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P000088
Research ethics and philosophy of science, with focus on biology
The course will give the student knowledge in research ethics and philosophy of science with a focus on concepts and theories relevant to the field of biology. The course will provide specific examples and practical implications that the student can apply to their research area, knowledge that will be useful for the students’ current education and future work.
In short, the course will cover the following topics:
- The basics of ethics in research (fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism)
- Science and society – why is research important?
- Author responsibilities and inclusion criteria
- Peer-review standards and predatory journals
- Misconduct in research
- Whistleblowing, including legal definitions
- Policies related to research ethics: legal definitions, SLUs policy, international policies, policies of scientific journals, Swedish national board for assessment of research misconduct (Npof)
- Overview of the history of philosophy of science
- Present views of philosophy of science (concepts and terminology)
- Practical implications of philosophy within research in biology
The course will be taught fully online. We will provide a course content and online environment that facilitates discussion and inclusive learning!
The 3hp course does not encompass parts regarding ethics in research involving human or other animal subjects. For students in need of the animal research ethics course, this can be provided via a separate course given via a web-based platform.
The animal research ethics covers the following:
- Understanding of ethics behind present legislation on animal experimentation
- The 3R-concept
- Swedish legislation regarding use of animals for scientific purposes
In short, the course will cover the following topics:
- The basics of ethics in research (fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism)
- Science and society – why is research important?
- Author responsibilities and inclusion criteria
- Peer-review standards and predatory journals
- Misconduct in research
- Whistleblowing, including legal definitions
- Policies related to research ethics: legal definitions, SLUs policy, international policies, policies of scientific journals, Swedish national board for assessment of research misconduct (Npof)
- Overview of the history of philosophy of science
- Present views of philosophy of science (concepts and terminology)
- Practical implications of philosophy within research in biology
The course will be taught fully online. We will provide a course content and online environment that facilitates discussion and inclusive learning!
The 3hp course does not encompass parts regarding ethics in research involving human or other animal subjects. For students in need of the animal research ethics course, this can be provided via a separate course given via a web-based platform.
The animal research ethics covers the following:
- Understanding of ethics behind present legislation on animal experimentation
- The 3R-concept
- Swedish legislation regarding use of animals for scientific purposes
Syllabus and other information
Syllabus
P000088 Research ethics and philosophy of science, with focus on biology, 3.0 Credits
Subjects
Education cycle
Postgraduate levelGrading scale
Pass / Failed
Prior knowledge
Admitted as PhD student.Objectives
Upon completion of the course, the students shall have gained knowledge in and understanding of different aspects of research ethics and philosophy of science. The students are expected to: - Describe the basics of ethics in research: fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism – what it means and pitfalls - Describe the role of science in society – why is research important? - Describe and discuss present views on author responsibilities and inclusion criteria, SLUs policy, international policies, and policies of scientific journals - Describe and discuss peer-review standards and predatory journals - Describe and critically discuss the concept of misconduct in research, legal definitions, SLU’s policy, Swedish national board for assessment of research misconduct (Npof) - Describe and discuss whistleblowing, legal definitions, SLU’s policy, Swedish national board for assessment of research misconduct (Npof) - Describe the basic overview of the history of philosophy of science - Describe present views of philosophy of science (concepts and terminology) - Describe and discuss practical implications of philosophy within research in biology -Content
The aim of the course is to give the students an overview and understanding of different aspects of research ethics, and to give the students an introduction to philosophy of science. The course will consist of seminars (lectures and discussions), held online (via zoom or similar platform). Before each seminar, the students should read the literature associated with each lecture. The examination consists of a written assignment followed by an oral group discussion of the written assignment during the final seminar event. Additional, optional, animal research ethics part: Web-platform with lectures and information, followed by a multiple-choice questions exam on the same web platform.Additional information
The course will be held fully online on zoom or a similar platform. There will be one lecture per week (10:00-12:00), starting mid-October 2024, lasting until the end of November. The exact dates are: 9, 16, 23, 30 October, and 6, 13, 27 November. The course will likely begiven again in 2025 and onwards.**Preliminary schedule:**
1. Introduction - ethics in research (fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism). Why is research important? (9 Oct, 10:00-12:00)
2. Author responsibilities and inclusion criteria, peer-review standards, predatory journals. Legal definitions and policies. (16 Oct, 10:00-12:00)
3. Research misconduct, whistleblowing. Legal definitions and policies. (23 Oct, 10:00-12:00)
4. History of philosophy of science. (30 Oct, 10:00-12:00)
5. Present views in philosophy of science. (6 Nov, 10:00-12:00)
6. Practical implications of philosophy of science in biology (+ handing out exam). (13 Nov, 10:00-11:00)
7. Summing up, exam discussion. (27 Nov, 10:00-12:00)
This course is organised within the Research School: Focus on Soils & Water, at the Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences.
Responsible department
Department of Aquatic Resources