Introduction to the Philosophy of Science and Research Methodology, scimet12

Assignments

The emphasis in this course will be to expose you to ideas and thoughts about how to perform scientific research and to make you reflect on your own research. To help you in these tasks

Perparations for each lecture

Before each lecture

• Read the pre-assigned paper and/or book chapter and
• Write your response.
• Bring a print out of your response to the lecture.

What should be in your response

• One paragraph summarizing the paper and
• Make two or more key points that reveal the relevancy of the paper to you or doing research. Devote at least one short paragraph to each point.

If you are writing a response to a lecture for which you did not attend. The two short paragraphs must be bulked out into two good length paragraphs (~200 words in total).

Final Assignment for Part I of DA2205

To pass the course you must complete one of the following assignments. For the essay submission (~2300 words) remember you will have to support your claims with relevant references etc. Also these essays will be made available to other members of the course. Remember the intended audience for your reports is the other master students in the class.

1. The future of science and computing

   Read the document Towards Science 2020 and write and summarize the findings and conclusions in relation to one of the fields they have focused on. Do you agree with their conclusions? Are you excited by them? ....

2. Scientific discovery

   Read one of the books in the reading list describing the journey to a scientific/mathematical discovery. You may also suggest another book. But please okay this with me beforehand. Write an essay which addresses and/or summarizes one or more of the following:
   • was the discovery inevitable,
   • what were in your opinion the most pivotal moments in the scientific journey,
   • would the discovery have been made more quickly or more slowly given today's funding models and/or publishing practices,
   • what aspects of the progress of science has the book revealed,
   • potential parallels between the scientific ideas which are being explored today,
   • something that struck as particularly important.

3. Elective

   If you would like to define your own assignment, let me know before you start and I'm sure we can work something out.

Due Date: 7 Dec 2012