Course-PM

PPU215 Research skills for engineering projects lp3 VT23 (7.5 hp)

Course is offered by the department of Industrial and Materials Science

 

Thank you for your participation at the PPU215 Conference: Engineering Solutions for Responsible Production and Consumption

March 8, 2023 | 10:00-17:00 | Chalmers University of Technology, Campus Johanneberg, Göteborg

 

>>> CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS NOW AVAILABLE <<<

 

 

You can find more details about assignments and grading in the Project PM. 

Project PM >

 

Contact details

TEACHING STAFF & TUTORS

Mélanie Despeisse (examiner)	Associate Professor	melanie.despeisse@chalmers.se
Cecilia Berlin	Associate Professor	cecilia.berlin@chalmers.se
Peter Hammersberg	Senior Lecturer	peter.hammersberg@chalmers.se
Clarissa González	Doctoral Student	clarissa.gonzalez@chalmers.se
Arpita Chari	Doctoral Student	arpitac@chalmers.se
Greta Braun	Doctoral Student	greta.braun@chalmers.se
Qi Fang	Doctoral Student	qifa@chalmers.se
Marco Schirone	Librarian and Researcher	marco.schirone@chalmers.se
Tahereh Dehdarirad	Bibliometric Analyst and Researcher	tahereh.dehdarirad@chalmers.se
Becky Bergman	Senior Lecturer	rebecca.bergman@chalmers.se
Lena Bendrioua	Study Administrator	lb@chalmers.se

 

GUEST LECTURERS

Lars-Ola Bligård	Theory of Science	Chalmers, IMS Design & Human Factors
Jon Bokrantz	Qualitative Analysis	Chalmers, IMS Production Systems
Lars Björklund	Ethics and Code of Conduct	Transparency International

 

Course purpose

This course is designed to align with the quality criteria and learning objectives for your Master's thesis work in year 2.

The course aims to develop your professional and scientific skills by working on a research project to answer an open-ended research question. You will start by identifying an engineering problem and defining a research question which will form the basis for your group project. You will work in groups of 4-6 students to practice project planning, time management, teamwork, various forms of communication, and ethical considerations in engineering (professional development). You will answer your research question using a triangulated approach combining literature studies, quantitative and qualitative methods (scientific skills). At the end of the course, all groups will present their research project with a scientific paper and an oral presentation at the PPU215 mini-conference.

 

Schedule

TimeEdit

Study period 3: 16 Jan – 19 Mar; Examination week: 11 – 18 Mar (Chalmers academic year)

Course Week	Date	Time	Room	Activity
1	Mon 16 Jan	08.00–11.45	HA3 *	Course & project introduction * (MD, BB & course team)
	Wed 18 Jan	10.00–11.45 13.15–17.00	HC1 HC1	Literature search (MS, TD) Data collection & Stakeholder analysis (CB)
2	Mon 23 Jan	08.00–09.45 10.00–11.45	HA3 HA3	Theory of science (LOB) Scoping workshop (MD)
	Wed 25 Jan	10.00–11.45 13.15–17.00	HC1 HC1	Project planning (MD) Quantitative methods - Introduction and exercises (PH)
3	Mon 30 Jan	08.00–09.45 10.00–11.45	HA3 HA3 *	Qualitative methods (JB) Effective scoping & EDA * (PH)
	Wed 1 Feb	10.00–11.45 10.00–17.00	HC4 / ⁑ Library / ⁑	Tutoring session (CG, AC, GB, QF) / Project work ⁑ Library session by appointment (MS, TD) / Project work ⁑
4	Mon 6 Feb	08.00–11.45	HA3	Workshop 2: Quantitative methods (PH)
	Schedule adaptations for the CHARM event on Tue 7 Feb & Wed 8 Feb / Project work ⁑
5	Mon 13 Feb	08.00–11.45	Library / ⁑	Group dynamics discussion by appointment (BB) / Project work ⁑
	Wed 15 Feb	10.00–11.45 13.15–17.00	HC1 / ⁑ ML11,13,15 *	Tutoring session (CG, AC, GB, QF) / Project work ⁑ Workshop 3: Design of experiments * (PH)
6	Mon 20 Feb	09.00–11.45	SB-H1	Engineering ethics (CB)
	Wed 22 Feb	10.00–11.45 13.13–17.00	HA1 HC1 / ⁑	Ethics in companies (LB) Research quality (MD) / Project work ⁑
7	Mon 27 Feb	08.00–11.45	HC1 / ⁑	Scientific writing / Conference paper ⁑
	Wed 1 Mar	10.00–11.45 13.15–17.00	HC1 / ⁑ HC1 / ⁑	Tutoring session (CG, AC, GB, QF) / Project work ⁑ Presentation practice ⁑
8	Mon 6 Mar	08.00–11.45	⁑	Paper peer reviews ⁑
	Wed 8 Mar	10.00–17.00	HC2 *	PPU215 Conference *

 

Course literature

Lecture handouts

Additional material (optional)

Course design

This course uses an active learning approach (project-based) and progresses along two tracks: professional development and scientific skills. Both tracks will be explored and practised via a combination of activities centred around your group project. Each activity will equip you with tools and methods to build your ability to plan and execute a research project effectively.

Scientific skills. This track contains lectures and exercises focusing on the necessary theories and methods to conduct rigorous project work according to established quality criteria for generating scientific and engineering knowledge: theory of science, scoping, data collection, literature studies, quantitative methods and qualitative methods.

Professional development. This track is mainly composed of workshops and theme lectures on the following topics: project planning and time management, project meetings and teamwork, giving and receiving feedback, ethics in companies and ethics in engineering.

At the overlap of both tracks. You will also learn about how reflect on the implications of your work and how to communicate your work effectively (oral, written and visual communication). 

 

Learning objectives and syllabus

1. Use a structured project methodology to apply knowledge and skills gained in university education.

2. Assess the need for scientific information, search for that information and critically evaluate its relevance.

3. Select appropriate research methods to fulfil the project objectives, and critically evaluate the methods used with consideration to both scientific trustworthiness and ethical aspects.

4. Produce a project proposal to define and scope open-ended research questions.

5. Write a project report in the form of a scientific article conforming to academic quality standards.

6. Perform a clear oral presentation of the project results that is well-suited to its intended audience.

7. Collaborate professionally in accordance with a project group's needs of structured management and task distribution with considerations for equality, diversity and inclusion in teamwork.

8. Give constructive feedback to group members and other groups on their work, and respond to feedback on your own group work.

9. Reflect on ethical aspects of engineering work, academic research and corporate codes of conduct, at different system levels. 

 

Link to the syllabus on Studieportalen

 

Examination

The course examination is continuous as defined by the activities in the course schedule. Some elements are mandatory while others are not, but still highly recommended.

The group component, i.e. project work, is a major basis for the grade (60%) and involves organizing yourselves as a team, performing the required tasks for your project, and independently creating a well-supported scientific argument to answer your research question. This project work is mostly carried out outside of scheduled class time, but many lectures and exercises function as supportive activities towards the end goal.

The individual component of the course (40%) is used to adjust the personal grade level.

 

Individual component (max. 20 pts)	Group component (max. 30 pts)
Registered presence & participation at mandatory activities in the schedule – Pass / Fail Self-assessment & member feedback – 6 pts Quantitative exercises – 4 pts Reflective essays – 10 pts	Project proposal – Pass / Fail Study design drafts ("weeklies") – for feedback Conference paper + peer reviews – 20 pts Conference presentation – 5 pts Project management – 5 pts

Note: assignments in blue are optional

 

Grading is individual and the grading scale is: 5, 4, 3, and Fail.

Grade levels
27–34 pts 35–42 pts 43–50 pts	Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5