Module manager: Ryan R. Neely III
Email: R.Neely@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
| SOEE3801 | Fieldwork and tutorials 3 |
| SOEE5096M | Observing weather and climate: advanced field skills |
SOEE3790
This module is not approved as a discovery module
Through this module, learners will become expert in advanced practical environmental field skills for use in research and industry. Students will be supported to design, build and install field instrumentation; generating, analysing and communicating primary data in the context of published findings. The module includes a residential field course and further hands-on practical work upon returning to Leeds, to test scientific hypotheses and draw original conclusions from the results. No pre-requisite knowledge is required.
This module takes learners through the complete process of designing and executing a field campaign to ‘observe’ or ‘measure’ the environment; from desk to field and back to desk. Students will work in teams to generate and process physical data using a wide variety of expert research techniques in environmental, atmospheric, ecological and climate sciences, at a theoretical level and through practice in the field. They will select and build their own instrumentation, including establishing live data feeds, and they will analyse the results using a variety of computer-based and analogue methods. Students will interpret their data to draw conclusions concerning the natural structure of the atmosphere, local/regional meteorological and climatological features, and ecological diversity; integrating their results with state-of-the-art knowledge from published literature. The field and independent project work will be supported by world leading research staff from the University of Leeds and National Centre for Atmospheric Sciences. Learning will culminate in two capstone research projects (one during the residential field course, and one following the instrument-building workshops in Leeds
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Design and execute an appropriate observation campaign with bespoke instrumentation to measure environmental variables
2. Evaluate implicit error/uncertainty within those measurements
3. Draw robust conclusions from primary data
4. Independently research, synthesise and critically analyse existing literature
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
1. Review academic literature to create an evidence-based argument [Academic Skills in critical thinking, academic writing and language; Work Ready Skills in critical thinking, creativity, research skills; Enterprise Skills in information searching; Digital Skills in information, data and media literacies];
2. Planning and conducting appropriate field investigations, including acquiring or building and installing appropriate observational instrumentation [Enterprise Skills in vision and purpose, planning and utilising resources, working and communicating with others; Work Ready Skills in personal management, time management, planning and organising, teamwork/collaboration, problem solving & analytical skills, negotiation and influencing, adaptability/flexibility; Technical Skills]
3. Collecting, recording and analysing data using appropriate research- and industry-standard techniques [Technical Skills in data generation, processing and analysis; Digital Skills in digital creation, problem-solving and innovation; and digital communication, collaboration and participation; Academic Skills in critical thinking];
4. Identifying issues for sample selection and data accuracy/precision, and applying methods that minimise uncertainty/error [Sustainability Skills in anticipatory and future thinking; Technical Skills in data generation, processing and analysis; Academic and Sustainability Skills in critical thinking];
5. Integrating primary data results with secondary information; synthesise and critically evaluate the combined knowledge to formulate and test hypotheses, reaching robust conclusions [Academic, Sustainability and Enterprise Skills in information searching; Academic Skills in critical thinking, referencing and academic integrity; Digital Skills in information, data and media literacies];
6. Effective communication of research findings [Digital Skills in digital proficiency and productivity; Sustainability and Work-ready skills in effective communication; Academic skills in Presentation, academic writing and language
7. Reflecting on and evaluating performance in independent and collaborative (i.e. team) work [Work Ready Skills in Reflection; Work Ready and Sustainability Skills in Collaboration; Enterprise Skills in Self-Awareness, Adaptability and Resilience]
The module places considerable emphasis on:
- planning, conducting and reporting on investigations, including the use of primary and secondary data;
- acquiring or building and installing appropriate observational instrumentation;
- collecting, recording and analysing data using appropriate research- and industry-standard techniques in the field;
- undertaking field investigations in a responsible and safe manner, paying due attention to risk assessment, rights of access, relevant health and safety regulations, and sensitivity to the impact of investigations on the environment and stakeholders;
- appreciating issues of sample selection, accuracy, precision and uncertainty during collecting, recording and analysis of data in the field;
- analysing, synthesising and summarising information critically, including prior research; preparing, processing, interpreting and presenting data, using appropriate qualitative and quantitative techniques and packages;
- collecting and integrating several lines of evidence to formulate and test hypotheses;
- integrating current state of the art knowledge with conclusions drawn from primary data;
- managing a series of tasks as a team and working within a prescribed timeframe.
The module places moderate emphasis on:
- communicating appropriately to a variety of audiences in written, verbal and graphical form;
- using the Internet critically as a source of information and access point for online tools (e.g. atmospheric models) and data (e.g. climatologies, synoptic charts);
- identifying individual and collective goals and responsibilities and performing in a manner appropriate to these roles;
- recognising and respecting the views and opinions of other team members.
The module places some emphasis on:
- recognising the moral and ethical issues of investigations and appreciating the need for professional codes of conduct;
- receiving and responding to a variety of information sources (eg textual numerical, verbal, graphical);
- solving numerical problems using computer and non-computer based techniques; recognising and using subject-specific theories, paradigms, concepts and principles;
- developing an adaptable and flexible approach to study and work.
This module involves a residential field course and further field work, tutorials and workshops in the Leeds area.
Students will study a selection of atmospheric, environmental, and ecological science topics taken from:
1. Practical weather forecasting using synoptic charts and other data.
2. Profiling of the atmosphere using radiosondes and surface measurements to characterise the stability of the atmosphere, state of the boundary layer, and local meteorology.
3. Conducting in-situ and simulated experiments to examine energy balance processes.
4. Profiling local ecology and links to environmental stressors.
Interpretation and inter-connection of the above activities will be augmented through collection of supplementary data from networked archives and published literature.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervision | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Supervision | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Supervision | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Fieldwork | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Fieldwork | 4 | 4 | 16 |
| Lecture | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Lecture | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Practical | 3 | 4 | 12 |
| Seminar | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Private study hours | 155 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 45 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
There are many opportunities for learners to receive formative feedback, primarily through the time spent with instructors.
During the residential field course, learners will undertake online research, critical thinking and data analysis activities within their teams, where learners will visualise and interpret their data to answer questions on the science topics in the syllabus. Field instructors, including activity leaders and support staff, will be on-hand throughout to actively mentor learners through their research and learning, check their understanding from their answers to the set questions, and feedback on their practical techniques and analytical work. The residential field course will culminate in learners undertaking a capstone research project under the guidance of the instructors, with the results to be presented orally and graphically in a mini-conference on the final day of the field course. Instructors and peers will ask questions of the presenters, and will issue summary feedback (orally) on performance.
In Leeds, a discursive seminar will give learners the opportunity to express ideas and quiz the instructors, while the instructors will also feedback their assessment of what is expressed in a two-way dialogue. They will attend two tutorials to exchange ideas and receive guidance on interesting literature review topics and how to approach the literature review. During the practical workshops and local field course, instructors will guide learners through the practical steps, providing immediate feedback on technique so that learners develop their skills and have the opportunity to improve. In these sessions, learners will be quizzed informally through discussion on their understanding of the taught material in order to provide useful, immediate feedback for their reports. In these sessions and during the local 1-day field course, instructors will provide the opportunity for learners to discuss their research plans for the independent research project and receive guidance/feedback on their ideas. Instructors will use digital platforms to check in with students throughout the learning journey.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Coursework | 25 |
| Coursework | Coursework | 75 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 29/04/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team