LO1 Critically evaluate research and advanced scholarship, relevant to the chosen field of study, alongside evaluation of own work.

2026-04-01 08:30:27

Assignment Specification

School of Computer and Engineering Sciences

Module Code

CO7047

Module Title

Research Project

Assessment No

1 of 2

Weighting

15%

Title

Poster Presentation

In-Year Reassessment Offered

No

Generative AI

Not Allowed

Summary

Students will participate in a poster presentation session where they will showcase their research work to date. This assignment allows students to present work in a professional setting, fostering discussion and feedback from peers and faculty. It mirrors real-world academic and industry conferences, providing an authentic opportunity to develop communication and presentation skills and demonstrating the significance and potential applications of their research in a broader context.

Submission Date

03/02/2025 (May 2025 cohort) 03/07/2026 at 13:00 (Oct. 2025 cohort)

7-day Submission Window Not Allowed

Feedback Due

03/03/2025 (May 2025 cohort) 31/07/2026 (Oct. 2025 cohort)

Instructions

For complete information on the details of this module, please see the teaching materials, module forum and other files and information posted on the related Moodle space. 

These will include (among many other useful things) details that change from year-to-year, such as lists of supervisor and student allocations and links to information about the University’s study skills web pages and training events.

You are required to undertake an approved research project in an area relevant to your programme of study

(i.e., Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Data Science, Advanced Computer Science, etc.). 

This must involve a major study on an area not covered by previous modules, or the application of something that you have already learned to a new situation.

You will be allocated a member of staff to supervise your research project work, who will offer guidance and expertise. However, a level 7, master’s project is an independent piece of work, and you will have to do a substantial amount of work under your own initiative.

You will attend an in-person poster presentation session, where your research project work will be displayed and discussed alongside other students studying the Research Project module. There will be a schedule for the session made available before the event, which will confirm the timings of the event.

Your poster should provide the audience with a summary of your research project topic work so far. This should include consideration of the following elements:

  • Aims and Objectives
  • Research Questions and/or Hypotheses
  • Rationale for the Research and Methods Selected
  • Describe and Critically Evaluate Key Literature in the Field
  • Summary of Work Done so far
  • Plan for the Remainder of the Project

You need to be present during the scheduled poster presentation session and have a printed copy of your poster on display. Areas for students to pin their posters will be made clearly available, typically either on walls or display boards. During the scheduled time, you must be prepared to discuss your research project work and poster with the first and second markers, other University staff and students, and visitors. You should be ready to answer questions about your poster and research project work in general.You should consider the visual design and layout of your poster as well as its content. The poster should be presented so the information is sequenced logically, is easy to read, and makes good use of graphs, images, tables, text, and other types of media to best communicate that work that you are doing.

Posters are graded out of 15 marks, by the supervisor and a second marker who will reach an agreed overall mark for the work. This mark is then converted to an overall percentage for the poster assessment component

Detailed Guidance

  • Make sure your poster includes the following information and is clearly legible:
  • Project title
  • Your full name
  • Your student number
  • Your course title (e.g. MSc Advanced Computer Science, MSc Cybersecurity, etc.)
  • Name of your supervisor
  • Your poster must be on an A1 (594 mm x 841 mm) size page. You can use colour and/or black and white printing as you see fit.
  • All text must be easily readable from a distance approximately 1.5 meters. As a rough guide: at a minimum this could be achieved using the Arial font at 18 point size - Like this!
  • You may print your poster using any provider, but a good place to start would be the University’s Print

Services (https://portal1.chester.ac.uk/LIS/DesignandPrint/pages/printunitservices.aspx)

  • Make sure you leave enough time to have your poster printed before the presentation session. It can take several days.
  • Any images or other materials that are not your own must be referenced.
  • As with all other work, you should include references according to the APA standard (the APA standard (https://portal1.chester.ac.uk/studentsupport/PublishingImages/Pages/int-studying-in-the- uk/APA%207%20referencing%20guide.docx).
  • Bring a laptop, tablet, or pad of paper and pen to help explain any additional details or respond to questions during the poster session.
  • Be ready to answer questions on the content and topic of your poster, the work you have done so far, and your plans for completing your research project.
  • You must submit a digital copy of your poster in either PDF or PowerPoint (PPT) format via the Moodle submission box on the day of your poster session.
  • You must present your poster on the date and time allocated to you AND submit the digital copy by the deadline to obtain marks for this assessment

Additional Information

Competencies Assessed

1. Critically evaluate research and advanced scholarship, relevant to the chosen field of study, alongside evaluation of own work.

3. Select appropriate research methods, tools, and techniques to address a defined question or hypothesis in a meaningful way.

Assessment Support

The module leader is Dr Stuart Cunningham (s.cunningham@chester.ac.uk). General support about the dissertation report and poster processes are available from the module leader, during the taught research project sessions and via their Office Hours.

However, in most cases, the allocated supervisor should be the first point of contact. The assessment components, and underpinning work, can be discussed with the student’s supervisor during a scheduled meeting or via the supervisor’s Office Hours.

An extensive range of support materials, videos, and interactive materials are provided via the module Moodle site.

Submission Window, Exceptional Circumstances, and Assessment Regulations

You are expected to submit work by the submission date specified at the start of the assignment specification. Some assignments may support a 7-day window in which students can submit work late without penalty and this will be specified below the submission date at the start of this brief. Any work submitted outside of the submission date (or submission window where allowed) will be given a mark of zero.

You can find details about what you need to do if you are unable to submit the assessment on time on the Registry Services Exceptional Circumstances Portal page. Any deferral request must be submitted online within 7-days of the final submission date (or submission window where allowed). In all cases, evidence will be required to support the deferral.

Deadline for applying for a deferral to the next assessment point1: 10/02/2026 (May 2025 cohort)

10/07/2026 (October 2025 cohort)

You can find out more about University regulations related to assessment on the Registry Services Assessment Regulations page.

Academic Conduct

The University Academic Conduct Policy explains how students are expected to take responsibility for the fair presentation of the contents of any work they present for assessment. This includes acknowledging the use of Artificial Intelligence tools. Breaching the academic conduct policy can have serious penalties.

The material you submit must be your own work. You must not collude with your peers on your work unless the brief explicitly allows this (such as in the case of group work). Further information is available below

All sources used must be cited and referenced using the APA format. Guidance on how to cite and reference sources can be found in the Cite Them Right Online guidance (sign in with your University network account)

Generative AI

The use of generative AI tools where not permitted will be treated as a breach of the academic conduct policy.

You may not use AI tools for this assessment. AI tools include, but are not limited to, ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Midjourney, and others.

Submission Information

You need to be present during the scheduled poster presentation session and have a printed copy of your poster on display. During the scheduled time, you must be prepared to discuss your project work and poster with the first and second markers, other University staff and students, and visitors. You should be ready to answer questions about your poster and research project work in general.

1 The deadline for applying for a deferral for the next assessment point is 7 days after the deadline or 7 days after the 7-day window (where permitted)

Your printed poster should be A1 in size and may be oriented in landscape or portrait, as you see fit. It should be displayed during the poster session in the allocated space(s).

You must submit your Poster as a PowerPoint (PPT) or PDF file. Compressed files (Zip, RAR, 7z, etc.) are not permitted.

Your uploaded file must be named with your assessment (J number), e.g. J123456.pdf or J123456.jpg. The name for each entry on TurnItIn must also be your assessment number.

Files submitted in an incorrect format will usually be marked as zero.

Assessment Criteria Postgraduate

Assignment Task

(LOs Covered)

Fail

(<50%)

Pass

(50-59%)

Merit

(60-69%)

Distinction

(>=70%)

Poster Content, Depth and Clarity

(Competencies 1 and 3)

[5 marks / 33.3%]

Little to no demonstration of understanding the research topic and related concepts. Inaccurate or irrelevant information. Superficial exploration and criticality.

Lack of coherence.

Adequate demonstration and basic grasp of the topic and its background, with attempts at critical evaluation.

Informative and covers all key areas expected with occasional gaps or inaccuracies.

Comprehensive, critical understanding shown throughout. Wide and relevant research, good understanding of the background and project requirements, thorough and careful planning.

Excellent depth and breadth of knowledge, demonstrating a nuanced and sophisticated critical understanding of the research topic and related concepts. Original ideas supported by a thorough plan.

Poster Style and Formatting

(Competencies 1 and 3)

[5 marks / 33.3%]

Poorly presented poster with little to no consideration given. Numerous formatting errors. Text difficult to read. Visual elements are confusing or badly presented.

Generally consistent and clear throughout, with minor areas for improvement. Clear and readable text. Visual elements are appropriate and satisfactory.

A professional and polished poster that displays content in an engaging and exciting manner. Text is clear and visually appealing. Visual elements are effective and appealing.

A highly professional poster that makes outstanding use of colour, format, typography, layout, etc.

Outstanding throughout. Communicates content superbly.

Questions and Discussion

(Competencies 1 and 3)

[5 marks / 33.3%]

 

Unable to describe the topic or engage effectively with questions. Misunderstanding or avoidance of questions.

Adequate ability to explain topic area. Fair and suitable answers to questions.

Responses may be basic or lack detail and limited in scope.

Proficient and detailed discussion of the topic and confident in responding to questions. Able to expand appropriately with minimal prompting.

Exceptional ability to engage with discussion and questions. Showcases deep engagement with the process and can expand upon the topic without prompting.

 

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