BIB2600 Scholarly communication and methods of science Course description

Emnet introduserer forskningsprosessen, praksiser for vitenskapelig publisering og grunnleggende perspektiver på vitenskapelige metoder. Emnet gir studentene innsikt i teoretiske og metodiske verktøy, slik at de både i det videre studieløpet og senere kan bidra til å beskrive og utvikle praksisfeltet ved å gjennomføre undersøkelser av ulikt omfang. Samtidig utgjør vitenskapelig produsert kunnskap vesentlige deler av innholdet i alle typer bibliotek. Emnet skal derfor også gjøre studentene i stand til å forstå, vurdere og formidle vitenskapelige tekster. Studentene skal opparbeide seg innsikt i hva en forskningsprosess krever av planlegging, gjennomføring og rapportering, slik at de etter endt studieløp har et grunnlag for å bistå studenter og forskere i deres arbeid. Emnet gir et overordnet perspektiv på temaer som åpen vitenskap, bibliometri, publiseringsindikatorer og akademias profesjoner og disipliner.

Undervisningsspråk er norsk.

Ingen forkunnskapskrav.

The course Global Environmental Studies combines traditional lecture-based teaching with workshop seminars, enabling students to discuss and work within smaller groups. Moreover, the teaching combines classroom methods, such as lectures and seminars, with practical sessions, such as field research, project work, visits and field trips to relevant local institutions and areas of interest. The field research provides an excellent opportunity to integrate the knowledge from the theoretical courses and apply it to real situations.

The first part of the course is a 7-week web-based self-study. After this, the students leave for Costa Rica to attend the regular course based on classroom teaching. The curriculum is covered by approximately 30 two-hour lectures. Additionally, a permanent seminar leader will hold approximately 10 workshop seminars during the course. Students are expected to take a proactive approach to their learning. They are expected to plan and organise their studies, and take an active role in seminars, class discussions, and in making practice contacts and site visits.

The last part of the course is a group work period, during which the students form groups and write a group assignment on a particular case/project/issue, preferably related to the Costa Rican context. The group work may be conducted in cooperation with local academic organisations and NGOs and provides an excellent opportunity for the students to integrate the knowledge and skills from the theoretical tutoring and apply them to real situations of problem solving. At an early stage of their stay in Costa Rica the students form groups of 4-5 persons. The purpose of these groups is both to work on current topics from the lectures and literature, and to fulfil the group assignments. The seminar leader is instrumental in forming the groups and supervising them during the writing process.

There will be a seminar on how to write papers. Here, the seminar leader will also suggest topics of relevance. In addition, each group will be given supervision.

Details about the deadlines of a particular semester will appear in the study guide.

The following course work requirements must be met before the examinations may be sat:

• Introductory assignment. Each student writes a paper of approx. 1800 words (+/- 10 %) / approx. 4-5 pages, where he/she must demonstrate good understanding of the key concepts introduced in the introductory part. At this stage, all communication between student and teachers is based on e-mail. The paper Is to be submitted through e-mail before going to Costa Rica. It will be assessed within the following week and evaluated as Accepted/Not accepted. The students will get brief individual feedback from the seminar leader on their paper during the second week of the course in Costa Rica.

• Participation. Participation in all academic activities is mandatory, at least 80 % participation in all lectures, seminars and field trips constitutes a required minimum. This is due to the central role this course gives to learning by taking part in critical examinations and discussions of the topics at all course activities. A medical certificate is required by absence from course activities exceeding 20 %. As compensation fora higher absence than 20 %, the seminar leader will issue an extra assignment and set the deadline for a paper of 1800 words +/- 10 %. It will be assessed and evaluated by the seminar leader as Accepted/Not accepted.

• A Group Paper. In the beginning of the work with the group exam papers (see Group examination below), each group of students is required to submit a paper of at least 1200 words with deadline set by the seminar leader. This paper must contain the following elements: Apresentation of the proposed topic and design of the group exam paper; a draft abstract; and a presentation of how three course readings and four course concepts may be applied in the final work The paper will be assessed within the following week and evaluated as Accepted/Not accepted.

• Oral Presentation. The students are required to take part in the oral presentation (about I 0-20 minutes) of the above-mentioned group paper at a seminar. A lack of participation will be counted together with other eventual absence from course activities, according to the point above (Participation).

Students, who, due to illness or other valid and documented reasons, do not meet the course work requirements within the fixed deadlines, may be given a new deadline. A new deadline for meeting the requirements is in each individual case given by the seminar leader.

Course work requirements are evaluated Accepted/Not accepted. Students who meet the work requirements within the fixed deadline, but get the evaluation Not accepted, are entitled to maximum two new attempts to fulfil the course requirements. A new deadline for meeting the course work requirements is in each individual case given by the seminar leader. If the course work requirement of either the Introductory Assignment or the Group Paper is evaluated as Not accepted, the new assignment will be to submit an improved version. An Oral Presentation that is Not accepted has to be given again.

Group examination and individual home examination

The students' academic performance is assessed on the basis of a group examination and an individual home examination.

• Group examination

As part of the project module, each group cooperatively write a group assignment of approx. 6000 words (+/- 10 %) / approx. 15 pages. This is a paper on a topic of each group's own choosing. The topic shall, however, be approved by the seminar leader. Here, they shall combine perspectives from the literature and lectures, preferably link up with empirical cases from the region, while drawing on literature that the group finds relevant. The paper shall be submitted electronically within the given deadline. More Information may be obtained from OsloMet's web pages. The group is given a mark (A-F) counting 40 % of the final mark for the assessment.

• Individual home examination

This is a paper of approx. 4400 words (+/- 10%) / approx. 10pages where students shall prove their analytical skills and understanding in the discussion of a given topic. The students will be given 2-3 topics, among which they choose one. In this individual essay, the students must draw on the three modules of the program, combining perspectives from the literature and lectures. The essay Is to be submitted electronically. More information may be obtained from OsloMet's web pages. The students get fifteen working days (three weeks) to write their individual home examination. The assignment is given a mark (A­F) counting 60 % of the final mark.

The student will be awarded a composite grade where the group examination counts 40 % and the individual home examination counts 60 % of the final mark. Both exams must be passed to be awarded a final grade. If a student does not pass one of the exams, only the failed exam shall be re-taken.

New or postponed examination

New or postponed examinations are offered within a reasonable time span following the regular examination. Students, who fail the individual home examination, must write a paper on a new topic. This also applies for students with valid absence and for students who pass, but wish to improve their grade.

In the event of re-sit exams regarding group examination, the candidates will be required to sit an individual examination. This is a paper of 4 000 words (+/- I O %) / approx. I O pages. The topic of the paper is given by the program coordinator.

Regulations for new or postponed examinations are available in Regulationsrelatingtostudies andexaminationsat OsloMet. Students must register for a new or postponed examination. More detailed information about registration for new or postponed examinations is available on the website www.oslomet.no

Eksamen i emnet er en individuell semesteroppgave med omfang på 12000-15000 tegn med mellomrom (skrifttype og skriftstørrelse: Arial/ Calibri 12pkt. Linjeavstand: 1,5).

En student kan ved ikke bestått levere omarbeidet versjon av oppgaven til sensur én gang.

Alle hjelpemidler er tillatt så lenge regler for kildehenvisning følges.

Gradert skala A-F.

Det benyttes en intern og en ekstern sensor til sensurering av besvarelsene. Et uttrekk på minst 25 % av besvarelsene sensureres av to sensorer. Karakterene på de besvarelsene som er vurdert skal danne grunnlag for å fastsette nivå på resten av besvarelsene.

Nils Pharo