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