MA3PRONU: Part 3 Project

Module code: MA3PRONU

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

Credits: 20

Level: 6

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Professor Sarah Dance, email: s.l.dance@reading.ac.uk

NUIST module lead: Jian Ding, email: dingjian@nuist.edu.cn

Pre-requisite module(s): Before taking this module, you must have completed two years of a single or joint honours Mathematics degree. (Open)

Co-requisite module(s):

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

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: No placement specified

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 2 March 2026

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The ability to research a new topic independently is a key skill for any mathematician or statistician. This module aims to provide students with the experience of independent research, and to further develop a range of skills required of a modern mathematics and statistics graduate, including written and verbal communication, independent project work and time management. A list of available mathematics and statistics topics will be distributed to students, from which one will be chosen. Students are expected to then research independently their chosen topic with the goal of learning and synthesising the material, and communicating it to others through a variety of mediums including a written report.

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Identify, research and synthesise literature relevant to a given mathematical or statistical topic to a depth not previously encountered in their degree programme ;
2. Report the results of their studies thoroughly and succinctly, and to discuss and present them to other parties in a variety of media;
3. Critically appraise and reflect on their own work

Module content

Students will undertake one  project during the module.  For each project students will be set a mathematical or statistical topic by a staff member (the project supervisor) with some structured questions to address. The mathematical or statistical content will be defined by the individual projects.

The projects will be supported by skills lectures that will cover research methods and professional skills including: project planning and documenting of work, time management, library & information systems, reading techniques, avoiding plagiarism and copyright infringement, referencing, writing a report, presentation skills, communicating material to a technical or non-technical audience and critically appraising the work of others.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Students will complete  a project, working as an individual, supported by skills lectures, project workshops and supervisions. Students are expected to spend the majority of their time in this module on guided independent study. 

Students will be asked to produce two main deliverables on their topic: a technical written report including a short lay summary and a video presentation.

Study hours

At least 16 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 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.

Poster conference - peer assessment and feedback

Reassessment

Additional costs