Incorporating the Process of Science into an Introductory Course for Graduate Students

Group: Anthony Carpi, Nancy Ruggeri, Karen Viskupic

Draft Document (Microsoft Word 30kB Jul16 09)


Reasons for teaching POS to new grad students:

  • Understand the difference between the process of science as we do it and the process as it is reported by scientific papers
  • Help them better understand unexpected outcomes in their research
  • Data analysis/interpretation—understanding that this is part of science. Not here's my data and I'm done. I've put in my time now I'm done. Need to interpret.
  • Appreciation for the different ways of doing science. Aware of the tools
  • Communication issue—students have little to no idea how important publication is no sense of the impact of communication
  • How to cite literature—community, positioning your arguments in broader context how science builds upon itself. Understanding your method and approach—how it fits into the broader body of knowledge
  • Give them a context in which to think about your own study. Metacognition. Reflection about your own progress and research
  • Understand the peer review process


Objectives: What is it important for grad student to know about POS

  • To do research and what it means. Think about what it means to do research
  • Understand the research process beyond their own specific project. Understanding how their research fits into the broader field within which they work. Findings are important—make a contribution
  • Get rid of the notion of the linear scientific method
  • Get rid of "research is experiments" Understand the different ways of knowing—experimentation, observation, theory. Know what tools are available to them.
  • Understand the difference between observation and interpretation. Analysis and interpretation are not the same.
  • Responsibility of being a scientist. Ethics comes into practice—form of conduct. Morals are right or wrong—good or bad—value judgement. Scientific integrity. Code of conduct. Seven core princip: honesty in reporting data, careful transcription, independent analysis and interpretation of data, open communication—sharing methods, validation through replication, crediting of sources, moral obligations (do we do research on stem cells, societal decisions on proper practice) understanding what errors you could make and how not to make them.
  • Communication issue—communicate well
  • Understand the peer review process



What's our approach? What are the steps we should take to teach grad students about POS?

  • Talk to students about why they should learn about POS. The potential outcomes for them are....(take from objectives above)
  • Start with reflective writing on views of NOS. Directed questions. What's their understanding of how science is done?
  • Readings about the philosophy of science
  • Readings—different examples of how people went about collecting data. Example of observation, experimentation. Historical—Darwin;
  • During the course of the semester, students in the class can talk about their own methods
  • Reflective writing on what do you expect from a mentor. What are the characteristics of a good mentor.
  • Incorporate reflective writing/discussion throughout the semester about how students' research/thinking is progressing
  • Instruction and involvement in the peer review process. Have students write a research proposal that will be peer reviewed by the class.

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