ENG6410 · Research practice in engineering

Overview

The goal of the unit is to introduce researchers to the practice of research. It is founded on perspectives from the Philosophy of Science (PoS) which addresses questions of what science is and what it means to be a scientist. The unit firstly introduces the structure of scientific arguments and aims to demonstrate how a knowledge of this structure can enable critical thinking and scientific communication. The unit also aims to make researchers aware of the complex social process that modern science is and introduce them to aspects such as research funding, planning and budgeting research projects, research metrics, technology development and commercialisation, intellectual property and patents, current socio-political views of science and scientists, etc.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Continuous assessment: 100% Final grades: PGO (pass grade only) or NGO (fail)

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

Learning outcomes

1. Critically review scientific arguments to identify research questions, discern inductive arguments leading to hypotheses and deductive arguments leading to valid experimental tests.
2. Generate a research proposal by applying the hypothetico-deductive framework to a research problem, formulating a research plan, assessing material and human resources required for the research, justifying a research budget.
3. Appreciate prevalent sociological perspectives of science and reflect on their consequences for publicly-funded scientific research, such as research quality assessment and metrics.
4. Appreciate the steps involved in developing and commercialising technology and the value of scientific skills in this process.

Workload

The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of 3-6 hours of scheduled learning activities and 6-9 hours of independent study per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher-directed learning, peer-directed learning and online engagement. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.