- Docente: Francesca Scandellari
- Crediti formativi: 3
- SSD: AGR/03
- Lingua di insegnamento: Inglese
- Modalità didattica: Convenzionale - Lezioni in presenza
- Campus: Bologna
- Corso: Laurea Magistrale in International horticultural science / ortofrutticoltura internazionale (cod. 8883)
Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire
This course is designed to provide the students with the pivotal information required by the modern society to successfully develop and apply the products of horticultural research. The scientific method is a collection of procedures followed by the scientists all over the world to obtain objective, logic and reliable knowledge about the world. Currently it is the only method to do science that is accepted by the scientific community. Nowadays it is therefore mandatory to master it, to understand its underlying philosophy, its strengths and also its flaws. And this is true not only for scientists, but also for the end users of scientific research such as agricultural counsellors, technicians, and farmers just to mention a few in the field of agriculture. By the end of the course, the students will be able to: 1) understand the nature of science and the values involved in the practice of science; 2) plan and perform scientific research, with special emphasis on environmental and horticultural research; 3) communicate and publish the results of their own scientific work; 4) use the web-based tools available for scientific research; 5) critically read scientific publications.
Contenuti
The course is structured in 18 hours of frontal lectures and 12 hours of exercises. This part of the course is preparatory for the following module "Research methods for horticultural business" (Prof. Canavari).
The frontal lectures will cover the following topics (hours allocated to each topic are indicative and may undergo to some changes):
- What is the scientific method and how it is related to horticultural science (2 hours)
- Relevant definitions and concepts (2 hours)
- Planning and performing the scientific research. General introduction and applications to horticultural research (6 hours)
- Case studies (3 hours)
- Critically reading of technical and scientific results (2 hours)
- Scientific theories: definition, use, how to reject (1 hour)
- Ethics and misconduct in the scientific society (1 hour)
- Science and society (1 hour)
The exercises will accompany the topics covered during frontal lectures:
- Planning a horticultural research (4 hours)
- Performing a peer review (4 hours)
- Bibliographic tools (4 hours)
Testi/Bibliografia
Research Methods for Business: A Skill-Building Approach, 6th Edition - Uma Sekaran, Roger Bougie - ISBN: 978-1-119-94225-2
Doing Science: Design, Analysis, and Communication of Scientific Research 2nd Edition by Ivan Valiela - ISBN-13: 978-0195385731
Planning agricultural research: a sourcebook (eds
Other material provided or suggested during the course
Metodi didattici
The course is based on lectures and practical activities, with topics presented by the instructor and discussed in class. The course will be highly interactive with students being involved in the discussions and experiencing first-hand the concepts covered during classes. Power Point presentations will generally be available to students after class.
Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento
- For students attending more than 75 % of classes the grade will be based on class- and home-work performances
- For students attending between 50 and 75 % of classes the grade will be based on class- and home-work performances plus an integration exam (written or oral at student’s choice)
- For non-attending students or students attending less than 50 % of class there will be an exam with an oral and a written part
The oral exam consists in at least 3 questions covering the whole range of topics covered in class. The oral exam lasts roughly 30 minutes.
The written exam consists in at least 3 questions covering the whole range of topics covered in class. The written exam lasts at most 60 minutes.
The oral and the written exam, if both required, can be taken on the same day, allowing at least 30 minutes between the two for correction.
The exam will be offered concurrently with that of the other modules of the C.I. 79444 - RESEARCH AND EVALUATION METHODS IN THE HORTICULTURAL SYSTEM.Strumenti a supporto della didattica
The teaching material (slides, web links, reading suggestions) will be found at http://campus.unibo.it/
Orario di ricevimento
Consulta il sito web di Francesca Scandellari