Postgraduate Study Skills in Science, Technology or Mathematics
Overview
Are you about to undertake a PhD in science, technology or mathematics? If so this free course, Postgraduate study skills in Science, technology or Mathematics, will help you to examine your work.
Syllabus
Introduction
Learning outcomes
1 What is a PhD?
1 What is a PhD?
1.1 Thoughts on a PhD
1.2 Different reasons for doing PhDs
1.3 Different models of PhDs within and across disciplines
1.4 Broadly typical phases of PhD research
1.5 Key dissertation ingredients
1.5.1 Rhetoric and rigour
1.5.2 Validation and ‘so what’
1.6 What is a ‘significant’ contribution?
1.7 Demonstration of research skills
1.7.1 Research methods in context
1.7.2 Knowledge of background literature
1.7.3 Framing an appropriate and useful research question
1.7.4 Use of academic language
1.7.5 Theory
1.7.6 Researcher maturity
1.8 The OU requirements
1.9 Summary and conclusion: ‘take-away messages’
1.10 End of section exercise
2 Managing your PhD project
2 Managing your PhD project
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Making a plan
2.3 Short-term and long-term planning
2.4 Planning with Gantt charts
2.5 The problem of time
2.6 Milestones
2.7 Overcoming problems
2.8 Other useful reading
2.9 End of section exercise
3 An introduction to communicating science
3 An introduction to communicating science
3.1 Introduction
Optional reading
3.2 What is communication?
Optional reading
3.3 Producing a scientific paper: science communication as knowledge production and exchange
Optional reading
3.4 Science communication and citizenship: getting involved
Optional reading
3.5 Conclusions
3.6 End of section exercises
Conclusion
References
Acknowledgements
More details
Free Certificate
English
Certificate Available
14 hours worth of material
On-Demand
Advanced
