FBMRES: Research Project in Dietetics

Module code: FBMRES

Module provider: Food and Nutritional Sciences; School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy

Credits: 60

Level: 7

When you’ll be taught: Summer (vacation) semester

Module convenor: Professor Afroditi Chatzifragkou, email: a.chatzifragkou@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: 2026/7

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 13 April 2026

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The module provides you with the opportunity to undertake a detailed research project on an individual topic, which is usually linked to the current research activities in the department. Projects involve the collection and analysis of data and this can be undertaken in a laboratory, at a desk or in industry/ clinical setting, depending upon the project you have been allocated to. Throughout the project you will work as an independent research scientist, helping to design the project, undertake the research and write up the analysis in the format of a research paper or business case. The module will also equip you with the necessary skills and tools for completing your research project.

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Critically appraise the scientific literature around a research topic.
2. Design a scientific project, in consultation with your supervisor.
3. Select appropriate statistical methods to analyse research data.
4. Analyse and interpret research data.
5. Apply qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, including educational, sociological methods, as well as surveys, questionnaires,  randomised control trials (depending on the chosen topic).

Module content

Each project is unique depending upon the topic being investigated, as such the experimental techniques learnt will vary depending upon the project. However throughout the module students will cover; statistical techniques used in research, research design, data management, statistical analysis, data interpretation and experimental techniques.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

You will be taught using a variety of techniques including; online lectures, workshops and sessions with your supervisor.

Study hours

At least 36 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 all of the following to pass this module:

1. Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.
2. Students in the MSc Dietetics programme are required to obtain a pass mark (50%) overall in the module, with no mark below 45% in any submodular component, in order to meet the accrediting body standard requirements (British Dietetics Association- BDA).

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 a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each calendar day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three calendar days;
• where the piece of work is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in you Individual Learning Plan), 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 calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three calendar days of the deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

Where a piece of work is submitted late after a deadline which has been revised owing to an extension granted through the Assessment Adjustments policy and process (self-certified or otherwise), it will be subject to the maximum penalty (i.e., considered to be more than three calendar days late). This will also apply when such an extension is used in conjunction with a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment.

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.

Reassessment

Additional costs