SIW4500 Literature Review and Research Training Course description

The main purpose of this course is for the student to gain research experience through pedagogical interaction with a professional researcher or faculty. As a research assistant, the student will perform a defined and limited research task under supervision. Equally, a group of students can perform a defined and limited research task in collaboration and deliver a joint scientific outcome, while submitting individual reports. Through empirical studies and theoretical reflection, the students gain insight and skills, enabling them to undertake research tasks of a scientific standard.

The student will be participating in a project on a relevant research topic as a research assistant at the Faculty of Social Sciences or the Centre for Welfare and Labour Research (SVA).

Call for research assistant must be given by Qualified supervisors at the Faculty of Social Sciences or the Centre for Welfare and Labour Research (SVA). The supervisor decides who will be the research assistants, based on the student's application and previous qualifications. A call for assistants will normally be published at the OsloMet homepage before July 31st. Students can motivate potential supervisors to call for research assistants of this kind.

If others than the assistant is going to use the work the assistant has produced through the course, the assistant must be credited for the work. The use of the work by others than the assistant, however, cannot be closely related to the analytical framework of the assistant’s thesis unless it is published after the assistant has submitted the thesis.

The student must have passed the first year of master's courses that are required for their specific degree.

A student who has completed his or her qualification has the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student has knowledge in at least two out of the following three points:

• insight into planning and running a research project
• a specialised knowledge in the research methods and theories being used in the project.
• an insight into how social research can come into practical use or have an impact

Skills

The student can in at least two out of the following four points

• make an independent and critical search for literature and relevant studies for a research project
• handle data in an ethical and critical manner, and adhere to the norms of ethical conduct in research
• critically reflect on the researchers role in knowledge production
• conduct an independent small-scale research or development project under supervision

General Competence

The student has

• developed general competence for independent research
• practiced innovative thinking and competence in transferring knowledge and skills to new areas

When students have been accepted in a project they are expected to produce the following:

1. The student will choose about 500 pages for a reading list that are thematically, methodologically and scientifically relevant for the scientific outcome.

2. A scientific outcome. A relevant scientific outcome for the project may be:

• a paper produced as a working paper
• a paper, poster, film or exhibit for presentation in a scientific conference
• an independent or co-authored publication
• a presentation of results for stakeholders
• an integrated part of a larger publication from the project. In this case, the student and the supervisor must indicate which part of the publication the student is responsible for.
• a policy-brief, summarizing the main findings as well as suggesting the implications and recommendations of these findings
• or other output approved by the course coordinator and the supervisor

The scientific outcome can be submitted as an individual or as a joint work.

3. In addition to the scientific outcome from the project participation, each student will deliver an individual report. This report should contain a critical reflection of the learning process as well as the student's individual contribution, uses of method or implication of the produced knowledge.

The work should amount to the equivalent of 6 weeks of full time studies.

No coursework requirements/compulsory activities.

The exam in the course consists of a portfolio containing:

1. An individual written report (the report must have a scope of between 4 - 9 pages, tables and references are not included. Font and font size: Calibri 12 points. Line spacing: 1.5).

2. A scientific outcome from the participation (a paper, an article, a policy-brief or other relevant output).

3. A reading list of around 500 pages.

Students awarded a fail grade are given one opportunity to submit an improved version of the report for assessment

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

Pass / fail

The submitted exam will be evaluated by the course coordinator and training supervisor.

Simon Innvær