Advances in Earth Sciences

Description

This module assesses students' abilities to understand, digest and summarise crucial developments in science.

The students are expected to attend at least 10 seminars (Geosystems seminars, Lapworth lectures and similar) over the course of the academic year and to be able to write a ~1000 word summary of one of these, describing the advance in the field at a level understandable by the informed public (i.e. New Scientist level).

In addition, they are expected to identify from the published literature a major advance in Earth Sciences and write a 2000 word essay describing this advance in the context of prior knowledge and understanding.

Taught components of the module include two lectures on ways of doing science: hypothesis testing, synthesis and serendipity, as well as on the concepts on multiple working hypotheses and the importance of falsifiability.

Delivery

  • 6 x 1 hour workshops

Assessment

  • 40% on short popular science article 1000 words
  • 60% on 2000 word essay

Key skills

  • Reading science research papers
  • Synthesis
  • Hypothesis testing
  • Written and oral communication to contrasting audiences