| Learning objectives |
To achieve the grade 12, students
should meet the following learning objectives with no or only minor
mistakes or errors: After completing the course, students should be
able to:
- Formulate, delimit and analyze a specific problem
- Describe and apply theories and methods relevant to their
problem to the project
- Integrate subjects taught in the 1st year
- Structure and present the material in the form of an academic
report
- Reflect on the knowledge acquired from the courses covered in
the 1st year, and reflect on their own ways of conducting a
scientific empirical enquiry
|
| Prerequisites for registering for the
exam |
|
Number of mandatory
activities: 1
Compulsory assignments
(assessed approved/not approved)
Research Proposal (IRM1). This is graded pass/fail by the course
coordinator. Having a "pass" grade for the research
proposal is a prerequisite for handing in the 1st year project
report. The Reseach Proposal is max 5 pages.
|
| Examination |
|
1st Year
Project:
|
| Exam
ECTS |
15 |
| Examination form |
Oral exam based on written product
In order to participate in the oral exam, the written product
must be handed in before the oral exam; by the set deadline. The
grade is based on an overall assessment of the written product and
the individual oral performance. |
| Individual or group exam |
Individual exam |
| Size of written product |
Max. 30 pages |
| Assignment type |
Project |
| Duration |
Written product to be submitted on specified date and
time.
30 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade,
and informing plus explaining the grade |
| Grading scale |
7-step scale |
| Examiner(s) |
Internal examiner and external examiner |
| Exam period |
Spring |
| Make-up exam/re-exam |
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
1) For projects, where some of the
group members receive a grade 00 or below, these students must
submit, before the re-take, individual revised versions of the
report.
2) For projects where all members are awarded a grade of 00 or
below, the overall project is deemed unacceptable. Before the
re-take the project must be revised and
improved.
|
|
| Course content and
structure |
|
The course is split into 2 sections that follow after
each other
a) Interdisciplinary Research Methods 1 (IRM1)
b) 1st Year Project Workshops (1YP)
Contents and Structure part 1: – IRM1
The course functions as a first introduction to the philosophy of
social science and the most common methodologies used in social
research. The aim of the course is to enable students to reflect on
and critically assess the knowledge they acquire from their other
courses and on their own ways of producing and analyzing knowledge.
Furthermore, it should help to develop students’ skills in making
sound, informed, and reasoned methodological and theoretical
choices in their own analytical work.
Topics will include: Fundamental concepts and problems, what is
social science, discussions of Ontology vs. Epistemology, How to
produce and evaluate knowledge different research designs,
qualitative and quantitative methods, modes of evaluation,
Constructing a project at university – research question,
structure, presentation of work in progress for the 1st
year projects, with collegial feedback.
At the workshops parallel to the lectures the students will develop
their skills to identification and evaluation of fundamental
concepts, research designs, research questions and methodology in
both research articles and their own analytical work.
Contents and Structure part 2: – YP1
To facilitate and reinforce the learning of the subjects taught
during the 1st year by encouraging students to work independently
and in a focused manner with selected theories.
To develop analytical skills needed to undertake problem-oriented
project work. The problem-oriented process during project work is
shaped by the systematic, professional and scientific demands of
academic knowledge production.
The 1st Year Project is the first major independent work in the BA
programme. As stated above, emphasis is therefore on learning the
craft of project work: how to handle academic concepts and
analysis, how to structure the work process and how to present
findings in a project report. This is done through problem-oriented
project work, in which the project group is the most important
learning unit.
|
| Teaching methods |
IRM 1
Based on the principles of student-centred learning, the learning
methods will be a mix of interactive lectures, thought experiments,
practical exercises as well as group and class discussions.
The course consists of one 2-hour introductory lecture and five
lectures followed by five 2-hour exercise sessions. Students are
expected to do preparation and home work in between sessions in
addition to reading the course material. This will be work related
to student surveys, focus groups, interview sessions, or data
analysis. Students are expected to work in groups.
YP1
Based on the principles of student-centred learning, the learning
methods applied in the workshops, accompanying the work for the 1st
Year Project, will focus extensively on practical exercises and
hands-on activities enriched by interactive lectures, group and
class discussions as well as student presentations.
The project process includes 3 project workshops and 6 IRM
workshops, which share the aim of preparing students for the 1st
Year Project and guiding them in the project process. |
| Student workload |
| Lectures and workshops |
30 hours |
| Preparation for lectures and workshops |
90 hours |
| Mandatory assignment |
40 hours |
| Project work |
230 hours |
| Exam preparation |
22 hours |
|
| Expected literature |
|
IRM 1
SAUNDERS, THORNHILL, and LEWIS., 2009, Research Methods for
Business Students, Pearson, 2009 or latest edition.
1YP
EDWARDS: How to give an academic talk. Notes. URL:
pne.people.si.umich.edu/PDF/howtotalk.pdf (provided)
HEGEL/KOCH: Macro-Toulmin: The argument model as structural
guideline in academic writing. Working Paper (provided)
NIELSON: Helping Students Help Each Other: Making Peer Feedback
more valuable. Essays on Teaching Excellence. 14(8) 2002-2003.
Please check the course literature on CBS
Learn
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