearning Support page.
Login to the Support Centre online to log a request, book an appointment for an IT visit, or search the Knowledge Base.
Telephone: +44 (0)161 306 5544 (or extension 65544). Telephone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In person: Walk-up help and support is available at the Joule Library, Main Library or Alan Gilbert Learning Commons:
Use Support Centre online for support with eLearning, from where you may make a request, report a fault, or search the Knowledge Base. The email address is: elearning@manchester.ac.uk
Blackboard
Blackboard, the University's 'virtual learning environment', will be used for online teaching.
What is Blackboard?
Blackboard is a web-based system that complements and builds upon traditional learning methods used at The University of Manchester. By using Blackboard you can
- view course materials and learning resources,
- communicate with lectures and other students,
- collaborate in groups,
- get feedback
- submit assignments
- monitoring your own progress at a time and place of your own convenience.
Training in the use of software
The Faculty eLearning team have produced a short introduction to Blackboard for new students. The recording is hosted in two places: the VLS and on YouTube:
The recording is just over seven minutes long and covers most of the commonly used tools in Blackboard.
9. Useful Links
Academic and Student Support Policies
Academic Support Policies
A full list of University Policies and documents
Academic Appeals (Regulation XIX)
Academic Malpractice: Procedure for the Handling of Cases
Basic Guide to Student Complaints
Conduct and Discipline of Students (Regulations XVII)
General University information on the Conduct and Discipline of Students
Faculty policies for students on Communication and Dress Code, Social Networking and Drugs & Alcohol can be found at:
Information on Academic Malpractice and how to avoid it
Guidance for the Presentation of Taught Masters Dissertations
Guidance to Students on Plagiarism and Other Forms of Academic Malpractice
Policy on Submission of Work for Summative Assessment on Taught Programmes
Policy on Mitigating Circumstances
Mitigating Circumstances Guidance for Students
Policy on Feedback to Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught Students
Work and Attendance of Students (Regulation XX)
Blackboard
Students should access Blackboard via My Manchester
Disability Advisory and Support Service
University Language Centre – Study English - Tel: 0161 306 3397
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for Staff and Students
Occupational Health Services for Students
A Personal Safety Guide for International Students
10. Appendix
Good Research Conduct
Code of Good Research Conduct
http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=2804
Good Research Practice Booklet
http://www.researchsupport.eps.manchester.ac.uk/documents/policy/UOMgoodresearchpractice.pdf
General principles
This code is written to preserve the highest professional standards, while striving to maintain an environment that values creativity and flexibility.
- All work must be carried out in accordance with the highest standards of scientific practice.
- Policies on safeguarding good scientific practice are available from the BBSRC at http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/web/FILES/Policies/joint_code_of_practice_for_research.pdf
Extract from Good Research Practice Booklet
3.9 Recording, Storing and Archiving
Research Data/Materials
As leader of a research project, you are responsible for ensuring that there are clear protocols for the collection, recording, storage and archiving of research data/materials generated as part of your project. These protocols should fit within any professional guidance available, guidance from funding bodies, your school and the University’s Code of Good Research Conduct.
3.10 Health and Safety
It is your responsibility to ensure that the research staff and students for whom you have responsibility are provided with an environment that is safe and healthy and all research is conducted within the requirements of health and safety legislation:
- That necessary risk assessments have been undertaken (Never assume that because your research is not lab-based or using hazardous substances that it would not require a risk assessment).
- That staff are adequately informed, trained and monitored regarding safe practices to ensure they do not endanger themselves, others or the environment.
- That your research complies with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health regulations as appropriate.