MT1SES: Skills for Environmental Science

Module code: MT1SES

Module provider: Meteorology; School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences

Credits: 20

Level: Level 1 (Certificate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Professor Chris Scott, email: chris.scott@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Professor Matt Owens, email: m.j.owens@reading.ac.uk

Additional teaching staff 1: Dr Martin Airey, email: m.w.airey@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

• To introduce the instruments and techniques used to measure meteorological parameters, and to appreciate their limitations
• To introduce basic skills in laboratory experimentation
• To develop skills in computer programming useful in environmental science, for data processing and analysis

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Conduct basic experiments in a physical laboratory and communicate the results in a concise, accurate and comprehensible manner
2. Apply the principles of experimental error to a set of experimental results
3. Construct simple Python computer programmes using basic programming principles to perform logical and numerical operations
4. Perform simple scientific data processing tasks using a computer programme and spreadsheet

Module content

• Generic characteristics of instruments for environmental measurement, as determined by response, sensitivity, lag, sampling and error analysis. The design, operation and calibration of instruments used to measure temperature, humidity, wind, pressure, broadband solar and terrestrial radiation, rainfall and upper air properties;
• Basic understanding of programming for environmental data analysis including: code readability and commenting, variables mathematical and logical operators, conditional branching, conditional loops, functions, reading data from files, plotting, module structure.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The instrumentation and laboratory components involve 10 50-minute lectures plus approximately 15 hours of laboratory work. The IT component consists of 12 PC lab practical classes with a strong self-learning element supported by notes and demonstrations.

Study hours

At least 34 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

One group exercise and two reports for the laboratory component. 

One report for the computing component. 

Reassessment

Additional costs