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FACULTY OF SCIENCE

SCHOOL OF CHEMISTRY

CHEM3998

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROJECT

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Faculty of Science - Course Outline – 2018

1. Information about the CourseNB: Some of this information is available on the UNSW Virtual Handbook1

Year of Delivery 2018Course Codes CHEM3998 (6 UNITS) Course Name UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROJECT Academic Unit SCHOOL OF CHEMISTRY Level of Course 2nd and 3RD Units of Credit 6 UOC (3998) Session(s) Offered Summer 2018/2019Prerequisite School consent, and CHEMISTRY WAM ≥65 Hours per Week 16 hrs/week (note this depends on availability of the supervisor - approx. 96 hrs for the course Number of Weeks 6 Commencement Date From November 26 2018Summary of Course Structure (for details see 'Course Schedule') Component HPW Time Day Location Research project and coursework

96 hrs total (6 units) 16 hrs/week over 6 weeks

Start Date is Nov 26 End date is Feb 1

As per arrangement

Supervisor’s lab

TOTAL 96 hrs chem Special Details Flexible time to be made through arrangement with the principal research supervisor. It is the

students responsibility to organise time between coursework and research.

2. Staff Involved in the Course

Staff Role Name Contact Details Consultation Times

Course Convener Dr. Neeraj Sharma Room 216 Daltonn.sharma@unsw.edu.au93854714

Additional Teaching Staff Lecturers & Facilitators Research: supervisor Tutors & Demonstrators

n/a

Technical & Laboratory Staff

n/a

Other Support Staff

n/a

1 UNSW Virtual Handbook: http://www.handbook.unsw.edu.au/2013/index.html

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3. Course Details

Course Description2 (Handbook Entry)

CHEM3998: Designed for those with a higher level of preparedness in Chemistry. A multifaceted course that will give students a high level of basic research skills, especially in critical evaluation of data and communication of results, but with a specialised focus on Chemistry.

Course Aims3 The course aims expand the student’s knowledge of chemistry research in a research specialisation chosen by the student. This will include understanding the process through which research is planned, carried out and reported. There is also significant interaction with the research group of the supervisor chosen for the project.

Student Learning Outcomes4

At the end of this course the students should be able to undertake a research project with appropriate supervision. They should also be familiar with research techniques and have the ability to accurately acquire, record, analyze, interpret and communicate scientific data.

Graduate Attributes Developed in this Course

Science Graduate Attributes5

Select the level of FOCUS

0 = NO FOCUS 1 = MINIMAL 2 = MINOR 3 = MAJOR

Activities / Assessment

1. Research, inquiryand analyticalthinking abilities

3 In-depth discussions on research topics. Able to do thorough literature surveys and critically evaluate the scientific literature for a given research topic. Apply the knowledge gained for further advancement of their research project.

2. Capability andmotivation forintellectualdevelopment

3 Learned practical research techniques in chemistry and biology in the relevant areas. Be able to accurately assess data and make informed decisions. Be able to communicate scientific research both orally and as written reports.

3. Ethical, social andprofessionalunderstanding

3 Throughout course. Attending relevant HS training and knowledge and commitment to HS responsibilities. Final exams and assignments.

4. Communication 3 Write up of Research Report and present at group meetings

5. Teamwork,collaborative andmanagement skills

3 Interaction with a research group.

6. Information literacy 3 Research required for design of laboratory experiments and understanding of research project. Feedback on report(s) and suggested corrections.

Other attributes None Professional accreditation attributes

RACI – membership of professional body See http://www.raci.org.au/

2 UNSW Virtual Handbook: http://www.handbook.unsw.edu.au/undergraduate/courses/2013/CHEM4003.html and http://www.handbook.unsw.edu.au/undergraduate/courses/2013/CHEM4005.html 3 Learning and Teaching Unit: http://www.ltu.unsw.edu.au 4 Learning and Teaching Unit – Learning Outcomes: http://www.ltu.unsw.edu.au/starting-learning-outcomes 5 Faculty of Science – Science Graduate Attributes: http://www.science.unsw.edu.au/future-students/graduate-attributes

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Level of Material Delivered

[ ] Introduction to material [ X ] Emphasised and taught in depth [ ] Reinforced and additional expertise [ ] Competencies applied

Major Topics (Syllabus Outline)

See School of Chemistry Research Booklet for research projects.

Relationship to Other Courses within the Program

The course is the final preparation for students wishing to undertake a postgraduate research degree. It builds on the core courses taught by the School of Chemistry.

4. Rationale and Strategies Underpinning the Course

Rationale for learning and teaching in this course6, i.e., How this course istaught?

Teaching Strategies

The integration of lectures, workshops AND the development of a research project, including the design the experiments that they undertake supports, supports “Engage student in learning”:

Guideline 1. Actively engage students in the learning process. Guideline 2. Create an appropriately challenging climate of enquiry; link activities to research and scholarship. Guideline 4. Build into your course opportunities for students to reflect on their experiences, challenge their current beliefs and develop new practices and understanding.

Carrying out research in contemporary areas of chemistry allows students to apply information learnt in previous areas and encourages them to “Contextualise learning”. This is reinforced by direct interaction between the student and research supervisor.

Guideline 5. Recognise and build on students’ prior experience and knowledge. Guideline 6. Emphasise the relevance of students' learning in professional, disciplinary and personal contexts. Guideline 7. Encourage dialogue between students and teachers, and among students in and out of class, creating a community of learners.

“Curriculum Design” - Fostering an environment for students to take responsibility for their own learning with a clearly outlined set of expectations encourages higher order, independent thinking in a disciplinary.

Guideline 10. Clearly articulate your expectations and the course goals, learning outcomes and requirements. Guideline 11. Encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning, so that they develop higher-order thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Guideline 12. Embed acquisition of graduate capabilities in your course. These capabilities are best acquired in a disciplinary context.

Providing a well IT resourced and stimulating environment for independent learning (research project), with abundant opportunity for cooperative learning (research group), appropriate and aligned assessment tasks and timely feedback leads to engaged, contextualised and inclusive teaching practices.

Guideline 13. Encourage independent learning through the appropriate use of information and communication technologies. Guideline 14. Create opportunities for students to learn cooperatively with peers, to help them develop interpersonal, professional and cognitive skills. Guideline 15. Align assessment practices with the desired learning outcomes. Guideline 16. Give students meaningful and timely feedback.

How the assessment supports and assists the learning7

The assessment is targeted to encourage critical analytical thinking in the assessment of laboratory results and understanding of a research project. Assessment tasks closely reflect professional practice thereby contextualising and co-aligning the learning and assessment process. The theory assessment focuses on broadening the students understanding in key areas of chemistry. Where possible, these courses are assessed by evaluating the application of knowledge or skills in a format consistent with professional activities.

6 LTU – Guidelines on learning: http://teaching.unsw.edu.au/guidelines 7 LTU – Assessment methods: http://teaching.unsw.edu.au/assessment-methods

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5. Course ScheduleSome of this information is available in the UNSW virtual handbook8 and the UNSW Timetable9.

Date Assignment and Submission dates (see also 'Assessment Tasks & Feedback')

Research Seminars

It is recommended that students attend some School research seminars (postgraduate and external speakers). These are typically held on Tuesday and Thursday at 12pm during semester. There is no formal assessment task for this component but it is a valuable learning experience.

Weekly Research notebook will be examined by supervisor on a weekly basis and feed back will be given to ensure that the appropriate documentation is recorded and scientific skills are being developed. Work hours: 16hrs/week x 6 weeks (times will be agreed upon between supervisor and student) Start Date is November 26 End date is Feb 1

Weekly Evaluation of students skill set in the lab, their practical knowledge, techniques, work ethic and drive will be a component of assessment. Work hours: 16hrs/week x 6 weeks (times to be agreed upon between supervisor and student) Start Date is November 26 End date is Feb 1

Mid-term, Friday 21st of December 2018, by 5pm*

Evaluation of student’s research notebook by panel member Evaluation of Student’s Excel file documenting their experiments each week BOTH must be submitted electronically- uploaded to MOODLE under your course- chem 3998. There will be an option to upload both the research notebook and the excel file. Note: The maximum size is 20 Megabytes for each file.

YOU MUST use the file format: SURNAME_student#_primary supervisor surname_proposal.pdf; e.g. SMITH_3123456_McAlpine_ExcelSheet.pdf SMITH_3123456_McAlpine_Notebook.pdf

All submissions MUST be uploaded in MOODLE to be graded. If you are late you must request that I open MOODLE up again and YOU MUST UPLOAD your items into MOODLE. They will NOT be graded if they are not in MOODLE.

Final, Friday 1st of Feb 2019, by 5pm*

Evaluation of student’s research notebook by panel member Evaluation of Student’s Excel file documenting their experiments each week BOTH must be submitted electronically- uploaded to MOODLE under your course- chem 3998. There will be an option to upload both the research notebook and the excel file. Note: The maximum size is 20 Megabytes for each file.

YOU MUST use the file format: SURNAME_student#_primary supervisor surname_proposal.pdf; e.g. SMITH_3123456_McAlpine_ExcelSheet.pdf SMITH_3123456_McAlpine_Notebook.pdf

All submissions MUST beuploaded in MOODLE to be graded. If you are late you must request that I open MOODLE up again and YOU MUST UPLOAD your items into MOODLE. They will NOT be graded if they are not in MOODLE.

Final, Friday 1st of Feb 2019 by 5pm*

Research Proposal due at 5pm uploaded to MOODLE- again only file sizes below 20 Megabytes will be accepted YOU MUST use the file format: SURNAME_student#_primary supervisor surname_proposal.pdf; e.g. SMITH_3123456_McAlpine_PROPOSAL.pdf

All submissions MUST be uploaded in MOODLE to be graded. They CANNOT be sent to me via email.

*Note: Files larger than 20 megabytes will not get uploaded into Moodle, so plan accordingly. It is recommended that you send an

email requesting conformation that I received your item on Moodle.

8 UNSW Virtual Handbook: http://www.handbook.unsw.edu.au/2013/index.html 9 UNSW Timetable: http://www.timetable.unsw.edu.au/

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6. Assessment Tasks and Feedback

* NOTE: Late Excel sheets and Notebooks will only be accepted under exceptional circumstances, but research reports will be notaccepted if they are late under any circumstances.

Task % of mark

Assessment Criteria Feedback Submission WHO WHEN HOW

Notebook review if it is not uploaded to MOODLE it will not be graded

Pass /Fail

Review of your research lab notebook. Outlining your experiments in a clear and readable fashion b) providing results relating to the experiments.

1) Due Friday5pm, 21st of Dec electronic copy uploaded via MOODLE

2) 5pmFriday 1st of Feb uploaded via MOODLE

1-2 researchers

Twice: a) Next week

And b) Next week

Moodle

Excel sheet documenting description of work if it is not uploaded to MOODLE it will not be graded

Work ethic and drive in the lab. Your ability to work independently on a project will be assessed. Your motivation on the project

1) Due Friday5pm 21st of Dec uploaded via MOODLE

2) 5pmFriday 1st of Feb uploaded via MOODLE

1-2 researchers

Twice: a) Next week

And

b) Next week

Research report if it is not uploaded to MOODLE it will not be graded

Understanding you're a) research objectives, b) outlining the project aims, c) a literature review ofprevious work, and d) the work your completed during the semester (15 pages which includes the 1 cover page, double spaced, 2 cm margins, 12 point font), in language that can be understood by a scientist outside of your subdiscipline.

Friday 5pm 1st of Feb, uploaded via MOODLE

NO LATE submissions will be accepted

Two researchers

Once: After exam period

Pass /Fail

Moodle

Pass /Fail

Moodle and from research supervisor (during preparation)

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7. Additional Resources and Support

Text Books n/a Required Readings n/a Additional Readings Distributed by individual supervisors and coursework lecturers. Recommended Internet Sites

See School of Chemistry intrawebsite (www.chem.unsw.edu.au/local)

Societies Royal Australian Chemical Institute http://www.raci.org.au/ Students of Chemistry Society (UNSW) http://www.chem.unsw.edu.au/schoolinfo/socs.html

Computer Laboratories or Study Spaces

Gibson Computer laboratory – Ground floor, Dalton Building Members: Students of Chemistry Society Room – Ground floor, Dalton Building (G06).

8. Required Equipment, Training and Enabling Skills

Equipment Required Laboratory coat, safety glasses, enclosed shoes (no thongs/flip-flops, sandals, open back or top footwear).

Enabling Skills - training which may be required to complete this course

School HS induction and UNSW HS training (myUNSW) UNSW plagiarism guidelines Environmental compliance training (Blackboard) Project specific training (supervisor)

9. Course Evaluation and Development

Student feedback is gathered periodically by various means. Such feedback is considered carefully with a view to acting on it constructively wherever possible. This course outline conveys how feedback has helped to shape and develop this course.

Mechanisms of Review

Last Review Date

Comments or Changes Resulting from Reviews

CATEI10

Major Course Review Major Course Review CATEI

10 Science CATEI procedure: http://teaching.unsw.edu.au/catei

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10. Administration Matters

Expectations of Students Workload There are no formal contact hours. Work hours: 16hrs/week x 6 weeks for chem 3998 Additional time WILL BE necessary as submission deadlines approach.

Assignment Submissions

Research Report:Should be submitted in .pdf format to s.mcalpine@unsw.edu.au See section 5 for instructions on file naming.

Work Health and Safety11 Information on relevant Health and Safety policies and expectations at UNSW can be sourced at: http://www.ohs.unsw.edu.au/

See School of Chemistry H&S policy and requirements on the school intrawebsite: www.chem.unsw.edu.au/local.

To be admitted to a laboratory, you must wear safety glasses, a lab coat and covered shoes. You must also complete all safety pre-lab work, risk assessment or other prescribed preparation relating to carrying out safe laboratory work. Visitors are not allowed into the laboratories unless they have supervisor approval.

NOTE: a risk assessment must be completed before any laboratory work can be done. Examination Procedures Candidates must demonstrate a satisfactory performance (>49%) in each of the assessment

tasks (coursework, research thesis and seminar-defence). Students who do not attain a mark of 50% in any component cannot pass onto the next year and will be awarded an unsatisfactory fail (UF).

An overall average of fifty percent in the course is required. If this is not achieved, the student will be asked to withdraw.

Attendance Requirements Students are expected to attend lab during standard working hours (9am-5pm) from Monday to Friday and must seek the consent of their supervisor if there is to be any variation in attendance.

If a student is absent for a period of time due to illness or other reasons, the supervisor AND the 3rd year coordinator must be informed and a copy of medical certificate must be submitted to the coordinator within 7 days of the absence.

All applications for special consideration must be submitted using the correct UNSW protocols: see https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/atoz/SpecialConsideration.html

NOTE: With the sole exception of the Christmas-New Year UNSW shutdown period, there are no defined holiday periods during the 3rd year year. Planned absences of more than two weeks may be allowable, but only with permission from your research supervisor and the 3rd year Coordinator.

Equity and Diversity Those students who have a disability that requires some adjustment in their teaching or learning environment are encouraged to discuss their study needs with the course convener prior to, or at the commencement of, their course, or with the Equity Officer (Disability) in the Equity and Diversity Unit (http://www.studentequity.unsw.edu.au/ ).

Issues to be discussed may include access to materials, signers or note-takers, the provision of services and additional exam and assessment arrangements. Early notification is essential to enable any necessary adjustments to be made.

Grievance Policy12 School Contact Faculty Contact University Contact Dr Jason Harper Dep. Director of Teaching j.harper@unsw.edu.auTel: 9385 4692

Dr. Gavin Edwards Associate Dean (Undergraduate Programs) g.edwards@unsw.edu.auTel: 9385 4652

University Counselling Services Tel: 9385 5418 https://www.counselling.unsw.edu.au/

11 UNSW Work, Health and Safety: http://www.ohs.unsw.edu.au/ 12 UNSW Grievance Policy: https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/atoz/Complaints.html

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11. UNSW Academic Honesty and Plagiarism

What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is the presentation of the thoughts or work of another as one’s own. *Examples include:• direct duplication of the thoughts or work of another, including by copying material, ideas or concepts from a book, article,

report or other written document (whether published or unpublished), composition, artwork, design, drawing, circuitry,computer program or software, web site, Internet, other electronic resource, or another person’s assignment withoutappropriate acknowledgement;

• paraphrasing another person’s work with very minor changes keeping the meaning, form and/or progression of ideas ofthe original;

• piecing together sections of the work of others into a new whole;• presenting an assessment item as independent work when it has been produced in whole or part in collusion with other

people, for example, another student or a tutor; and• claiming credit for a proportion a work contributed to a group assessment item that is greater than that actually

contributed.†

For the purposes of this policy, submitting an assessment item that has already been submitted for academic credit elsewhere may be considered plagiarism.

Knowingly permitting your work to be copied by another student may also be considered to be plagiarism.

Note that an assessment item produced in oral, not written, form, or involving live presentation, may similarly contain plagiarised material.

The inclusion of the thoughts or work of another with attribution appropriate to the academic discipline does not amount to plagiarism.

The Learning Centre website is main repository for resources for staff and students on plagiarism and academic honesty. These resources can be located via:

http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism/index.html

The Learning Centre also provides substantial educational written materials, workshops, and tutorials to aid students, for example, in: • correct referencing practices;• paraphrasing, summarising, essay writing, and time management;• appropriate use of, and attribution for, a range of materials including text, images, formulae and concepts.

Individual assistance is available on request from The Learning Centre.

Students are also reminded that careful time management is an important part of study and one of the identified causes of plagiarism is poor time management. Students should allow sufficient time for research, drafting, and the proper referencing of sources in preparing all assessment items.

* Based on that proposed to the University of Newcastle by the St James Ethics Centre. Used with kind permission from the University ofNewcastle † Adapted with kind permission from the University of Melbourne.

The School has also produced a guide for students in chemistry courses, including examples of acceptable and unacceptable conduct, guidelines on avoiding misconduct in laboratory contexts and examples of acceptable referencing procedures for essays and literature reviews. This can be accessed at https://www.chem.unsw.edu.au/coursenotes/plagiarism/Chem_Anti_Plag_05.pdf

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Additional Information

For

Students

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RESEARCH NOTEBOOK

General - Your research notebook must convey several pieces of critical information. Examples are provided at the beginning of the course and are posted on MOODLE

What we expect:

a) what have you been doing with your time in the lab

b) why have you been doing these experiments/activities

c) How did you do these experiments- enough detail so they could be repeated

d) did they work? If not why not?

e) what is next?

RESEARCH SUMMARY- Excel sheet

The research summary will give us a good idea in a single glance of what you have been doing. Examples are provided at the beginning of the course and are posted on MOODLE.

What we expect:

a) where can we find the experiment that you did on a specific date

b) what was the purpose of that experiment- (description)

c) what techniques did you use to understand or run the experiment?

d) what day did you work on this experiment?

Overall this summary should show that you are working consistently, and that your project is leading somewhere. It should also show that you did not wait until the last minute to work on the project, but rather you have been working steadily throughout your time in the course.

The primary criteria for grading this aspect of the course will require having all of these items clearly and consistently documented so as to provide evidence that you are putting in the time and effort on the project. Further, this information should match your lab notebook.

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THE RESEARCH REPORT

General - Your research project is the distinctive feature of this research course. It is the major undertaking and will require you to overcome new challenges and learn tenacity.

Ideally your research supervisor can direct the style of the report and provides feedback on your drafts. The format can vary between research groups. Here are some general considerations.

Students work on original research projects conceived and overseen by an academic. Initially students will be instructed by their supervisor on the nature and subject area of the project and guidance will be given on how to conduct the experiments. It is expected that the student will learn how to perform the experiments on their own, and by the end of the course they be able to understand the data they generate, and propose the next experiment. They will be expected to prepare and analyse experimental results and work with the supervisor or senior researchers in the research group to identify and overcome any problems. At the completion of the semester, students will write a report detailing the background, aims, experimental procedures, results and discussion, future directions of the project, and conclusions. This report needs to be written in non-technical language that can be understood by scientists outside of your field.

Research Report - The written research report the major component to your special project. The critical aspect to consider when writing this report is to provide a convincing argument on how your project was unique, and contributed to the current knowledge in the field. It is important that you prepare this report in consultation with your supervisor(s).

Key questions that you need to address in your report include:

Ø What did you do? Ø Why did you do it? Ø What have others done in this area? Ø How will your work advance the field? Ø What did you accomplish? Ø Conclusions: did it work? and what is the next step/future for this project? Ø This report must be written in non-technical language that can be understood by scientists outside the field

The Research report must be double spaced, 12 point font, 15 pages maximum including the cover page, but not including references or experimental (unless specified by your supervisor). Additional information can be placed in appendices as required. The pages must have 2 cm margins all the way around with the individual limits for each section as the following: The research proposal can look like:

Ø Cover page- with a title and your name (1 page) Ø Abstract and graphical abstract– summary of the work accomplished and significance (1 page

including figure)Ø Background-detailing the literature that covers the rationale for the project (at a maximum of 3 pages)

Research project- describe what you accomplished in terms of aims (for example: perhaps aim 1 was to synthesize X but you only managed to synthesis part of X- then explain how you synthesized part of X during your time. Also describe why you may not have completed your goals. Did you run into problems? Could there be better ways to accomplish your goals that you see now that you have completed your project? (about 8 pages)

Ø Conclusion and future work – use this section to describe the conclusions that your reached, and the future/next step that you would take if you were to continue this project include future work. (about 1 page)

Ø References- Use this section to reference literature that you used to outline your argument (not included in page limit)

Ø Experimental- must support claims in the results, discussion and conclusions section (ie you synthesized a molecule, you isolated a compound etc). This section is not part of the page limit, but please be succinct. IIf included in the page count please ensure it is written much like a research paper.

This report is typically graded by one-two academics.

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CHEM 3998-3997– A GUIDE

Excellent performanceStudent has an excellent command of the theory and practice of the discipline. Student works independently and completes stages of the project punctually with good time management. Student demonstrates independence of thought; problem solves and makes a strong contribution to the direction of the research, as evidenced in the report, notebook, and level of work completed (Excel file). Specifically:

• Student clearly describes key outcomes of the project, and how these contribute to research in the broadsense.

• Report is well written, and organized logically, explaining why the work was done, and problems encountered• Student trouble-shoots all the problems they encountered and provides their own explanations and solutions-

clearly the student is the driver of the project

Great performance Student expresses a command of the theory and practice of the discipline. Student demonstrates an ability to conduct work at an independent level and complete tasks on time. Student understands the factual basis of the project and shows some initiative but is reliant on other people for ideas and techniques as evidenced by the language and description within the report, notebook, and level of work completed (Excel file). The student demonstrates some key outcomes of the project but tends toward an indiscriminate list of experiments without placing any emphasis on the importance to research in the broader area.

• Student describes key outcomes of the project, and but struggles to place the work in context with the biggerresearch picture.

• Report is reasonably well written, with a few typos and grammatical errors• The report is somewhat logically organized but there are occasional pieces of key information or insight

missing.• Student does not trouble-shoot effectively, but lists the problems and what they did to resolve them without

explaining why (suggesting they were told to do this by their supervisor).

Good performanceStudent shows proficiency in the theory and practice of their discipline in the project but has not developed independence of thought, or clarity of presentation in their report. Student shows adequate understanding of the topic but largely follows the supervisor’s lead. The student fails to grasp research and tends toward routine processes/reactions. Student shows a lack of understanding of the project or its importance in a broader context. The student simply lists research outcomes in the report and fails to make any correlation with research elsewhere.

• Student describes outcomes of the project, and does not place the work in context• Report is not extremely well written, but has a significant number of typos and grammatical errors• The report is not very well organized, and does not flow well, and there are key bits of information or insight

that are missing.• Student does not trouble-shoot effectively, they state the problems encountered with their project but no

solutions.

Satisfactory performanceThe student completes the project but at a standard that barely meets criteria for the course. The student’s understanding of the topic is limited and they demonstrate little or no independence of thought, as evidenced in their written report. Project is clearly supervisor driven. Student does not appreciate research and runs routine processes. The student makes few contributions during the semester and, when asked, reels off a list of experiments.

• Student struggles to define the outcomes of the project.• Report is not well written, but has a significant number of typos and grammatical errors• The report is poorly organized, and does not flow well, and no insight in to the goals and the results are given• Student does not trouble-shoot, they state the problems encountered with their project.

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USEFUL ADVICE FOR THE DRAFTING OF SCIENTIFIC REPORTS

The following advice has been developed based on experience and noting of common errors. It is intended to assist future candidates submit the best thesis and to avoid such errors:

1. Latin phrases and abbreviations of Latin phrases must be set in italic type or, if in a section which is alreadyitalicised, set in non-italic type. For example: ‘in situ’. The list below shows some common Latin phrases youmay need to use in your thesis:

• ca. cf. e.g. et al. etc. i.e. in situ inter alia vide supra via • Note the full stops and make sure you know the meaning of these phrases before you use them.

2. Letters used to represent physical quantities should be italicised, for example, m for mass, Vm for molar volume(note;‘m’ for molar is not italicised), m/z for mass to charge ratio, k for a rate constant, K for an equilibriumconstant, but note pKa where only the K is italic.

• For more detail see Quantities, Units and Symbols in Physical Chemistry, I. Mills, T. Cvitas, K. Homann,N. Kallay, K. Kuchitsu, Blackwell Science, Oxford, 2nd ed., 1993, UK.

• Some terms used in chemical nomenclature are also set in italics, for example endo, exo, cis, trans.

3. When referring to a compound by number, a noun ‘qualifier’ is required prior to the number. The two majorchemical societies suggest the following:

• From the Instructions for Authors, American Chemical Society (as published in Journal of OrganicChemistry, 67 (1)) “Complex compounds with unduly lengthy or unwieldy names should be referred to bytheir functional class and structural number, e.g. ketone 23.”

• From the Instructions for Authors, Royal Society of Chemistry (from the RSC website) “The key numberfor a compound may be used in the cursive text to avoid repetition of long chemical names; this devicemust not be used to excess. In general it is preferred if the key number is qualified by a partial name asin the following example: Pyolin 1 was oxidized by permanganate to the oxoacid 2, the methyl ester 3 ofwhich with methylmagnesium iodide gave the normal product 4.”

• NOTE: You should number ALL compounds whose structures are given in the thesis, and you shouldalso provide a guide to substituent numbering for compounds central to your project.

4. References must be set out in a consistent format. Any commonly accepted referencing style is acceptable,however once you choose a style (formatting, abbreviation of journal name etc.) you must apply that styleconsistently. Any reference that you quote, you must have read, or if this is not the case, you must indicateotherwise (e.g. ‘abstract consulted’). Never use ‘et al.’ in the author list for a reference in the list of references.The use of ‘et al.’ is only permissible when listing authors in the body of your thesis, but the actual reference tothe document must list all authors.Here is an example (note it is a good idea to include the title, and never include the issue number, only thevolume):Chiosis, G.; Jhuezo, H.; Rosen, N.; Mimgaugh, E.; Whitesell, L.; Neckers, L., Binding affinity and potent cellactivity-finding an explanation. Mol. Cancer Ther. 2003, 2, 123-129.

5. Check the names of compounds generated by chemical structure drawing programs to ensure they are correctand conform to IUPAC standards

6. Although you will not be presenting experimental data in the report, your raw data must be reported in asynthetic procedure and should be given to your supervisor, even one that does not give the desired product. Itis not sufficient to simply say that the process did not yield the desired product. For example, spectroscopicdata may be given. Further, it is not sufficient to indicate that a given number of components were identified byGC/MS. The retention times (and the column and conditions) must be specified, as well as the observed ions.In other words, all quantitative data from chromatography (including GC/MS), spectroscopy or the like must begiven.

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7. Experimental discussions should describe key features where appropriate. A hypothetical example where areaction did not go well but the product could still be isolated is given below:

“Phenylalanine 1 was treated with acetic anhydride under basic aqueous conditions to give the correspondingacetamide 2 (Scheme 1). A proton NMR spectrum of the crude reaction mixture indicated the presence of boththe starting material 1 and product 2 in a ca. 1:1ratio. This is exemplified by the presence of signals ofapproximately equal integration at 3.45 and 4.40 ppm, corresponding to the alpha protons of the startingmaterial 1 and product 2 respectively. Partitioning this reaction mixture between ethyl acetate and diluteaqueous acid permitted separation of the amino acid derivative 2. The spectroscopic and physical data for 2are consistent with those previously reported.2,3”

8. Make sure that figures and drawings are of sufficient size that any significant aspect of the figure is clearlyvisible to the reader.

9. If you make frequent use of abbreviations and acronyms it is desirable to include a table of abbreviations nearthe front of your thesis. It may also be desirable to include a figure showing the structures of compoundsreferred to frequently in the text.