Practicing interdisciplinarity: field research on the environment

The main objective of this course is for students to gain experience of the research process in its entirety: from identifying and formulating a research question; preparing a research design; planning and implementing data collection; analyzing data; writing an academic report; and presenting/defending the report. The course gives students the possibility to appreciate how different approaches to data collection affect the findings obtained and to reflect upon the material gathered (or not gathered) from the specific methods used. Additionally, an important aim is to create awareness of research ethics.

Knowledge

describe and define what is a knowledge gap, research objective and research question;
describe and define central concepts relevant to natural and social science data collection, analysis and interpretation.


Skills

identify, formulate and justify a research objective and set of research questions;
design a research plan for an interdisciplinary field study, incorporating a variety of relevant methods;
integrate own disciplinary knowledge into an interdisciplinary group assignment (report);
ability to work in an intercultural group;
collect, process and analyze relevant data during and after fieldwork;
clearly communicate research findings.


Competencies

critically discuss the different kinds of data and forms of knowledge obtained by alternative data collection and analytical methods, including how these methods shape research findings;
reflect on the quality of the research plan, methods and collected data;
reflect on how findings may be generalized beyond the specific context in which data was collected;
reflect on how the findings relate to broader issues of sustainability, livelihood, natural resource management and development;
reflect on ethical concerns in relation to empirical research.