Final Year Project

Coordination

• Anna Maria Dalmau Roda

Objectives

The Final Degree Thesis (TFG) is a subject in the last year of undergraduate studies that is essential to obtain a degree in any specialty.

The TFG subject aims for the student to:

1. Develop an academic paper.
2. Consolidate scientific and technological knowledge received throughout the study plan.
3. Participate in situations specific to a professional activity.

Learning outcomes

• RA1. He identifies his training needs and organizes his own learning with a high degree of autonomy in all types of contexts (structured or not).
• LO2. It collects and interprets data and information on which it can base its conclusions, which include reflections on aspects of a social, scientific or ethical nature in the field of biotechnology.
• LO3. Critically analyzes the results obtained in the experiments and problems that appear throughout the work.
• LO4. It consolidates and interrelates scientific concepts from various subjects.
• LO5. Properly plan and manage project development.
• LO6. Prepares written reports and documents (mainly of a technical nature) with spelling and grammar correction in Catalan, Spanish and English.
• LO7. Uses the audiovisual language and its different resources to express and present content linked to the specific knowledge of the field.
• LO8. He knows perfectly well the dedication and perseverance that scientific work requires.
• RA9. Globally evaluates the learning processes carried out in accordance with the plans and with the objectives set and establishes measures for individual improvement.
• RA10. It applies procedures specific to scientific research in the development of training and professional activity.
• RA11. It moves with desymboltura in the general use of ICT and, in particular, in the technological environments specific to the professional field.
• LO12. Shows an attitude of motivation and commitment to personal and professional improvement.

Skills

General skills

• Be prepared to overcome adversity in professional activity and learn from mistakes in order to integrate knowledge and enhance one's preparation

Specific skills

• Design projects and programs, and know about project implementation processes and management systems in the field of biology.

Basic skills

• Students have developed the learning skills necessary to undertake further studies with a high degree of independent learning.
• Students have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their field of study) in order to make judgments that include reflection on relevant social, scientific and ethical issues.

Core skills

• Be a critical thinker before knowledge in all its dimensions. Show intellectual, cultural and scientific curiosity and a commitment to professional rigor and quality.
• Become the protagonist of one's own learning process in order to achieve personal and professional growth and acquire all-round training for living and learning in a context of respect for linguistic, social, cultural, gender and economic diversity.
• Display professional skills in complex multidisciplinary contexts, working in networked teams, whether face-to-face or online, through use of information and communication technology.
• Interact in international and worldwide contexts to identify needs and and new contexts for knowledge transfer to current and emerging fields of professional development, with the ability to adapt to and independently manage professional and research processes.
• Use oral, written and audiovisual forms of communication, in one's own language and in foreign languages, with a high standard of use, form and content.

Content

• Research methods aimed at the design of experiments or projects applied to the field of biology
• Problem solving, data analysis and decision making
• Information search: tools, storage, citations...
• Writing reports and preparing presentations
• Defense and communication of projects

Evaluation

The evaluation of the TFG is individual even if the work is done between different students.

The evaluation is based on different elements and conditioned on the typology of TFG as described below:

• Process to prepare the TFG (proposal and follow-up): 10%
• Written report or project
  • Development / multimedia / innovation TFG: 70%
  • Experimental TFG / literature review: 65%
• public defense
  • Development / multimedia / innovation TFG: 20%
  • Experimental TFG / literature review: 25%

Methodology

This subject is special. In order to be able to enroll, you must meet the prerequisites of approved or enrolled credits (see regulations) and you must have a proposal made and accepted.

The student is responsible for choosing the topic of his final degree thesis. (TFG) But the topic can both come from the student's initiative and the proposals suggested by the professors of the University's departments, as well as from external entities.

There are 5 types of TFG:

• experimental GFR
• Development TFG
• Multimedia TFG
• Innovation TFG
• Bibliographic review TFG

All TFGs must have an academic tutor who teaches at UVic-UCC, who will guide the preparation process, presentation and defense. They can also have, if deemed necessary, an external tutor.

The criteria for assigning tutors to assignments are based on the academic coherence between the student's work proposal, the teacher's specialty and their availability.

End-of-degree theses can be prepared jointly by several students if the proposal so requires. In this case, students complement each other to carry out the project. These teams can be interdisciplinary or not, and are formed with students from one or several degrees of the University.

TFGs can also be done on the go.

Process to follow

1. Final thesis proposal

Formally, it is the first step in the process of preparing a thesis. Before registering for the TFG, you must enter the specific IT application of the TFG (virtual campus / TFG /my proposals/+ new proposal), and fill in the form with the information about the project you want to develop. The proposal must include:

• title and name of the student
• short description
• work objectives
• methodology...

If the project is between different students, each student must fill out his proposal.

If the TFG is carried out at an external entity, the student must apply for an agreement to the careers service (scp) by filling in the agreement application form that will be found in the center classroom, section of TFG.

Once the proposal is accepted, the student must enroll.

2. Tutor/or director of the work

The tutor/or director of the work is a teacher, researcher, professional who has the responsibility to guide the student, to support him and to follow him throughout the development process of the work and until the defense is made before an expressly constituted court.

In the event that the tutor/or director of the thesis is a person external to the university, the student is also assigned an academic tutor/a thesis to guide the student in all the more academic aspects of preparation of the proposal, of the memory and of the defense.

The functions of the tutors are:

• Establish together with the student a work and tutoring plan.
• Provide support and follow-up of the student in the scheduled periods individually or in a group.
• Accompany the student in the presentation and defense of the work before the court.
• Participate in the evaluation and improvement proposals of the TFGs.

3. Development of the work and preparation of the memory

To facilitate the preparation of the report, the FCTE has drawn up templates that give guidelines to the student on how the format should be, the main sections that should be there and what content each section should have more or less . These templates can be found in the Moodle classroom of the TFG subject.

The report can be written in any of the official languages in Catalonia and in English. The length of the report cannot exceed 50 pages (with the exception of the TFG innova modality).

The report must be submitted within the deadlines established in the TFG calendar. You can consult the calendar in the center classroom, TFG section or in the TFG classroom.

The submission of the report must be done in the specific computer application of the TFG (Uvic campus, TFG, my suggestions, and click on the proposal).

4. Defense of work

The student must defend his work in front of the court in a public event (or behind closed doors, in the event that there are specific confidentiality commitments).

The student will have 20 minutes to make the presentation without interruptions. In case of demonstration, the student will have 10 extra minutes in which the members of the court can ask for clarifications. The members of the panel will then have 20 minutes to ask the student in turn. Once they are finished, the president will ask the student and the audience to leave so that the court can deliberate. The court will have a maximum of 15 minutes to make the decision.

Then the student and the attending public will be invited to know the qualification of the work.

Bibliography

Bibliography

• Sancho, J. (2014). Com escriure i presentar EL MILLOR TREBALL ACADÈMIC: Guia pràctica per estudiants i professors. Eumo Editorial.
• Coromina, E; Casacuberta, X; Quintana, D (2000). El treball de recerca: Procés d'elaboració, memòria escrita, exposició oral i recursos. Eumo Editorial.
• Ferrer, V; Carmona, M; Sòria V (2012). El trabajo de Fin de Grado: Guia para estudiantes, docentes y agentes colaboradores. Mc Graw hill.
• Rigo, A; Gesnescà, G (2000). Tesis i treballs: Aspectes formals. Eumo Editorial.