Course Description
Practical skills course for scientific researchers. The scientific method, research proposal writing and reviewing, oral presentations, and standards for good scientific conduct are emphasized.
Athena Title
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in FORS 8200
Prerequisite
Permission of school
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall and spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Students enrolled in FORS 8200 will: (1) gain an understanding of the scientific method and how it is used to gain reliable knowledge, (2) learn how to review a scientific manuscript submitted for publication, (3) develop their research proposal writing and reviewing skills, (4) develop their oral presentation skills, and (5) study and discuss standards for good scientific conduct.
Topical Outline
1. How to format a research proposal 2. Searching the research literature 3. The scientific method a. Correlation vs. causation b. Description vs. experimentation c. How to approach a research problem d. Characteristics of a scientific hypothesis e. The value of multiple hypotheses f. Strong Inference g. Experimental Design h. Social science research methods i. Business research methods 4. Preparing oral presentations 5. Scientific ethics a. Misconduct b. Record-keeping and data analysis c. Authorship issues d. Peer review issues 6. How to review a scientific paper
Syllabus
Public CV