Start semester
PHD-APPARAT PhD Apparatus Course
Admitted to a PhD programme in a Norwegian or international institution
During the first and second semester of the PhD school we look at the apparatus that surrounds formalized research in terms of validating research as research (systems of authority including referencing and peer review); structuring research (in terms of research questions, activities and what is produced), mediating research (in terms of activities, what is produced and telling people about this) and research design (all the above working together to project aims and effects in the future). We do this through a series of workshop/seminars. Together these activities constitute the Apparatus course (7.5 + 7.5 ects). The course is assessed through development and submission of an annotated bibliography and through the definition of a literature review in semester 1, and though the development of the research design proposal in semester 2.
Course unit description
Apparatus consists of acknowledging, understanding and demonstrating an ability to deal with the formalized apparatus that surrounds higher research and defines project based activities as research within an academic context. This includes the creation of literature/source lists defining scope (bibliography), systems that build authority in academic texts (referencing and peer review), systems that ensure ethical integrity (ethical standards, guidance on plagiarism), the construction of formal research proposals (aims, method, literature review, design, dissemination, budget), negotiating publishing and research presentation
At the end of the course the student should be able to:
- Define a research question
- Write an integrative literature review
- Formulate a research proposal in terms of research design, overall aims, research context/network/literature and production in the field, research activities, ethical responsibility, proposed research production and timetable.
Teaching occurs in six two-day workshops during the year, each with a specific theme.
Deliverables
Each of the workshops will has a deliverable that helps you construct your research proposal and presentation due at the end of the year, to include the following:
- reading list (workshop 1)
- annotated bibliography (workshop 2)
- literature review (workshop 3)
- research design – proposal draft (workshop 4)
- research proposal (workshop 5)
| Mandatory coursework | Courseworks required | Presence required | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Not required | Submission of all interim deliverables before handing in and presenting final research proposal. |
| Form of assessment | Grouping | Grading scale | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project assignment | Individual | Pass / fail | Submission and pass level assessment of final research proposal and attendance of research proposal presentation seminar. The assessment of the final research proposal is made through a final seminar consisting of a public presentation of the research project and a detailed oral review of the proposal with an external reader. The course is examined by the professor responsible for teaching on the basis of the oral presentation of the research proposal, and on written comments from the external reader. |