Modules SS 2025

This course provides a comprehensive guide to the research process for PhD students across different research fields. It is organized in two formally separate courses, Part A and Part B. Part A (in the Winter Term) is hands-on research and focuses on developing a draft research paper from scratch or beginning with the initial research proposal students might have. It covers all stages of the process, from formulating clear research questions, through detailed literature review, choice of research methodology and data analysis toolkit, to putting the first draft together. In Part B (in the Summer Term) students delve also into professional aspects of the academic research process. They first learn about research funding and related schemes. Then they develop comprehensive understanding of research design, practice presenting their research results effectively, thus preparing for seminars and conferences, and finally explore different stages of the publication process, including crafting cover letters for journal submissions and participating in the peer review process. Students can start with either Term, although it is recommended to begin with Part A. Nevertheless, both Part A and Part B are designed to be independent and complementary. In the Summer Term in Part B, students who completed the Winter Term work on their assignments based on the draft research paper they completed in Part A. Instead, those students starting with Part B in the Summer Term work on their assignments using an established published paper of their choice from within their research field, as case study, to explore also these professional aspects of the research process. In the Winter Term in Part A, students who decided to complete Part B in the Summer Term first, thus working with an established published paper of their choice, work on writing their draft research paper and are expected to apply knowledge gained in Part B to their output later at their own discretion.
Key topics covered in part B are:
• Research Design.
• Write and present research findings for different purposes.
• The publication process. • Funding sources and related competencies.
• Ethical standards in research.