Objectives, Methodology, and Ethical Considerations

Research Proposal 1

Presentation and analysis of preliminary data (maximum 100 words)

Please comment on the presentation and analysis of the preliminary data

The presentation of preliminary data in this proposal is excellent because it directly mentions the way gene expression and regulation of lac operon in the biofilm is to be measured (measuring β-galactosidase activity) expressing feasibility of the study. The analysis of the preliminary data is excellent because it presented reason behind each data to be used. For instance, the analysis mentioned how specific measurement of β-galactosidase activity is to be done and why IPTG to be used as molecular biological reagent in inducing the lac operon instead of others. It also mentioned clarification of specific data collection and analysis method use.

Quality (maximum 100 words)

Please comment on the degree of research excellence of the proposal making reference to:

The ambition of the project and the appropriateness of the methodology

The degree of research excellence in the proposal with reference to ambition of the study is found to be excellent. This is because it provides a thorough overview of the reason lac operon regulation works and is considered to be chosen on E.coli in assessing gene expression ability during antibiotic challenge. Moreover, the level of research in the methodology section is excellent because the section mentions in details the method through which E.coli biofilms are to be made and collected. The excellent research in reference to methodology presented is evident as it clarifies the use of each statistical methods in the study to gather information.

Overall assessment (maximum 150 words)

Please summarise your view of the proposal including a statement about research ethics/governance

My judgement is that:

1) This proposal is scientifically or technically flawed

2) This proposal does not meet one or more of the assessment criteria

3) This proposal meets all assessment criteria but with clear weaknesses

4) This is a good proposal that meets all assessment criteria but with minor weaknesses

5) This is a strong proposal that broadly meets all assessment criteria

6) This is a very strong proposal that fully meets all assessment criteria

Research Proposal 2

Presentation and analysis of preliminary data (maximum 100 words)

Please comment on the presentation and analysis of the preliminary data

The presentation of preliminary data in this research proposal which is done to evaluate feasibility of the study is mentioned in the worst way in the proposal. This is evident as it does not detail any method or cause in the study which is to be used to prove the study is feasible to be further executed. The analysis was mostly vague because it never explained why certain examination and processes mentioned in the study are been performed. For example, it never mentioned why standard curve is created, reason behind measuring the optical density, growth turbidity and others.

Quality (maximum 100 words)

Please comment on the degree of research excellence of the proposal making reference to:

The ambition of the project and the appropriateness of the methodology

The research excellence in relation to project ambition is constrained and lack detailed explanation to mention real focus in the study. This is evident as the research ambition mentioned does not highlight any aspect of the topic and vaguely mention what a biofilm consists of and how it grows in single culture which not even the focus on the study. The methodology is not even appropriate as it does not mention how the biofilm is to be formed, how sample is to be collected, how measurement of data collected will be done and others.

Overall assessment (maximum 150 words)

Please summarise your view of the proposal including a statement about research ethics/governance

My judgement is that:

1) This proposal is scientifically or technically flawed

2) This proposal does not meet one or more of the assessment criteria

3) This proposal meets all assessment criteria but with clear weaknesses

4) This is a good proposal that meets all assessment criteria but with minor weaknesses

5) This is a strong proposal that broadly meets all assessment criteria

6) This is a very strong proposal that fully meets all assessment criteria

Research Proposal 3

Presentation and analysis of preliminary data (maximum 100 words)

Please comment on the presentation and analysis of the preliminary data

The presentation of the preliminary data in the study is partially fulfilling in explaining feasibility of the study. This is evident as though it mentioned use of o-nitrophenyl- β-D-galactoside (ONPG) as substrate for the experiment but did not mentioned how it is to be gathered or any complication in gathering the substrate to ensure feasibility in operation of the experiment. There is lack of enhanced presentation and analysis in the preliminary data which is evident as though the data analysis software to be used is mentioned but the exact data collection method and reason behind its use are not explained.

Quality (maximum 100 words)

Please comment on the degree of research excellence of the proposal making reference to:

The ambition of the project and the appropriateness of the methodology

The research excellence in relation to ambition of the study was medium because though the research allowed to develop an aim for the study, but it fails to effectively highlight the key focus of the proposal. Moreover, the research excellence in presenting appropriate methodology is weak. This is evident as the research did not allowed to mention what method to be used for measuring homogeneity and focused only on normal distribution measurement of the gene expression. Further, the research is methodology section did not highlight the methods to be used in judging significant differences and reason behind use of student t-test.

Overall assessment (maximum 150 words)

Please summarise your view of the proposal including a statement about research ethics/governance

My judgement is that:

1) This proposal is scientifically or technically flawed

2) This proposal does not meet one or more of the assessment criteria

3) This proposal meets all assessment criteria but with clear weaknesses

4) This is a good proposal that meets all assessment criteria but with minor weaknesses

5) This is a strong proposal that broadly meets all assessment criteria

6) This is a very strong proposal that fully meets all assessment criteria

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