Course Information

Research Methodology

ECTS Credits: 3.0

Annotation

This is a compulsory course for all PhD students. The course covers all the conceptual and methodological issues that go into successful conduction of research. It includes philosophy of science, the methodological issues in proposing research hypotheses, scientific communication and the ethical issues in the practice of science. Course introduces to research design from a methods perspective. Examines various research methods with illustrations drawn from specific studies. Includes discussion of the science method and research design, issues of problem selection, data collection, data analysis, and research report evaluation of the significant issue of this Part - preparing draft of introduction to PhD thesis with state-of-the-art and recognized gaps in area of research.

Educational aim

This course aims to give PhD candidates the skills necessary to carry out scientific work that underlies the production of a PhD's thesis. It will help them to select a suitable research topic, conduct a literature review of scientific publications and apply principles of analysis and evaluation in their research. They will also learn how to structure a PhD's thesis and present their ideas and findings using a suitable academic style. Students acquire also basics of PhD thesis structure and prepare introduction and state-of-the-art in the selected topic/domain based on the systematic review

Assessment strategy

This is a compulsory course for all PhD students. The course outline will be followed throughout 3 semesters. The condition for obtaining the final grade for the course is to obtain a positive evaluation (at least 5 points) for all components of the course. Students are expected to do independent reading of research papers and engage in a term reports. The final grade for the course is cumulative and includes the following components: 1) PhD Thesis Proposal (as introduction to PhD dissertation) and 2) Presentation of task setting with state-of-the-art and recognized gaps An individual academic text on a methodological issue related to the student's own PhD topic.

Independent study

All students independently research during the course will prepare for publishing at least one abstract for RaTSif Conference; conduct at least one presentation for Scientific Conference and write draft of Introduction and state-of-the-art for PhD thesis.