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    Overview

    Advanced methods and techniques in field marine science, laboratory and analytical techniques, scientific research project planning, scientific writing and presentation of findings.

    This paper is central to postgraduate study in Marine Science and is required for students enrolled in any of our fourth-year programmes: the Postgraduate Diploma, Honours and Master’s degrees in Marine Science and in Aquaculture and Fisheries. Students in other postgraduate programmes who have a strong interest in marine science may be admitted.

    The purpose of the paper is to provide practical and theoretical experience in applying fundamental methods and research skills in marine science.

    We start with a series of workshops addressing research skills, focussing on study design, with students developing and carrying out their own lab experiment at Portobello Marine Lab.

    The course culminates in a week-long field trip studying Physical Marine Systems at Deep Cove, Doubtful Sound, Fiordland. Travel, food and accommodation at the field course is provided.

    About this paper

    Paper title Advanced Methods in Marine Science
    Subject Marine Science
    EFTS 0.1667
    Points 20 points
    Teaching period Semester 1 (On campus)
    Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) $1,701.51
    International Tuition Fees Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website.
    Contact
    abby.smith@otago.ac.nz
    Teaching staff

    Course Co-ordinators: Prof Abby Smith

    Teaching Arrangements
    • Skills workshops: Six 1-hour workshops
    • Statistics workshops: Five 4-hour workshops
    • Lab Experiment: Design and carry out a lab experiment
    • Field courses: Five-day field trip to Doubtful Sound
    Textbooks

    Textbooks are not required for this paper.

    Graduate Attributes Emphasised
    Interdisciplinary perspective, Lifelong learning, Scholarship, Communication, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding, Ethics, Environmental literacy, Information literacy, Research, Self-motivation, Teamwork.
    View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.
    Learning Outcomes

    Students who successfully complete this course will:

    • Acquire and apply advanced field methodologies in the context of week-long field projects
    • Understand and apply sample design and hypothesis testing; research planning and resourcing; data collection, analysis and presentation; and critical thinking about the meaning of their results in the wider context
    • Develop the capacity to apply appropriate statistics to their data and to present data and results well
    • Improve and develop fundamental research skills, including communication methods, information literacy, planning and budgeting

    Timetable

    Semester 1

    Location
    Dunedin
    Teaching method
    This paper is taught On Campus
    Learning management system
    Blackboard

    Lecture

    Stream Days Times Weeks
    Attend
    A1 Monday 10:00-10:50 9-10, 12-13, 18, 22
    Monday 10:00-15:50 8
    Tuesday 08:00-15:50 8
    Tuesday 10:00-13:50 9-10, 12-13, 18, 21-22
    Thursday 09:00-16:50 8
    Friday 10:00-10:50 8

    Practical

    Stream Days Times Weeks
    Attend
    A1 Monday 08:00-17:50 20
    Tuesday 08:00-17:50 20
    Wednesday 08:00-17:50 20
    Thursday 08:00-17:50 20
    Friday 08:00-17:50 20
    Sunday 08:00-17:50 19
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