Skrivekurs og prosjektskildring

Studiepoeng, omfang

10 ECTS

Studienivå (studiesyklus)

Master

Undervisningssemester

Autumn

Mål og innhald

The course get the student to start early with his/her master thesis through writing training and practical insight in the research process. The course aims at offering students more insight in the writing process behind a successful master thesis by working with a project proposal for the future master thesis. The project proposal forms the basis for the master thesis and the allocation of a supervisor.

Læringsutbyte

A student who has completed the course should have the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

The student

• can define a research theme at an advanced level and elaborate it into research aims, objectives and research question, and connect theme to applicable theory and methodology aiming at a research based conclusion
• knows the characteristics of quality research publications and data

Skills

The student

• knows how to carry out a systematic search in the library, in scientific and other data bases
• can interpret and evaluate data and literature critically
• can argue scientifically, structure the argumentation and follow good scientific use of references
• can identify ethical issues in a research project and register the project for ethical clearance
• can serve as peer reviewer of other project drafts and proposals
• can define and frame an independent research project under supervision

General competence

The student

• can choose a general topic for a geographical research theme, develop it into a research framework with related aims and objectives that can be investigated within various time and resource limits
• can communicate, both in writing and oral, the design of a geographical research project with related aims, objectives and theory, and masters language and terminology of the geographic field

Krav til forkunnskapar

Admitted to Master's in Geography, Master's in Geographies of Sustainable Development or Master's in Physical Geography.

Studiepoengsreduksjon

GEO300 - 5 ects

Krav til studierett

Reserved for Master's in Geography, Master's in Geographies of Sustainable Development and Master's in Physical Geography.

Arbeids- og undervisningsformer

Lectures, seminars and assignment in a 2 week intensive course in August/September.

Total: 4-5 lectures á 2 hours pr. week - 9 lectures

2-4 seminars in September-November

Group work: peer review of draft proposals in November. 

1 seminar with presentations in December

Obligatorisk undervisningsaktivitet

Three assignments:

-Thought paper (500-1000 words) with the aim to elaborate theme, perspective and argument (August)

- Project draft (2-3000 words) which seeks to develop the project towards a scientific problem, including important references (August)

- Draft proposal (November)

Peer review exercise

Oral seminar presentation (30 minutes)

Vurderingsformer

A project description of 5000-7000 words, containing an elaborate description of theme, aim/justification of the project, scientific problem, and a brief outline of research design, methodology and planned schedule.

Karakterskala

Grading: Pass/fail

Vurderingssemester

Assessment in teaching semester

Litteraturliste

The student will search for relevant literature related to the theme of the project. 

Emneevaluering

Alle emne blir evaluert i tråd med UiBs kvalitetssystem for utdanning.

Programansvarleg

The Programme Committee is responsible for the content, structure and quality of the study programme and courses.  

Administrativt ansvarleg

The Department of Geography at the Faculty of Social Sciences has the administrative responsibility for the course and the study programme.