Universität Wien
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450008 SE Explorative Research? Challenges in interdisciplinary settings (2020S)

3.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 45 - Doktoratsstudium Geowissenschaften, Geographie und Astronomie
Continuous assessment of course work

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 20 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Monday 16.03. 09:00 - 12:00 Seminarraum 2A310 3.OG UZA II
  • Monday 30.03. 09:00 - 12:00 Seminarraum 2A310 3.OG UZA II
  • Monday 20.04. 09:00 - 12:00 Seminarraum 2A310 3.OG UZA II
  • Monday 04.05. 09:00 - 12:00 Seminarraum 2A310 3.OG UZA II
  • Monday 11.05. 09:00 - 12:00 Seminarraum 2A310 3.OG UZA II
  • Monday 25.05. 09:00 - 12:00 Seminarraum 2A310 3.OG UZA II
  • Monday 22.06. 09:00 - 12:00 Seminarraum 2A310 3.OG UZA II
  • Monday 29.06. 09:00 - 12:00 Seminarraum 2A310 3.OG UZA II

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

During their studies, students usually get a profound training in disciplinary research. As PhDs they are (mostly) well prepared to present and discuss their work within their own scientific community. In an interdisciplinary environment, however, the challenges for explaining your research are completely different. In this course, we will discuss theoretical and conceptual questions of science based on the dissertations of the participants, but in a setting of an interdisciplinary seminar.

There is always a theory in the background of research - be it consciously or unconsciously, explicit or implicit. Basic questions are: What has the context of a specific theory to do with my research? What are the fundamental assumptions of - and thus: which world view comes with - a specific theory? How are the theories of my specific field are seen in an interdisciplinary context? Do other sciences share the set of theories? If not, how can we make our disciplinary view understandable in an interdisciplinary environment? What implications and consequence has the choice of a theory/a research perspective for the methodological realization in the research process? What is in the center of focus and where are the blind spots? Which implications has all this for the everyday work of researchers?

The course is addressed at PhD-students of Geography, Human Geography, Physical Geography, Cartography, Geoinformatics and Earth System Sciences.

Aim
The aim of this course is to take you out of the comfort zone of your individual scientific field and ask you to discuss your research in an interdisciplinary setting.
We will try to make the implicit of the dissertation project explicit (addressing disciplinary specifics) and discuss the questions coming with this.

Inhalt (suggested content; can be varied depending on the interests of the participants)
- What is science?
- How does scientific knowledge differ from other forms of knowledge?
- Models, hypotheses, theories - their differences, similarities, objectives, application
- Differences of correlations and causation
- Basic epistemological positions (and their connection with theories)
- Who does science serve? - Relationship between science, economy, politics

Methods
- siscussion
- presentation
- reflections in the form of essays

Assessment and permitted materials

- Two essay (reflection in written form)
- Presenting the dissertation project in an interdisciplinary setting
- Active participation (constructive, technically meaningful contributions and involvement in the discussions)

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Mindestanforderungen
- Attendance at the first meeting is mandatory, as this is where we jointly (!) determine our working methods and the standard of assessment.
- Attendance is compulsory, students may miss the equivalent of 2 x 2 h without excuse.
- Active participation in the course through constructive contributions to the discussion

Beurteilungsmaßstab:
There are 100 points to be awarded. The distribution of the points to the individual partial performances in the seminar will be bindingly determined together (!) in the first session.

For a positive evaluation of the course 60 points are required.
1 (very good) 100-90 points
2 (good) 89-81 points
3 (satisfactory) 80-71 points
4 (sufficient) 70-60 points
5 (not sufficient) 59-0 points

Examination topics

All contents covered in the course. Supporting material will be available on Moodle.

Reading list

Will be discussed in the seminar

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Sa 02.04.2022 00:29