Course-PM

PPU215 Research skills for engineering projects lp3 VT26 (7.5 hp)

Course is offered by the department of Mechanical Engineering

 

>>> Complemenary information (Project PM) 

 

Contact details

TEACHING & COURSE ADMINISTRATION

Mélanie Despeisse (examiner)	Associate Professor	melanie.despeisse@chalmers.se
Cecilia Berlin	Associate Professor	cecilia.berlin@chalmers.se
Peter Hammersberg	Senior Teaching Fellow	peter.hammersberg@chalmers.se
Jon Bokrantz	Assistant Professor	jon.bokrantz@chalmers.se
Marco Schirone	Librarian and Researcher	marco.schirone@chalmers.se
Beate Granström	Librarian and Lecturer	beate.granstrom@chalmers.se
Becky Bergman	Senior Lecturer	rebecca.bergman@chalmers.se
Ebru Turanoglu Bekar	Senior Lecturer	ebrut@chalmers.se
Plinio Fernandes Borges Silva	Doctoral Student	plinio@chalmers.se

 

GUEST LECTURERS

Lars-Ola Bligård	Theory of Science	Chalmers, IMS Design & Human Factors
Cecilia Berlin	Engineering Ethics	Chalmers, IMS Design & Human Factors
Cédric Dubar &  Alexander Frimansson	Corporate Ethics	CellMark

 

PROJECT TUTORS

Arpita Chari	Postdoctoral Researcher	arpitac@chalmers.se
Qi Fang	Doctoral Student	qifa@chalmers.se
Greta Braun	Doctoral Student	greta.braun@chalmers.se
Silvan Marti	Doctoral Student	silvan@chalmers.se
Henrik Söderlund	Doctoral Student	henso@chalmers.se
Ellinor Jansson	Doctoral Student	ellinor.jansson@chalmers.se
Sandra Jaksic	Doctoral Student	sandra.jaksic@chalmers.se
Anita Clara Notarianni	Doctoral Student	anitacl@chalmers.se

If you would like to share your thoughts or raise issues to be discussed during the course meetings, please contact the course representatives.

 

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: 19 Jan – 22 Mar (Chalmers academic year)

Course week	Date	Time	Room	Activity
1	Mon 19 Jan	08.00–11.45	EE	Course & project introduction * (MD, AC, PH, BB)
	Wed 21 Jan	10.00–11.45	EE	Theory of science (LOB)
		13.15–17.00	EE	Data collection & Stakeholder analysis (CB)
2	Compulsory check-in by appointment * (tutors)
	Mon 26 Jan	08.00–10.45	EE	Literature search (MS, BG)
		11.00–11.45	EE ⁑	Project work ⁑
	Wed 28 Jan	10.00–11.45	EE	Qualitative methods (JB)
		13.15–17.00	MT11-12-13	Workshop: Introduction to Granta EduPack for product life cycle assessment * (PF)
3	Mon 2 Feb	08.00–11.45	MT11-12-13 ⁑	Project work ⁑
	Wed 4 Feb	10.00–17.00	⁑	Project work ⁑
4	Mon 9 Feb	08.00–11.45	EE	Research quality and critical thinking / Project quality check workshop (PH, MD)
	Wed 11 Feb	10.00–17.00	Library / ⁑	Library session by appointment in Seminar Room 1* (MS, BG) / Project work ⁑
5	Schedule adaptations for the CHARM event + Coaching session: Group dynamics discussion by appointment * (BB)
	Mon 16 Feb	08.00–11.45	⁑	Project work ⁑
	Wed 18 Feb	10.00–11.45	⁑	Project work ⁑
6	Mon 23 Feb	09.00–11.45	HB2	Engineering ethics (CB)
	Wed 25 Feb	10.00–11.45	HB2	Ethics in companies (CD, AF)
		13.15–17.00	⁑	Project work ⁑
7	Mon 2 Mar	08.00–11.45	EE ⁑	Conference paper / Presentation practice ⁑
	Wed 4 Mar	10.00-11:45	EE	Presentation skills (MD)
		13.15–17.00	EE ⁑	Conference paper / Presentation practice ⁑
8	Mon 9 Mar	08.00–11.45	⁑	Paper peer reviews ⁑
	Wed 11 Mar	10.00–17.00	EE	PPU215 Conference * (course team)

* Compulsory sessions; ⁑ Self-organised sessions; (lecturers’ initials)

 

Course literature

• Lecture handouts
• Selected publications listed in the lecture handouts
  • SAGE Research Methods: Research Tools (link in the top menu: Tools > Methods Map)
  • Chalmers Library: Referencing guide using APA style
  • Chalmers Writing Centre: Writing guide 
• Additional material (optional)
• Denscombe, 2014. The Good Research Guide (log in with your Chalmers account)
• Booth et al., 2016. The Craft of Research
• Harvard University: A guide to group work

 

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 to 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 the university education.
2. Assess the need for scientific information, search for that information and critically evaluate its relevance.
3. Write a project proposal to define and scope open-ended research questions.
4. Select appropriate research methods to fulfil the project objectives, and critically evaluate the methods used with consideration to both scientific trustworthiness and ethical aspects.
5. Write a project report in the form of a scientific article conforming to academic standards of quality.
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 form

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.

 

Grading rules:

• You must hand in all mandatory assignments.
• Some assignments are optional but highly recommended.
• Late submissions for optional assignments are not accepted (not graded). 
• Late submissions on mandatory assignments will result in malus points. 

 

Individual component (20 pts)	Group component (30 pts)
* Registered presence & participation at mandatory activities in the schedule – Pass / Fail * Self-assessment (ID1a, ID1b) – 5 pts * Member feedback (ID3a, ID3b) – 5 pts Reflective essays (ID2, ID4) – 10 pts	* Project proposal (PD1) – Pass / Fail Study design drafts (PD2, PD3, PD4) – for feedback * Conference paper + peer reviews (PD5) – 20 pts * Conference presentation (PD6) – 5 pts * Continuous project management (PD7) – 5 pts

Note: * Assignments in red are mandatory

 

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

Grade levels
≥27 pts ≥35 pts ≥43 pts	Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5

 

Honesty and integrity

All students at Chalmers are expected to comply with the rules of the university (Academic Honesty and Integrity at Chalmers).

There is zero tolerance for cheating and plagiarism.