PENG9200 Scientific Research Methods and Data Analysis in Engineering Science Emneplan

The goal of this course is to help students reflect over ethical dilemmas so that they make sound ethical choices throughout their doctoral studies and future careers. This course gives the students insight via relevant example projects from the spectrum of disciplines within engineering science including mathematics, physics, computer science, electrical engineering, built engineering and product design. Students will reflect on key philosophical questions related the explicit and implicit premises within their field as they relate to epistemology, methodology, ethics and history. The examples will expose the students to the full complexity of engineering projects, where ethical dilemmas and sustainability issues form the planning and execution of the project as well as the final product.

The course will be offered once a year, provided 3 or more students sign up for the course. If less than 3 students sign up for a course, the course will be cancelled for that year.

Master's degree in engineering science or related fields. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of the various phases of planning and implementing a research project and the academic writing process, including literature reviews, and analysing and reporting data

None.

The student is expected to have the following outcomes on completion of the course:

Knowledge:

On successful completion of the course, the student:

• has advanced knowledge of the research process.
• has advanced knowledge of data collection techniques relative to engineering sciences.
• can critically assess the usefulness of using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methodologies in the engineering sciences.
• has a high-level command of qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis relative to his/her field of study.

Skills:

On successful completion of the course, the student can:

• construct a problem statement or research question and evaluate its soundness.
• create technically and scientifically sound research proposals.
• select a methodology to address a research problem.

General competence:

On successful completion of the course, the student can:

• distinguish and formulate research problems.
• develop and critically assess the components of a research proposal.
• critically reflect on the nature of research, scientific practice and knowledge

The students will acquire a broad and concrete theoretical and practical perspective on the production and consumption of empirical research across the fields that compose engineering science. applied mathematics and physics in the broad sense, engineering and technology. They will be familiarised with how practical problems from these areas are translated into research questions and with how research problems can be defined in order to answer those research questions. The students will be introduced to a spectrum of quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method approaches, building on their exising expert knowledge, and learn how quantitative and qualitative analytical methods can provide insight into contemporary research issues in engineering science.

This course can feature lectures and practical work to provide both theoretical and hands-on content. The students will supplement the lectures and group work with their own reading.

Each student must present two papers in class, one on a paper related to the ethics in their own project and one paper from the general reading list.

Attendance is compulsory with a minimum requirement of 80%.

The student must write four reflection notes each of minimum 1200 words and maximum 1500 words on topics that will be announced during the course.The exam can be appealed.

All support material is allowed as long as source reference and quotation technique requirements are applied.

Pass or fail.

Two examiners. External examiners are used regularly.