Course overview
This course is concerned with understanding and application of the scientific method in biological research, and in particular, the animal sciences. The course has a foundation in the philosophy of science. Particular emphasis is given to the application of statistical hypothesis testing, which is explored in a series of case studies. In addition, research skills in proposal preparation, project management, teamwork, presentations skills and publication writing are developed in the context of scientific research.
Course learning outcomes
- Develop scientific hypotheses
- Apply the principles and practices of experimental design
- Demonstrate the use of selected statistical methods: correlation, regression (simple linear, polynomial, multiple linear), general linear models (with interactions), analysis of categorical variables (contingency tables)
- Perform project management in the context of planning a research project through working in small groups
- Demonstrate effective written, oral and graphical presentation skills