66-710690 Molecular Pharmacology and Biotechnology Assessment Brief Task

Assessment brief Task 1

School of Biosciences and Chemistry

Module Learning Outcomes:

LO1 ✓ Evaluate the concepts of pharmacological properties related to a drug.
LO2 ✓ Critically review the processes involved in drug evaluation as pharmacological tools and therapeutic agents.
LO3 ✓ Evaluate the range of drug targets and related molecular processes within biological systems.
LO4 ✓ Evaluate quantitatively pharmacodynamics and pharmacotherapeutic properties of drug molecules.
LO5 ✓ Retrieve information on drugs from library resources and evaluate and critically analyse the information.
LO6 ✓ Demonstrate an in depth knowledge of cell structures and functions, and how these functions may be altered in disease.
LO7 ✓Evaluate techniques used in the study of cell biology and consider how they develop knowledge of cellular
function.

Task 1 - Description

The aim of this assessment is to undertake literature analysis outlining the current concepts of pharmacological properties related to a drug. The final review will be a concise (1500 word) review explaining the processes involved in drug evaluation as pharmacological tools and therapeutic agents.

Your review should focus on one of the classes listed below to be chosen from the link using your SHU account. We will explain the process of allocation in the introductory first session of the module. Your review should include examples and mention mechanism of action, physiological effects and chemical structure in the review text, and you should consider how pharmacological evaluation relate to your class.

In addition to the final review, you are also required to attach a workbook (1000 words). The workbook will scaffold the formation of the review and will be used to provide formative feedback and help you to build up a professional review to a high scientific standard. It will also demonstrate your engagement with the task and support your skills

Formative assessment:

There will be 3 support sessions – 2 of these are timetabled, and 2 will be scheduled online by the module leader and will focus on progression through the workbook.

Artificial Intelligence: This assessment is AI level 2 as defined on the AI scale (1-5).

AI assessment statement: You are permitted to use generative AI tools to aid in shaping your assessment for example for brainstorming, generating ideas, and structuring/quality of your work. However, the final submission should not include any content directly generated by GenAI. This level encourages you to explore and refine your own ideas while developing your own critical and analytical skills.

Application:

1. Collaborative brainstorming: Students working in groups on a problem-based learning activity may use AI to propose potential solutions, which are then refined through discussion and debate.
2. Structuring reports: AI can suggest a flow or format for a laboratory report (e.g., abstract, introduction, results, discussion), but all final content must be the student's original work.
3. Grammar and syntax correction: Students can use AI tools to identify and correct language errors in a dissertation draft, ensuring clarity without altering the content.

Student Disclosure Statement: You must acknowledge the use of AI in your work by including the below student disclosure statement in your submission.
I acknowledge the use of <insert AI system(s) > to < briefly explain how the AI tool was used
>. No content generated by AI technologies has been presented as my work. I have kept the chat history and will provide these on request. I acknowledge the use of AI tools without disclosure is academic misconduct.

Workbook formatting instructions:

Support point 1:

1.Topic selection and brainstorming

Objective: Define a focused topic and research question. Activities:

• Mind map of potential topics using PowerPoint. We will cover how to generate a mind map in the module sessions.
• Reflection: “Why is this topic of interest?”
• Short paragraph justifying topic and finalised research question. Use scientific evidence
• Generate a simple descriptive title to the literature review

Mind map: (Class activity and you can sketch it by hand, please check the appendix for tips and tricks)
What is interesting or noteworthy about the topic? (50 words)

Scientific justification of the selected topic (Please highlight the magnitude of the problem and provide scientific evidence on why this topic is important. Also, indicate how your selected topic fills a gap in literature) (100 words)

Title of the literature review (12 words)

Support point 2: Outline & Search Strategy

2.Building an outline

Objective: Organise the literature review logically.

Activities:

Explore the data bases such as Google scholar, PubMed, Scopus, etc, find a literature review that relates to your topic and read carefully to start collating scientific knowledge about the topic. This literature review will only give you an idea how literature reviews are structured.
*Do not copy and paste from the literature reviews this is considered as plagiarism and will lead to academic misconduct consequences.

We will cover APA7 style in the support sessions.
Tentative structure of literature review: Include subheadings.

3.Search Strategy & Database Skills

Objective: Develop independent search skills and curation of sources. Activities: Generate a table containing:

• Search Log Template: record search terms, databases used, filters applied, results found.
• Evaluating Sources: table to compare sources on credibility, and relevance,
• Reflection: “What worked/didn’t in my search process?”
• Submission: 5 key scholarly articles with rationales.

Short reflection on how you found the database search (50 words)

Support point 3: Argument Development

Argument development:

To develop an argument, you need to
First, define the core question or problem of the selected topic:

When you read an article/s, you need to answer the following questions:
What research question is this study answering? What methods did they use?
What were the key findings?
How do these findings relate to my question?

Short paragraph to interpret the studies by addressing the questions below?

• Do these studies show the same findings, or contrasting findings?
• Have they taken the same approach or different approach?
• Are there any gaps in any of the studies or contradictions? Points to take:
• Support your claim by referring to study A or B for example
• Acknowledge the counterpoints
• Show the synthesis by for example saying “Collectively these findings suggest ………”

Hint: Argument Paragraph Template

• Topic sentence – the main idea or claim.
• Synthesis of evidence – bring in 2–3 studies that support the idea.
• Critical commentary – explain why this matters or how studies compare.
• Transition or implication – lead to next idea or state relevance.

Argument development (200 words)

Submission point 4

5. Draft of the literature review

Objective: Write the literature review in coherent parts.

Activities:

Consider sentence starters & transitional phrases, we will look at examples in the support sessions.

First Draft Section Template: background > section 1 > section 2, etc.

Checklist: Evidence of workbook engagement, The title, introduction, attempted 2 sections related to the topic.
Submission: First draft of 1–2 sections for feedback.

• Figure development

Figures are important to summarise a concept and visuals to important concepts that needs highlight in the lit review
Generate a figure using Biorender or PPT, draw.io/ and mind the graph, but before that you need to skitch the concept this can be hand drawn and does not need to be polished.
Hand drawn figure: Take a picture with your mobile phone and paste it in the box below

Polished figure: Copy and paste here

Are you thinking of adapting or adopting a figure from a published work? Please paste below and cite the origin

Rember all figures should be referenced in the relevant text and well cited and referenced if they are adapted or adopted

Final submission point

Refining and Proof reading:

Objective: Revise writing with attention to clarity and criticality. Activities:

• Revision Checklist: cohesion, criticality, transitions, clarity.
• Proofreading: Send the literature review to Studiosity.
• What feedback did you get and how did you respond to it?
• Reflection Prompt: “What have I improved? What do I still find challenging?”

Please paste Studiosity feedback and your response to the feedback (200 words)

Final reflection: Please comment on what skills you have developed and what was your main struggle during the process of developing the literature review. (200 words)

Final Literature Review & Process Portfolio

Objective: Submit a polished review with the workbook.

The final document must be submitted to the final submission point. It should contain the workbook and the literature review in one document.

The literature review (1500 words): 

Contains:

• Title
• Introduction
• Body with subtitles
• Conclusion
• Final checklist:
• Complete workbook
• Final formatting checklist (APA 7 referencing).
• Word limit for the lit review (1500 ±10% words):
• AI-Use Declaration Form: students sign a statement of independent work.

Assessment Marking criteria:

Your assignment will be graded using the University Grade descriptor which can be found within the assessment area of the module BlackBoard site, and is attached at the end of this document.

Eg You are also provided with a marking grid for this coursework which explains the expectations for each grade - you should use it when developing your coursework. This will be explained further in the coursework briefing session.

Assessment Support:

Support will take place through the support sessions outlined above.

If you are struggling with personal matters and/or illness please contact Hallam Help for support.

Academic Conduct: Academic misconduct is any action, attempted action or omission that may result in you gaining an unfair advantage over other students in an assessment, where there is evidence to demonstrate that your actions or behaviour arose from an intention to deceive the marker. It is a breach of the Code of Academic Conduct and as such will be investigated under the Academic Conduct Regulation. It is a serious matter and has the potential to result in a number of sanctions which could impact on your ability to progress academically. Further information on misconduct can be found by typing “Academic Misconduct” into the search tab in Blackboard.

Molecular Pharmacology and Biotechnology (66-7106G0-AF)