Engineering Research Fundamentals

Learning Objective:

1. Apply fundamental principles of research methodology in your research/project work.
2. Construct a well-organized body of scholarly literature to support a research inquiry.
3. Apply research guidelines to maintain records such as data logs, consent forms, and research notes.
4. Develop research questions, objectives, and hypotheses using appropriate research design strategies.
5. Produce well-structured research proposals, papers, and theses using principles of academic writing.
6. Communicate research plans to peers and non-expert audiences through oral and poster presentations.
7. Identify common ethical issues in research, such as informed consent, data privacy, and plagiarism.

Description:

This course is designed to teach students basic research fundamentals, including critical analysis of scientific literature, scientific communication, hypothesis development and basics of scientific writing. At the end of the course, students will be able to critically review literature and present their own scientific thoughts and findings in both written and oral forms. Students will also have opportunities to implement writing, presentation, and networking strategies that are key to success beyond graduate school. An introduction to ethical research practices will also be provided. Finally, students are expected to provide feedback to peers and improve their scientific writing and editing skills through weekly writing sessions. Through self-guided reading and online discussions, students will master the art of analyzing scientific literature, communicating their arguments, and offering peer feedback to colleagues.