Research methodology, 4 credits
Forskningsmetodik
Course information
Language of instruction: English
Course period: Spring 2024, Quarter 4 (April – May)
Course structure: Campus teaching (possible to be followed hybrid for students in another location such as campus Gotland).
Recommended prerequisites
The course is primarily open to all PhD students at the Faculty of Science and Technology at UU.
Learning outcomes for doctoral degree
Learning outcomes for doctoral degree
- To achieve a viewpoint to science as a whole
- To identify the intellectual frameworks of science
- To familiarize with the scientific method
- To acquire an overview of modeling approaches in scientific method
- To compare methodologies in both social and physical sciences
- To plan and manage a research project in a university
- To be familiar with research funding opportunities and how funding can be obtained.
- To explain the transfer of science research to technology research
- To identify and motivate the limits and possibilities for research in science and technology
- To acquire skills of presenting arguments and results of scientific and technological research
Course contents
Course content
- Scientific Method
- Research Funding
- Research Techniques
- Communities of Scientists
- Science and Society
- Paradigms and Perceptual Spaces
- Models
- Multidisciplinary Research
Instruction
There will be ten teacher-led sessions followed by student seminar sessions (the number depends on the number of participants) during a period of eight weeks. During the teacher-led sessions, the students are introduced to course content and carry out group discussions and/or work together on collaborative assignments connected to the course content. Some sessions will require preparational assignments. The student seminar sessions include presentations by students to share the research methodology in their discipline/doctoral thesis. During the seminars, the students will be exposed to research methodology in different disciplines broadening their perspective on how research is done in different subject as well as multidisciplinary context. Guest lectures by academicians (e.g. research group leaders) and by organizers of research in society (e.g. at Swedish Research Council) as well as study visit to industry research centers will be complementary elements of the course.
Assessment
- Written essay on the research methodology of the discipline/doctoral thesis
- Students’ seminar presentation based on the written essay and discussion afterwards
- Interaction during the teacher-led sessions (or, if missing the session, carrying out a replacement assignment)
Marking scale: Pass / Failed
Course examiner
Mahmoud Mousavi, mahmoud.mousavi@angstrom.uu.se
Department with main responsibility
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Contact persons
Mahmoud Mousavi (course responsible), mahmoud.mousavi@angstrom.uu.se
Malin Wohlert, malin.wohlert@angstrom.uu.se
Application
Submit the application for admission to: mahmoud.mousavi@angstrom.uu.se
Submit the application not later than: 31 March 2024