MABIO4000 Theory of Science, Ethics and Reseach Methods Course description

The student must have been admitted to the Master’s Programme in Health Sciences.

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• can develop a research question for their master’s thesis
• can independently describe relevant academic frame of reference and/or context as a foundation for a project plan for the master’s thesis

Skills

The student

• can plan a research project and write a project description in a precise scientific format and language
• can carry out extensive and systematic literature searches relating to their own project description, summarise and discuss the findings of others, and cite sources correctly
• can reflect upon ethical issues related to the project

General competence

The student

• can analyse and deal critically with various sources of data and use them in scholarly arguments
• can critically assess relevant ethical norms and values related to the chosen method in the project plan
• can assess whether a research project requires various forms of registration or approval in accordance with the applicable legislation

The following must have been approved in order for the student to take the examination:

• compulsory attendance and participation at seminar days for your own specialisation
• presentation of own student’s project description for the master’s thesis with subsequent discussion in a plenary session
• held the role of opponent, providing feedback on one or more fellow students' project plan (peer assessment/opponent)

A project examination in the form of a project description for the student's master’s thesis, individual or in groups, depending on whether the thesis will be written individually or in a group. Scope: 3,000 words (+/- 20%). For group assignments, one overall grade is awarded for the whole group.

Resit examination: If the student fails the assignment, he/she will be given opportunity to submit a reworked version.

If the course is taught in English, students can also choose to write/conduct the examination in a Scandinavian language (Norwegian, Swedish or Danish).

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

Pass/fail.

All answers are assessed by one examiner.

An external examiner is used regularly, at a minimum of every third completion of the course. When selecting answers for external evaluation, a minimum of 10 percent of the answers shall be included, with no fewer than 5 answers. The external examiner’s assessment of the selected answers shall benefit all students.

MAVIT4050 Theory of Science and Research Methods, 10 ECTS credits or equivalent. MAVIT4060 Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methodology, 10 ECTS credits.

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