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MARI401 Advanced Methods in Marine Science

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 or Applied Science (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.

Paper title Advanced Methods in Marine Science
Paper code MARI401
Subject Marine Science
EFTS 0.1667
Points 20 points
Teaching period Semester 1 (On campus)
Domestic Tuition Fees (NZD) $1,655.16
International Tuition Fees Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website.

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Contact
abby.smith@otago.ac.nz
Teaching staff

Course Co-ordinators: Prof Abby Smith

Teaching Arrangements
  • Skills workshops: Seven 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 will acquire and apply advanced field methodologies in the context of week-long field projects
  • They will 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
  • Students will develop the capacity to apply appropriate statistics to their data and to present data and results well
  • Students will improve and develop fundamental research skills, including communication methods, information literacy, planning and budgeting

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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 9-12, 17, 20
Monday 10:00-15:50 8
Tuesday 09:00-11:50 19
Tuesday 10:00-11:50 20
Tuesday 10:00-12:50 9-13
Wednesday 14:00-16:50 8

Practical

Stream Days Times Weeks
Attend
A1 Monday 08:00-17:50 18
Tuesday 08:00-17:50 18
Wednesday 08:00-17:50 18
Thursday 08:00-17:50 18
Friday 08:00-17:50 18
Sunday 08:00-17:50 17