1. Innovation in
Assessment & Feedback
23rd June 2010
Dr Steve Christmas
Division of Immunology
Faculty of Health & Life Sciences
University of Liverpool
L & T conference 2010

2. MSc in Human
Immunity
• Taught Masters, commenced in 1997
• Students aiming for a career in research or Clinical Science
• Balance between theoretical and practical aspects of
Immunology

3. Programme Structure
Semester 1
• Research Methods + 3 taught modules
Semester 2
• 2 Advanced Immunology and 2 Practical Immunology modules
Semester 3
• Research Project

4. Background Teaching in
Research Methods
• Research Skills and Experimental Design
• Research Ethics
• Public Understanding of Science
• Statistical Methods
• Scientific Literature Searching

5. Making a Research
Grant Application
Taught sessions
• Introduction to Writing a Grant Application
• Practice Session on Writing a Grant Application
• Teaching Session on Resources and Costings
• Discussion on choice of topic
• Practice Oral Presentation

6. Making a Research
Grant Application
Assignment Structure
• Abstract
• Background and Aims
• Plan of Investigation
• Resources and Costings
• Justification for Resources Requested
• References

7. Making a Research
Grant Application
Assignment Components
• Original Grant Application
• Two Peer Reviews of other applications
• Response to Peer Reviews
• Revised Grant Application
80%
• Oral Presentation (20%)

8. Feedback
• At the abstract stage, detailed feedback is given on the
appropriateness of the topic and structure of the abstract
• Convenors available during writing of the application to
advise about costings or peer review etc.
• Normal mechanisms for feedback after the assessment

9. Making a Research
Grant Application
Aims
• Introduce principles of writing a grant application
• Develop experimental design skills and appreciation of
resource allocation
• Develop skills of critical analysis of student’s own research
project and those of others

10. Making a Research
Grant Application
Learning Outcomes
• Acquire expertise to write background to a grant application
• Propose a systematic and rational plan of investigation
• Outline and justify the resources requested
• Critically review applications of their peers
• Self-reflection: respond appropriately to constructive comments

11. Novel Aspects
• An insight into the ‘real world’ of scientific research
• Links theoretical and practical aspects of a discipline
• Introduces a realistic appreciation of the cost of research
and the planning and design of a research project
• Critical evaluation of the proposals of their peers and
response to feedback on their own proposal

12. Potential Problems
• Students need significant theoretical and some practical
expertise so more appropriate later in programme
• Individual feedback from an expert required at early stage
and possibly during the writing of the application
• Administration of the assignments is difficult
• Several staggered deadlines

13. Broader applications of
the same principles
• Readily adaptable to other research-based scientific
subject areas
• Potentially applicable to other disciplines