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mth3011

5 min read

MTH3011: Advanced Project and Communication

Fabien Paillusson

Here is a bit of blah blah

Course Components

  • Communication (35%): Coursework (Seminar Reviews) and Presentation
  • Project (65%): Planning/Logbook and Report/Viva

Learning Outcomes

  • LO1: Undertake an independent programme of work in mathematics and/or physics aligned with the course subject specialism, that includes the analysis, interpretation, and critical evaluation of the results to reach conclusions that are appropriate for the particular project.
  • LO2: Write a full and clear report that conforms to pre-agreed guidelines.
  • LO3: Manage one’s time, setting, and achieving appropriate targets throughout the project, including the provision of any necessary documentation, so that the work is completed by the stated deadline.
  • LO4: Present and defend the results of the project in a viva.
  • LO5: Critically apply concepts and laws from physics and/or mathematics to evaluate the scientific content of a research work.
  • LO6: Demonstrate awareness of current themes of research in mathematics and physics by communicating in a style accessible to a lay audience on material delivered in a series of research seminars.
  • LO7: Demonstrate awareness of modern research practices by presenting a critical review of a research paper in the form of a short seminar presentation.

Project

MTH3011 Project Checklist and Progress

  • Research Plan (drafted By 22/10/2025)
    • Project title
    • Project description
    • Project connection with previous studies/experience
    • Literature survey: a list of (reasonably) all published material relevant to the project
    • Reference list
    • Equipment/facilities required
    • Predicted consumables cost
    • Action plan - actions and deadlines (e.g. Gantt chart)
    • Ethics document
    • Risk assessment if appropriate
    • Supervision discussion arrangements
  • Logbook (22/05/2026)
    • 30 minute meetings every week, fully planned.
  • Report (drafted by 01/05/2025, Completed by 22/05/2026)
    • Content…
      • Title page
      • Abstract (max 150 words)
      • Table of contents
      • Introduction
      • Method section
      • Results/calculations/simulations, etc.
      • Discussion
      • Conclusion
      • Acknowledgements
      • References (<30% online)
      • Appendix (incl. Research plan)
      • Referenced figures throughout the text
      • Around 10,000 words depending on the project, maximum of 20,000
    • Formatting…
      • Times New Roman suggested font (just be consistent, though)
      • Chapter headings font size 16 bold
      • Section headings font size 14 bold
      • Body text font size 12
      • Top/bottom margins of 1 inch, right/left margins of 1.25 inches.
      • Justify on left/right margins with 1.5 spacing
      • Headers/footers as appropriate, incl. page numbers in the footer (bottom center/right)
      • Check spelling
      • *Check if it’s the standard of a published paper by comparing against the papers in the literature review
  • Viva (week Commencing 25/05/2026)
    • Test subject knowledge
    • Confirm individuality and understanding
    • 30 minutes total:
      • 2-3 minutes short general intro at non-scientific audience
      • Max 12 minutes presentation of main results
      • Remaining 15 minutes in audience discussion answering questions

Finding published material for literature survey or reference list…

Web of Science with advanced search, for academic scientific references. Arxiv for earlier drafts of academic scientific references. Scopus for humanities-based fields like teaching. Vixra for less academic/formal sources - not really trusted at all.

Try to use inter-library loans to further demonstrate your attitude towards the project! Think about describing meta-analysis in the logbook of references, etc.! 

LOGBOOK ADVICE
==============
 
- rank sources by difficulty/accessibility and read through from easiest -> hardest (or specialisms)
 
- highlight/underline <10% of logbook (number pages and have contents, too), distinguish direct quotes too (to prevent plagiarism)
 
- radial diagram of areas of project, then add connections between topics -> mind map (involve colours and diagrams, recalling my training I did before!). could also link relationships by the nature of the connections (e.g. contain, model, solved by, etc.).
 
- record page numbers etc. for the full reference
 
- emphasise active reading/writing, similar to how I normally write notes (like active questioning of the text, noting the process). critically meta-think if there is anything that isn't justified, any limitations, sample sizes, questioning method, etc. - any connections to other topics? WIDER CONTEXT, ETHICALLY ETC. I GUESS (history)
 
- …
 
 
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S. Cottrell, The Study Skills Handbook, 6th edition, Bloomsbury Academic, London, UK, 2024.

Communication

Presentation

Marking Criteria

  • Presentation & Delivery…
    • Structure: Presentation of aims, objectives, main body, results, and future work.
    • Engagement: Ability to capture and maintain audience attention.
    • Visual Aids: Use of IT and animations to aid audience.
    • Communication: Clarity of expression, vocabulary, and transferable skills.
  • Research & Content…
    • Research Evidence: Visible evidence of research performed for the presentation.
    • Literature Insight: Understanding and insight into academic literature.
    • Background Enquiry: Investigation, analysis, and critical appraisal of sources.
    • Referencing: Quantity of literature and correct use of captions.
  • Analysis & Reflection…
    • Argumentation: Sustaining arguments and synthesising alternative views.
    • Q&A Responses: Accuracy and depth of answers to audience questions.
    • Q&A Reflection: Evidence of critical reflection during question time.
    • Self-Reflection: Ability to critically and independently reflect on own work.

Seminars

Required Criteria

  • Anonymous peer assessment
  • Presented as blog posts
  • Must include speaker name, title, and correct grammar
  • Clear and accurate summary of seminar message
  • Effective contextualisation of research (societal and academic relevance) for a strong hook
  • Critical assessment supported by at least one direct external source (book, website, etc.)
  • Writing style and technical level tailored to a lay audience

You can be funny and imaginative! It’s a blog post! Link to personal experience if possible! Just nothing vulgar.

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