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Lecturer(s)
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Slavík Martin, Mgr. Ph.D.
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Havelka Ondřej, Ing. Ph.D.
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Course content
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1) Introduction to Scientific Research - contemporary research practice, research problems, research questions, hypotheses, and relationships between experiments, data and scientific claims. 2) Science and Scientific Publishing - scientific literature, journals, structure of scientific papers, publication process, peer review, authorship and research assessment. 3) Preparing a Bachelor's or Master's Thesis - topic selection, formulation of objectives, thesis structure, content of individual sections, scientific literature and collaboration with a supervisor. 4) Good Practice in Thesis Preparation - examples of high-quality work, common conceptual, methodological and formal shortcomings, and effective presentation of results, discussion and conclusions. 5) Software, Data and Artificial Intelligence in Research - tools for literature management, data and image analysis, statistics, programming, visualisation, automation and reproducible workflows; capabilities and limitations of AI in scientific research. 6) Presentation of Scientific Results - scientific presentations and posters, data visualisation, scientific figures, communication structure, argumentation and scientific discussion. 7) Research Grants and Funding - research-project structure, objectives, methodology, timelines, risks, outputs, budgets and principles of grant evaluation. 8) Social Media and Science Communication - communication with specialist and general audiences, science popularisation, digital communication, professional presentation and researcher visibility. 9) Critical Thinking in Science - assessment of scientific claims, evidence and data, correlation and causation, uncertainty, misleading interpretations, misinformation and scientific hype. 10) Doctoral Studies - roles of doctoral researchers and supervisors, independent research, publishing, projects, conferences, international mobility and professional development. 11) Self-Development, Research Careers and Professional Profiles - professional competencies, academic and non-academic careers, scientific CVs, professional profiles, networking and long-term career development. 12) Academic Leadership and Team Science - research teams, roles and responsibilities, collaboration, mentoring, feedback, negotiation, conflict resolution and leadership in research environments. The course is designed as a continuously evolving educational programme. Its delivery is evaluated annually by the course coordinator on the basis of student feedback, student outcomes, and other relevant evidence. The course coordinator subsequently prepares an annual report on the delivery and development of the course, which is submitted to an Academic Advisory Board appointed by the course coordinator for external academic and pedagogical review. The recommendations of the Academic Advisory Board, together with the evaluation findings, are used to inform updates to the course content, teaching methods, and delivery for the following academic year.
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Monological explanation (lecture, presentation,briefing), Self-study (text study, reading, problematic tasks, practical tasks, experiments, research, written assignments), Written assignment presentation and defence, Group consultation
- Class attendance
- 21 hours per semester
- Individual project
- 34 hours per semester
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Learning outcomes
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Methods of scientific research introduces fundamentals of literature search, electronic databases, scientific journals, citation databases, bibliometrics. Methods of research, aims of research, hypotheses, validation of hypothesis, critical review of results. Presentation of work, how to write diploma thesis, how to present work via posters and oral presentation.
Upon successful completion of the course, the student: 1) Understands the main stages of the scientific process, from formulation of a problem and hypothesis to experimental testing and interpretation of results. 2) Is familiar with the principles of searching for and evaluating scientific literature and research information sources. 3) Gains basic experience in processing, analysing, visualizing, and interpreting experimental data. 4) Recognizes fundamental methodological limitations of research and evaluates the relationship between methods, obtained data, and scientific conclusions. 5) Is familiar with the structure of basic scientific outputs, particularly scientific texts, research proposals, and scientific presentations. 6) Understands the principles of reproducibility, research data management, research integrity, and responsible use of digital tools and AI.
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Prerequisites
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The course builds on fundamental knowledge and skills acquired during previous study, particularly the ability to work with academic texts, use basic digital tools, and understand the fundamental concepts of the student's field of study. A working knowledge of English sufficient for reading scientific literature is expected. Students should be able to complete assigned tasks independently, collaborate in teams, and actively participate in discussions of scientific and professional problems.
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Student's performance analysis, Presentation of artistic and creative activities, Systematické pozorování studenta
Successful completion of the course requires active participation in classes and completion of the assigned mandatory tasks during the semester. Students must demonstrate a basic understanding of the key skills required for scientific work. Assessment may include both individual and team assignments.
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Recommended literature
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CRAMERI, F.; SHEPHARD, G. E.; HERON, P. J. The misuse of colour in science communication. 2020.
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KRZYWINSKI, M.; ALTMAN, N. Designing comparative experiments. 2014.
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MESSERI, L.; CROCKETT, M. J. Artificial intelligence and illusions of understanding in scientific research. 2024.
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PLÍVA, Zdeněk, Jindra DRÁBKOVÁ, Jan KOPRNICKÝ a Leoš PETRŽÍLKA. Metodika zpracování bakalářských a diplomových prací. Liberec. 2023.
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