Wilcox, Andrew C.

English

University of Montana

University of MontanaScholarWorks at University of MontanaSyllabi Course Syllabi9-2014GEO 508.01: Fundamentals of Academic ResearchAndrew C. WilcoxUniversity of Montana - Missoula, andrew.wilcox@umontana.eduLet us know how access to this document benefits you.Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabiThis Syllabus is brought to you for free and open access by the Course Syllabi at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted forinclusion in Syllabi by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contactscholarworks@mso.umt.edu.Recommended CitationWilcox, Andrew C., "GEO 508.01: Fundamentals of Academic Research" (2014). Syllabi. 1432.https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi/1432Geosciences 508: Fundamentals o f  Academic Research Fall 2014Course In fo rm ation•  Instructor Name: Andrew Wilcox•  Office: CHCB357•  Email: andrew.wilcox@umontana.edu•  Class meetings: Friday 10:10-12, CHCB 304•  Office Hours: M 3:10-4pm, or by appointment•  Website: Moodle umonline.umt.eduOverviewFundamentals of Academic Research will provide an introduction to academic research methods, including formulation of research questions and hypotheses, design of research approach, literature search, other research tools, written presentation of research plans, oral presentation skills, and research ethics. Students will prepare and present their proposed research in multiple formats.The course emphasizes active learning (discussions, working with peers, writing, other forms of student participation in and out of class) rather than lectures. Students will develop a research plan and develop several modes of presenting that research plan to others, including grant proposals and talks. The course is directed toward those in the beginning or early stages of their graduate research and will be designed to benefit those with previous research experience.Course Outcomes Knowledge and Comprehension• Know how to develop and formulate research questions, objectives, and hypotheses• Know how to find literature relevant to a problem• Know how to read a research paper and retain its content for future use.•  Know simple approaches to good writing for research proposals, papers, and theses.•  Know how to communicate your research plans to peers and others, including presentation of research talks and posters• Know a range of tools and tricks of the research trade, including finding funding, publishing, peer review, and computer-based tools•  Be aware of common ethical issues in researchSynthesis and Evaluation•  Write several versions of a research proposal, including identifying your questions, objectives, and/or hypotheses, framing your proposed research in the context of the knowledge base you are building on, and identifying your methods• Prepare and present a research poster•  Prepare and present a research talk• Participate in peer review of the above productsW orkloadProposals: A substantial portion of the work in the class will be oriented around grant proposal writing.Students will write proposals directed toward two funding tart ets: the National Science________Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP) and the Geological Society of America Graduate Student Research Grants. There will be multiple drafts of proposals submittedfor review by both peers and ACW. These exercises are intended to help you formulate and explain your research plans, potentially obtain funding, and prepare for your full thesis proposal. Individual meetings with ACW to discuss project: week of October 11Presentations: Each student will give a ~10-minute presentation on their proposed research to the full Geosciences Department at the end of the semester. These will be preceded by practice presentations during class. Each student will also present a poster.Paper readings and discussion: We will occasionally read and discuss papers and articles. These readings and discussions will be designed to expose you to additional perspectives and advice on graduate research. Readings will be announced in class and posted on the course website.Other assignments: There will occasionally be other small assignments such as precis of research papers.Assessment40% Research proposals10% Research talk10% Research poster20% Other assignments (reviews, website, other small assignments)20% Class participation: active participation in discussions, including of journal papers; questions andother participation during class activities Proposals will be assessed using NSF criteria, where the proposal is judged according to the intellectual merit and the broader impacts of the proposed research and is assigned two sets of qualitative ratings:1) poor, fair, good, very good, excellent, and 2) do not fund, fund if possible, definitely fund.Course In fo rm ation, Guidelines and Policies ReadingsRequired text: Turabian, K.L. 2007. A Manual fo r Writers o f Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. University of Chicago Press. 7th ed.Other readings will be posted on Moodle and assigned as the semester progressesAttendanceMuch of the content of this course is focused on in-class activities and discussions, which is reflected in the weight assigned to class participation. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed, which should involve consulting the course website and your peers.Course websitePlease check the course website (Moodle) regularly, especially before class, for announcements, notes, readings, assignments, and schedule updates. Feel free to communicate with me by email, and note that: 1) I'm likely to read your email fairly soon after I receive it but I may not respond immediately; 2) if you have questions that others are also likely to have, please save them for class; 3) if you need to miss class for any reason, please let me know in advance by email; 4) assignments submitted electronically must be well organized, consolidated into one file, and contain your last name in the file name.EmailFeel free to communicate with me by email, and note that: 1) I'm likely to read your email fairly soon after I receive it but I may not respond immediately; 2) if you have questions that others are also likely to have, please save them for class; 3) if you need to miss class for any reason, please let me know inadvance by email; 4) assignments submitted electronically must be well organized, consolidated into one file, and contain your last name in the file name.Late PolicyNo credit allowed for assignments handed in > 1 week after due date or after answer key /  grading rubric posted, whichever comes first.Student Conduct CodeThe Student Conduct Code at the University of Montana embodies and promotes honesty, integrity, accountability, rights, and responsibilities associated with constructive citizenship in our academic community. This Code describes expected standards of behavior for all students, including academic conduct and general conduct, and it outlines students' rights, responsibilities, and the campus processes for adjudicating alleged violations. Full student conduct code. http://www.umt.edu/vpsa/Dolicies/student conduct.ohpCourse WithdrawalStudents may use Cyberbear to drop courses through the first 15 instructional days of the semester. Beginng the 16th instructional day of the semester through the 45th instructional day, students use paper forms to drop, add and make changes of section, grading option or credit. GEO508 may not be taken as credit/no-credit.Disability ModificationsThe University of Montana assures equal access to instruction through collaboration between students with disabilities, instructors, and Disability Services for Students, https://www.umt.edu/dss/default.php If you think you may have a disability adversely affecting your academic performance, and you have not already registered with Disability Services, please contact Disability Services in Lommasson Center 154 or call 406.243.2243.1 will work with you and Disability Services to provide an appropriate modification.Schedule•  Class meeting topics are subject to change•  Readings will be announced each week and must be completed before the following class.•  Updates to the syllabus will be announced in class and posted on the course websiteWeek 1 (8/29)Introduction: Department & course overview, graduation requirements, paper discussionWeek 2 (9/5): Defining a research projectDue: Statement of previous research experience (<2 pages)Week 3 (9/12): Writing proposals, funding sourcesWeek 4 (9/19): Proposal review. Literature reviewsWeek 5 (9/26): Writing and reviewingWeek 6 (10/3)Research tools-searching, referencing (with Barry Brown, Mansfield Library, meet in Buckhous, ML 284)Due: Proposal #1 Week 7 (10/10): The publication process, Individual meetings Week 8 (10/17): Peer review, Research-related software tools Week 9 (10/24): Oral presentationsWeek 10 (10/31): Multimedia research tools (websites, posters, graphics)Due: Proposal #2Week 11 (11/7): Poster sessionWeek 12 (11/14): Research ethicsWeek 13 (11/21): Practice talksWeek 14 (11/28): No class, ThanksgivingWeek 15Monday, 12/1, 4-5:30 pm: Oral presentations to department (Geosciences colloquium)12/5: Course wrap-up Due: websiteWeek 16: Exam week, no classDue: Proposal #3

GEO 508.01: Fundamentals of Academic Research

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GEO 508.01: Fundamentals of Academic Research

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