MSc Pollution and Environmental Control

The unit begins with a brief consideration of epistemology to put the subsequent content into a framework that can be delivered as a progression from measurement to prediction.  The initial challenge is to make measurement meaningful.  This is met by both explanation of statistical significance and of some commonly used and important methods of sampling and analytical techniques for pollutants.  Prediction is required when direct measurement is not possible.  General techniques of prediction are taught progressing from those based on comparison of measurements to comparison of relationships to comparison to models.  The models developed are simple but the process and vocabulary of development is emphasised and each technique is developed using a pollution related case study.  Concepts are explored in a series of self-study exercises that tackle problems of measurement and prediction using Excel.

To prepare students to carry out an independent research project by defining a general process for research and teaching general skills related to measuring and predicting pollutant mobility and transformation.

3 hour weekly

Classroom content

1. What is knowledge, what is measurement, what is prediction, what is research?

2. Making meaningful measurements

be able to explain why standard deviation is the most commonly used measure of variability

Be able to calculate confidence limits on measurements
be able to propagate these confidence limits (errors) when using measurements in calculations
Use these statistics as a simple model of the environmental process of dispersion
Recognise general problems and some solutions in making environmental measurements
Measurement techniques commonly used and important to pollutant mobility

• The initial sessions teach general processes and techniques of research and give a framework into which the subsequent sessions on more specifically pollution / environment related content can be integrated.  The final sessions present an opportunity to synthesise the prior learning in a case study using data from a field location.
• Each section uses lectures and practical exercises.  The self-study exercises are guided by on-line videos, with drop-in class room sessions for support.
• Formative assessment through on-line BB tests with immediate feedback is given each week.
• Summative assessment is by a single on-line open book invigilated computer-based exam using questions in the same style as the formative tests and with immediate feedback after the exam (taken after Week 12).

Any basic statistics book – statistics for environmental science, statistics for biologists, statistics for geography

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