The Craft of Scientific Research ( PhD course)
Presentation of the doctoral module “The Craft of Scientific Research”
Course Description
Title: The Craft of Scientific Research
Type: Hybrid course
Methods of coverage: 10 classroom lectures + two online tutorials + 8 labs (optional)
Physical Classroom: Aula 2.5 - Faculty of Engineering, Viale del Risorgimento, 2, Bologna
Virtual classroom: Link to access the Virtual Classroom. Only for labs and tutorials, or for PhD students doing their period abroad (send your request to Prof. Viceconti)
Teaching hours 36 hours of frontal teaching; optional 24 hours of in-depth study of the exercises
Credits up to 12, depending on the rules of each doctoral school
Assessment methods: Pass, with approval of the two tutorial reports and attendance requirements
Teaching period from 7-01-2026 to 25-02-2026
Teaching language English
Course year 1st year
Learning outcomes The module formalises a large body of transferable skills related to scientific research that can be used throughout the research career in Italy and abroad.
To register: UNIBO PhD students can register on Virtuale [https://virtuale.unibo.it/course/view.php?id=69825].
Abstract
The course entitled “The Craft of Scientific Research” focuses on a set of transferable skills deemed essential for the practice of scientific research. The first part focuses on the fundamental concept of scientific truth and how humanity pursues it: Why do we need to know? How do we know? How to do research? What is a model? Then we deliver a list of “how to” lectures: How to choose a research topic, How to produce reliable information, How to write and publish a scientific paper, How to review a paper or a grant, How to give a scientific presentation, How to build and run a research group, and How to write a grant application. Grant writing and peer reviewing will also be the subject of two tutorials and two individual projects; their completion is required to pass the exam. The delivery is hybrid: all frontal teaching will be delivered in a classroom, while the two projects will be restructured online.
Tentative calendar
Lect1 Intro + why do we need to know Aula 2.5 09:00 - 12:00 07/01/2026
Lect2 How do we know? The foundation of decision-making Aula 2.5 09:00 - 12:00 09/01/2026
Lect3 How to do research + What is a model? Aula 2.5 09:00 - 12:00 14/01/2026
Lect4 How to produce reliable scientific information Aula 2.5 09:00 - 12:00 16/01/2026
Lect5 How to write and publish a scientific paper Aula 2.5 09:00 - 12:00 21/01/2026
Lect6 How to give a scientific presentation Aula 2.5 09:00 - 12:00 23/01/2026
Lect7 How to review a paper or a grant Aula 2.5 09:00 - 12:00 28/01/2026
Lect8 How to choose a research topic Aula 2.5 09:00 - 12:00 02/02/2026
Lect9 How to build and run a research group Aula 2.5 09:00 - 12:00 04/02/2026
Tutorial1 Tutorial on peer reviewing online 13:00 - 16:00 04/02/2026
Lect10 How to write a grant application Aula 2.5 09:00 - 12:00 11/02/2026
Tutorial2 Tutorial on grant writing online 13:00 - 16:00 25/02/2026
Lab1 Presentation tutorial 1 online 14:00-17:00 09/01/2026
all labs are optional, they are not required for the attendance.
Lab2 lab peer revieweing online 14:00-17:00 14/01/2026
Lab3 lab peer revieweing online 14:00-17:00 16/01/2026
Lab4 lab peer revieweing online 14:00-17:00 21/01/2026
Lab5 Presentation tutorial 2 online 14:00-17:00 23/01/2026
Lab6 lab grant writing online 14:00-17:00 28/01/2026
Lab7 lab grant writing online 14:00-17:00 02/02/2026
Lab8 lab grant writing online 14:00-17:00 04/02/2026
Detailed teaching program
Lecture 1: Intro + Why do we need to know (07/01/2026)
We discuss the need for humans to know. After briefly mentioning some philosophical and psychological perspectives, we discuss such needs from an evolutionary point of view. We then reflect on the many ways humans use to know, among them the logico-deductive approach at the foundation of scientific knowledge. Last, we discuss the motivations of a PhD student toward knowledge as their career develops, using my own winding career as a narrative example.
Lecture 2: How do we know? The foundation of decision-making (09/01/2026)
This lecture explores how humans make decisions, particularly when deciding whether a statement is true. After a general philosophical framing, we will focus on the scientific method and show how the two statistical inference theories (frequentist and Bayesian) are the root of profound epistemological differences between social and physical sciences. We translate this reflection on the foundational process of assessing the credibility of predictive models in science from the perspective of the physical and medical sciences.
Lecture 3: How to do research + What is a model? An evolutionary perspective (14/01/2026)
This two-part lecture addresses the fundamental question: what is scientific research? We use the Pyramid of Knowledge to represent transforming signals observed from a system of interest into undefeated, justified true beliefs, which we call scientific knowledge. We elaborate on the differences between fundamental and applied research, and stress the need to idealise in the entire process.
The second part, “What is a model? An evolutionary perspective”, is a lecture I have been offering as a seminar for PhD students and postdocs for several years. Starting from the human need to know, we try to answer an apparently simple question: “What is a scientific model?”. Though a journey that again touches philosophy, neuroscience, and evolution theories, we arrive at an operational definition. Then, we tackle the issue of the credibility of models, both in fundamental and applied research. We conclude with some storytelling about modelling in science.
Lecture 4: How to produce reliable scientific information (16/01/2026)
The entire scientific research process revolves around producing reliable information on the system of interest. We propose a general perspective on delivering information, whether obtained through experimental observations, statistical inference or prediction. And we also propose a new credibility assessment framework, which offers the benefit of being independent from the specific method used to produce the information.
Lecture 5: How to write and publish a scientific paper (21/01/2026)
This is another lecture I have offered for many years as a seminar. After a historical excursus on why scientific papers eventually adopted the IMRAD structure that is now in use, I offer practical, operational advice on how to write a research paper section by section. I then briefly reflect on the crisis of scientific publishing, predatory and quasi-predatory journals, green open access, and the growing importance of open access for data.
Lecture 6: How to give a scientific presentation (23/01/2026)
This is another lecture that I have been offering to doctoral students as a seminar for years. We review the art of public speaking with specific reference to the presentation to peers, as it occurs in scientific conferences. We cover the story framing, the delivery planning, the stage presence, the multimedia aspects, and some practical aspects of presenting at large conferences.
Lecture 7: How to review a paper or a grant (28/01/2026)
A central tenet of scientific research is peer review. Every publication and every grant application you submit must be reviewed by other researchers who are experts in the specific field (peers). We discuss seven general and ten operational golden rules for the paper review. Concerning grant reviewing, we discuss quality, integrity and merit, conflicts of interest, review models, and the eight central steps of this kind of review.
Lecture 8: How to choose a research topic (02/02/2026)
After a general reflection on the two purposes of scientific research (to increase humanity's knowledge and solve humanity’s problems), we review some current opinions on choosing falsifiable research questions. Then, I took my own research trajectory, during which I authored or co-authored over 400 papers and reflected on why I decided on that research topic over others. I identify 13 distinct motivations, which I critically discuss using my career as an example.
Lecture 9: How to build and run a research group (04/02/2026)
The most challenging aspect of our profession is the human factor, the complex process through which individuals become an operationally effective group. We will discuss leadership styles, vision and strategy, planning and funding, recruitment and team building, communication, etc.
Lecture 10: How to write a grant application (11/02/2026)
The purpose of this lecture, and of the tutorial associated with it, is to challenge you with the problem of describing a research project you have not conducted yet, but that a third party needs to evaluate. The most obvious reason for this could be fundraising, but there are other situations. For example, in your career, you may be asked to describe in detail your future research activity for a promotion or for a new job.
Tutorials
The module includes two tutorials. At the outset, the class will be divided into groups based on their backgrounds. Each group will propose a paper for review. To avoid copyright issues, we will re-review papers already published in open-access journals with modest impact factors (to hopefully find papers with still some problems to review). Each group will have its paper assigned by January 21st, 2026. Each group member must submit a full review of that paper no later than January 28th, 2026 (peer review assignment). The tutors will evaluate the reviews and give a pass/no pass evaluation. On April 2nd, 2026, the class will meet online with the tutors, who will provide non-individual feedback and discuss with each group.
For the second tutorial, we will ask the class to self-organise into groups of 5-10 students who share a common research interest; tutors will be assigned to each group. Each group must submit a short pre-proposal describing the research project they would like to be funded by an imaginary funder by February 18th, 2026. The tutors will evaluate the proposals and give a pass/no pass evaluation. Then, on 25 February 2026, the class will meet online with the tutors, who will provide feedback and discuss with each group.
Labs
Starting from the second lecture, on 09/01/2025, Giorgio Davico will hold an optional online lab in the afternoon, from 14:00 to 17:00. On January 9th and January 23rd, we will present the two tutorial assignments, and then for three consecutive weeks will be available online in the afternoon to support with the preparation of the tutorial essays.
Credits
Each doctoral school has its own rules to define credits; thus, if you pass, we will provide you with a certificate that documents the number of hours of frontal teaching and labs you attended. There is no exam; however, to pass the module and receive the credits, each student must attend at least 8 of the 10 frontal lectures and the two tutorials, and produce the two reports required for these tutorials, which must be accepted by the tutors. Classroom attendance will be monitored through signatures, and online tutorial attendance will be tracked using Teams’ attendance monitoring feature. Special authorisations will be provided, upon request, to attend the frontal lectures online to students whose primary workplace is a campus other than Bologna, students on their period abroad, or with clinical duties on the day of the lecture. The request will have to be supported by an email or letter from the PhD school coordinator or their supervisor declaring that they indeed have such special needs.
Virtuale
The course is available on Virtuale, the University of Bologna's online learning platform, and can be accessed via the link below. You will find a copy of all slides used during the course, as well as any other teaching materials that will be used. Please register to receive communications about the course and any variations to the calendar: https://virtuale.unibo.it/course/view.php?id=69825 .
