180036 SE Interdisciplinary Research in Practice (2023S)

The seminar is assessed through weekly research assignments, a project presentation, and a final written assignment.

1) *Weekly research tasks* which contribute to collaboratively exploring a new research topic and developing research plans. These are marked for completeness, not for "correctness": what matters here is that you have seriously attempted the tasks and prepared for the seminar, and that you are able to speak in class about your preparation. *Deadline:* 12 noon on the day before the respective seminar session. This allows everyone to read others' assignments in preparation of the seminar. Tasks that are late without authorisation can at most score a grade of 4 (mere pass). If upload is delayed for reasons outside of your control, e.g. illness, and lecturers have been informed, then this penalty does not apply. *Weight of all tasks combined: 30%*.

2) An in-class presentation of a suggested research topic, of 5-7 minutes duration, in which you present a research project idea, including literature background, research question, resarch approach and hypotheses, and research outline.

You may choose to work in a team to develop this project (up to three participants). In this case, the time limit increases by 50% of the above value for each additional presenter (7-10 minutes for a group of two, 10-14 minutes for a group of three). Co-presented presentations are given a single mark that applies equally to all presenters, who should share presentation time roughly equally.

*Weight: 20%.* If you miss the presentation sessions due to circumstances outside of your control, such as illness, then you can submit a recorded video presentation instead.

3) A final written assignment, of 2500-2700 words. *Deadline:* September 15, 23:59. *Weight: 50%*. You have a choice of three assignment formats:
a) An interdisciplinary academic essay/paper, which argues for a particular claim or answer to a question pertaining to the focus topic of the seminar, and which uses ideas from both disciplines to make its point.
b) A research proposal, suitable either as an extended master thesis proposal or for a PhD application. It explains a problem or question pertaining to the seminar focus topic, the state of the art of the relevant literature in philosophy and economics on that theme, and outlines a thesis and research programme.
c) One or two long read journalistic-style articles (as may be found in a longform sections of newspapers, magazines, blogs, or on a think tank’ communication webpage) on a problem or question pertaining to one of the seminar themes, which uses ideas from both disciplines. The intended target is an interested general audience. The piece must be explicitely based on existing academic debates.

All assigments in line with either of the first or the second format must be submitted in English. If you choose the journalistic long-read article format, then you may submit in English or in German (e.g. if you intend to work towards publishing your piece in a German-language publication venue).
You may choose to work in a team on the final assignment (up to three participants). In this case, the required number of words increases by 50% of the single-authored word count for each additional author (3750-4050 words for a group of two, 5000-5400 words for a group of three). Co-authored assignments are given a single mark that applies equally to all authors.

The paper outline and paper are to be submitted on Moodle, as pdf file, with all identifying information (name, student ID) in the text, file name, and file metadata removed to facilitate anonymous marking. Delayed submissions get a marking penalty of +0.2 for each day (24h) of lateness, although this penalty does not lead to a failing grade. If your submission is delayed for reasons outside of your control, please contact the lecturers via email as soon as possible.

Use of generative artificial intelligence to produce text is not permitted for asses

The seminar is assessed through weekly assignments, a video presentation, and a final written assignment.
1) *Weekly research tasks* which contribute to collaboratively exploring a new research topic and developing research plans. These are marked for completeness, not for "correctness": what matters here is that you have seriously attempted the tasks and prepared for the seminar. *Deadline:* Each teaching week at 11:59am on Monday, so that students can read each other's contributions in preparation for the seminar. Tasks that are late without authorization can at most score a grade of 4 (mere pass). If the upload is delayed for reasons outside of your control, e.g. illness, and lecturers have been informed, then this penalty does not apply. *Weight of all tasks combined: 30%*.
2) One presentation in which you explain a paper in economics or philosophy that is of key importance to the seminar themes. There will be a sign-up roster for selecting a seminar week to contribute your video presentation: For each of the seminar themes, there will be one-week discussing philosophy, and one-week economics ideas relevant to the theme. Your presentation will present one key paper of your own choosing, the paper selection must be agreed upon with the lecturers, and lecturers can offer guidance for selecting a paper. *Weight: 20%.* Since the success of the seminar depends on everyone watching the presentations before the seminar sessions, delayed uploads can at most score a grade of 4 (mere pass). If the upload is delayed for reasons outside of your control, e.g. illness, and lecturers have been informed, then this penalty does not apply.
3) A final written assignment, of 2500-2700 words. *Deadline:* September 15, 2024, 23:59. *Weight: 50%*. You have a choice of three assignment formats:
- An interdisciplinary academic essay/paper, which argues for a particular claim or answer to a question pertaining to one of the seminar themes, and which uses ideas from both disciplines to make its point.
- A research proposal, suitable either as an extended master thesis proposal or for a PhD application. It explains a problem or question pertaining to the seminar themes, the state of the art of the relevant literature in philosophy and economics on that theme, and outlines a thesis and research programme.
- One or two long read journalistic-style articles (as may be found in a longform sections of newspapers, magazines, blogs, or on a think tank’ communication webpage) on a problem or question pertaining to one of the seminar themes, which uses ideas from both disciplines. The intended target is an interested general audience. The piece must be explicitely based on existing academic debates.
All assigments in line with either of the first or the second format must be submitted in English. If you choose the journalistic long-read article format, then you may submit in English or in German (e.g. if you intend to work towards publishing your piece in a German-language publication venue). You may choose to work in a team on the final assignment (up to three participants). In this case, the required number of words changes proportionally (5000-5400 for a group of two, 7500-8100 for a group of three). Co-authored assignments are given a single mark that applies equally to all authors.
The paper outline and paper are to be submitted on Moodle, as pdf file, with all identifying information (name, student ID) in the text, file name, and file metadata removed to facilitate anonymous marking. Delayed submissions get a marking penalty of +0.2 for each day (24h) of lateness, although this penalty does not lead to a failing grade. If your submission is delayed for reasons outside of your control, please contact the lecturers via email as soon as possible.