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GEOL50315: Data Analysis in Space and Time

Type Tied
Level 5
Credits 15
Availability Available in 2024/2025
Module Cap None.
Location Durham
Department Earth Sciences

Prerequisites

  • None

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combinations of Modules

  • None

Aims

  • To provide students with an understanding of data methods and tools used in the Earth and Environmental Sciences, with a particular focus on those used for analysing spatial and temporal datasets
  • To provide experience of physical modelling of complex real-world systems
  • To provide knowledge of, and the ability to apply, popular software packages currently used in industry settings.

Content

  • Spatial information systems
  • Geostatistics
  • Geographical Information Systems software
  • Numerical analysis
  • Inverse theory
  • Time series analysis
  • General and generalised linear models

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

  • By the end of this module, students should:
  • Understand the systems for recording spatial data
  • Understand how to solve forward and inverse physical models
  • Develop statistical models of environmental data
  • Appreciate the main Python and R packages for analysis of Earth and Environmental data and understand how to use them.

Subject-specific Skills:

  • By the end of this module, students should:
  • Be able to convert data between coordinate systems
  • Be able to analyse time series data in both the time and frequency domains
  • Be able to construct predictive time series models
  • Be able to solve or invert physical models
  • Be able to develop general and generalised linear models of continuous and discrete data
  • Be able to use standard software packages to develop models and solve problems

Key Skills:

  • Effective written communication
  • Planning, organising and time-management
  • Problem solving and analysis

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Learning outputs are met through classroom-based workshops, supported by online resources. The workshops consist of a combination of taught input, case studies, discussion and computing labs. Online resources will typically consist of directed reading and a programming environment with example code.
  • The summative assessment will be based upon a series of data modelling exercises to demonstrate knowledge of techniques taught.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotalMonitored
Lectures82 times per week (Term 1, weeks 6-9)1 hour8 
Workshops82 times per week (Term 1, weeks 6-9)2 hours16 
Surgery123 times per week (Term 1, weeks 6-9)1 hour12 
Preparation and reading114 
Total150 

Summative Assessment

Component: AssignmentComponent Weighting: 100%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Individual written assignment based on data problem2000 words maximum100 

Formative Assessment

The formative assessment consists of classroom-based exercises on specific data topics of relevance to the learning outcomes of the modules. Oral feedback will be given on a group and/or individual basis as appropriate.

More information

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