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The Craft of Scientific Research ( PhD course)
Title: The Craft of Scientific Research
Type: Hybrid course of 6 credits
Methods of coverage: 10 classroom lectures + two online tutorials
Credits 6 (up to 7.2 depending on the rule of each doctoral school)
Teaching hours 150, of which 36 (frontal) + 114 self-studying on two projects
Assessment methods Pass after the approval of the two tutorial reports
Teaching period from 7-01-2026 to 25-02-2026
Recommended for 1st year of the PhD program
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.
Abstract
The craft of Scientific Research focuses on a set of transferable skills that are deemed essential for the practice of scientific research. The first part of three lectures focuses on the fundamental concept of scientific truth and how humanity pursues it: Why do we need to know? What is a model? How do we know? Then we deliver a long list of “how to” lectures: How to choose a research topic, How to write and publish a scientific paper, How to review a paper or a grant, How to give a scientific presentation, How to do research, 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 will be required to pass the exam. The delivery is hybrid: all frontal teaching will be delivered in a classroom, while the restitution of the two projects will be done online.
