METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH
(Forskningsmetodik)
Preliminary information
This document is the home page of the doctoral course
Methodology of Research (Forskningsmetodik)
1996/97 at the Department of Computer and
Systems
Sciences of Stockholm University and the Royal Institute of
Technology
(KTH).
The Department of Computer and Systems Sciences (DSV)
belongs both to the Faculty of Social Sciences at Stockholm
University and
the School of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology
(EIT) at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH).
DSV is located in
Electrum, a center for research and development in
information technology in
Stockholm.
DSV homepage includes
Methodology of Research, 5 credits
NOTE: the following text describes the course run during the year
1996/97. If there is sufficient interest the course will be repeated
during the spring of 1998.
Co-ordinator
Janis Bubenko jr.
Teachers
Teachers of the course are primarily senior advisors
and a set of senior researchers from DSV as well as
from other, related disciplines.
Motivation
There is an obvious need for graduate students to get an
orientation in research methodology as an initial part of their
education.
Objectives
To engender an understanding of characteristics of
research in different areas under the heading of Computer
and Systems Sciences, and to provide guidance for developing and
defining a studentıs own thesis topics. More precisely, the
objectives are:
- to show that DSV is a multi-paradigm field.
- to explain different views on managing scientific problems.
- to discuss types of problems for thesis work.
- to give guidance how to find thesis topics.
- to discuss methodological ways of working on a research
topic.
- to discuss possible topics and structures of theses.
- to expose DSV research laboratories and their research
topics.
- to expose research paradigms and views from other
disciplines.
Contents
Topics and paradigms of research (about 10 lectures)
This part of the course includes lectures (45 minutes) from
representatives of different research laboratories and groups
from DSV as well as from other disciplines such as statistics,
and fine arts. Teachers are asked to present their views on
²research² in their area, provide sample types of research
topics, give their views on methodological research work, and
illustrate how they assess quality of produced work and research
results.
Working on a thesis (about 4-6 lectures)
This part of the course follows a text-book (Booth, Colomb et
al. 1995) and gives guidance to search for a thesis topic, how
to turn an initial idea into a topic, how to plan and organize
the research work, how to develop draft reports, and how to
critically examine your own work. The book is primarily used for
studentıs own reading. Lectures will bring up certain topics
from the book for a broader discussion.
Carrying through a dissertation act (seminars, twice the number
of students)
Each student will be assigned two authentical theses (Ph.D.
and/or Lic.). It is assumed each research leader of DSV provides
1-3 such theses to the course. A student is asked to (1) act in
the role of a ²defender² (²respondent²) of one of the theses,
and (2) to act in the role of an opponent of one of the theses.
The procedure for a doctoral dissertation at the course follows
the one used by DSV. A particular dissertation act is supervised
by the research leader that has provided the thesis.
Prerequisites
The student must be registered as a doctoral or licentiate
student at SU or at KTH.
Course Requirements
- Presentation of studentıs own thesis topic analysis report.
- Acting as an ²opponent² in a simulated doctoral dissertation
act.
- Acting as a ²respondent² in a simulated dissertation act.
Time
Lectures and seminars about 24 hours. The course is suggested to
start in February, 1997.
Room 312, Isafjorsdgatan 30 C, Electrum 2, has been reserved as follows:
week 7 to week 12, thursdays 14-17 hrs
week 13, wednesday, 14-17 hrs
week 14 to week 17, thursdays, 14-17 hrs
weeks 18 and 19, wednesdays, 14-17 hrs
week 20 to week 22, thursdays, 14-17 hrs
The introductory lecture is now sheduled for 15.00 - 17.00, February
27, Room 312, Isafjordsgatan 30.
Further information about the course will be posted on this page
Link to Schema
for Spring 1997
Link to Literature
for Spring 1997
Link to description of
assignments
Link to OH
slides of lecture 27 Feb. 1997
Link to
questions regarding your research topic
Link to
questions regarding your research plan
Link to
participants and groups
Literature and references
Photocopies of articles, textbook.
Booth, W., C., G. Colomb, G., et al. (1995). The Craft of
Research. Chicago, The University of Chicago Press.