Scientific Writing (PZK_171)
About Study Course
Objective
This course is about training students to think and write like political scientists. Writing a research paper in political science is a specific skill which this course offers by identifying and explaining the different parts of a typical paper – introduction, literature review, model and hypothesis, research design, analysis, assessment and conclusion – and showing how the paper – writing process is broken into manageable tasks: identifying and understanding the debate within a field, designing a strategy for evaluating competing claims, finding appropriate information, engaging in an analysis of that data, and communicating this process and its results to others are critical thinking skills essential for writing a research papers. Eventually this class represents an essential part of developing students as thinkers who can communicate their ideas and reach a higher level of understanding in the discipline of political science (i.e. writing as a learning tool).
Prerequisites
Not required.
Learning outcomes
Students will know the basic principles of scientific writing, as well as conduct scientific writing, contra-distinguishing it with popular scientific writing. Students will describe methods, styles, approaches, including academic backgrounds from different countries of scientific writing.
Students will write scientific texts both individually and in collaboration with other authors, that is significant in the academic environment. Thus, the emphasis will be put not only on the individual but also on the collective work – how to overcome the incompatibility of different writing styles and different opinions and how to move towards convergence. Students will find and use scientific journals appropriate to the specific articles and their level of knowledge.
Students will create their own scientific articles – either individually or in collaboration with co-authors. Students will apply the knowledge gained in various other courses and combine theoretical and methodological ideas and use the scientific articles of a specifically defined research method.
