METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH

(Forskningsmetodik)

Course information

Modified March 15, 1999, by Janis Bubenko jr

This document is the home page of the doctoral course Methodology of Research (Forskningsmetodik) 1999 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.

DSVs homepage includes

Methodology of Research, 5 credits

Co-ordinator

Janis Bubenko jr.

Teachers

Teachers in this course are primarily senior advisors and senior researchers at DSV.

Motivation

There is an obvious need for graduate students to obtain orientation and training in research methodology as an initial part of their graduate studies.

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 student¹s 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 and define 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.

Topics and paradigms of research (about 10 lectures)

This part of the course includes lectures by representatives of different research laboratories and groups at DSV. Lecturers are asked to present their views on research 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 2-4 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 student¹s 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 student finds a thesis she/he is willing to study and to act as an opponent to. A student is asked to (1) act in the role of a defender (respondent) 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. Dissertation acts will be open to all interested researchers and students.

Prerequisites

The student must be registered as a doctoral or licentiate student at SU or at KTH.

Course Requirements

Presentation of student¹s own thesis topic analysis report and a thesis plan.
Acting as an opponent in a simulated doctoral dissertation act.
Acting as a respondent in a simulated doctoral dissertation act.

Time table

The course starts with an introductory meetning on Wednesday, 15.00 - about 17.00, March 17, 1999, room 601, Electrum, Elevator A, Floor 6. A time-table will be established at the meeting.

Further information

Further information about the course including the time-table will be published on a Virtual Workspace using the BSCW technology. Students will be invited to the workspace. For additional information please e-mail to Janis Bubenko jr

Links:

Link to questions regarding your research topic

Link to questions regarding your research and thesis plan

Link to course time-table

Literature and references

Photocopies of articles, textbook.

Textbook:

W.C. Booth, G.G. Colomb and J.M. Williams (1995). The Craft of Research. Chicago, The University of Chicago Press

Articles:

C. Banville, M. Landry: Can the Field of MIS be Disciplined?, Comm. of the ACM, Jan. 1989, Vol. 32, No. 1

R. Hirschheim, H.K. Klein, Four Paradigms of Information Systems Development, Comm. of the ACM, Oct. 1989, Vol. 32, No. 10