MALK4100 Vitenskap, atferd og samfunn Emneplan

This course is about making digital cultural heritage visible through interaction with digital texts and images, primarily from archives and libraries. Visibility here means that aspects of these texts, which are not accessible through traditional methods like close reading, are made visible using digital and statistical methods such as "distant reading" of large corpora. Such aspects may include less-read or referenced texts (also known as "the great unread"), occurrences of pregnant words and themes among different authors and through different eras, identification of patterns in images etc. The course addresses the challenges and opportunities associated with the quantity and diversity of digital material. Through examples drawn from literature and archives, students experience firsthand how digital methods can generate new knowledge.

The course language is English.

None.

On successful completion of the course, the student has the following learning outcomes classified as knowledge, skills, and general competency:

Knowledge

The student can

• describe how conceptual and historical developments influence current practice in science
• discuss societal influences on scientific activities
• describe key characteristics of a natural science approach
• describe natural scientific methods, including experimental methodology
• discuss examples of similarities and differences between various fields concerned with human behavior, including approaches within the humanities, social science, and natural science
• discuss different levels of reduction in science
• describe complexity as a scientific approach and a framework for understanding spaces for communication across different field
• describe the principles of selection at different levels of complexity
• discuss how critical thinking and skepticism lead to ethical practice in science
• reflect on ethical considerations in science

Skills

The student can

• cite sources and arrange a reference list according to the current standard from American Psychology Association (APA) standard and describe appropriate and honest use of artificial intelligence in academic works
• use a digital reference manager for citations and references in written assignments
• communicate about scientific frameworks with individuals from different backgrounds

General competency

The student can

• describe how the same phenomenon can be approached and analysed from various perspectives
• describe how some approaches may conflict, while others are complementary
• produce concise academic texts that acknowledging the sources that are built upon, giving proper credit to the works of others

Lectures, seminars, self-study, discussions, and guidance on a weekly basis at campus. The students receive feedback and supervision during dialog-based teaching and joint supervision in class.

The following coursework requirements must have been approved for the student to take the exam:

• Coursework 1: A group of 2-4 students creates a poster on one of the course topics. The poster describes a research project in progress and must be accompanied by a note (4 pages) that provides a detailed description of the poster.
• Coursework 2: Plenary presentation (10-15 minutes) of the poster with all group members participating. Before the presentation, each group is assigned a poster and notes from another group to provide a thorough commentary. Like the poster, the commentary should include both a written note (2 pages) and an oral discussion with all group members participating.

The purpose of the requirements is to contribute to achieving learning outcomes, especially the skill requirements. Requirements must be completed and approved by the specified deadline for students to take the exam. In the case of absence or non-compliance, the student/group must submit a text on an assigned topic by a set date and present it to the instructors. If a requirement is not approved, there is an opportunity to submit a revised version once.

The exam in the course is a supervised exam of four hours.

No aids are permitted.

Grading scale A-F.

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.