BIOS11 The Scientific Method 15 ECTS credits
Course description
This course, a key to all advanced studies in biology, gives a brief introduction to the history of science, basic philosophy of science, and to what scientific knowledge and scientific methods really are and their value.
All activities based on scientific understanding require knowledge about analysing and handling information, data, and uncertainty. After successfully finishing this course you will be able to formulate hypotheses based on a scientific problem, design experiments to test the hypotheses, and analyse and interpret the experimental results. By focusing on practical applications rather than the underlying statistical theories we introduce basic statistical concepts and methods in a way that is easily understood. Due to the extensive use of computer simulations you will soon acquire the basic skills needed to plan, carry out, and evaluate scientific experiments.
The course is based on lectures, seminars, exercises and projects. The lectures introduce basic concepts and theories and give broader overviews of central topics. The seminars, exercises and projects give you hands-on experience and practice in solving both theoretical and practical problems.
There will be a written exam at the end of the course.
And afterwards ...
The course gives an important basis for future work in all aspects of biology - teaching, applied work as a professional biologist, and for graduate studies in biology. The course makes you well prepared for your Masters thesis studies in biological disciplines.
Page manager: Inger Ekström
Questions about the website: Web Group
Publisher: Department of Biology
Last modified 10 May 2012
Lotta Persmark
Student Advisor
Education office
Phone:
+46 46-2223728
E-mail:
Lotta.Persmark@biol.lu.se
Per Lundberg
Professor
Evolutionary ecology
Phone:
+46 46-2223767
E-mail:
Per.Lundberg@biol.lu.se
The course is given during the first period of the autumn semester.