This module is taught entirely in English. It serves as a stepping stone to the 'Usage of Research Tools and Research Writing'.
Students will first learn how to design a study that follows established best practices for research in the engineering field.
Next, students will be required to study selected literature from the discipline of Engineering Education, focusing on research
papers published in journals and on conference papers. Through this process, they will learn how a research paper is organised
and peer reviewed and will learn how academic referencing is done. They will be asked to analyse the set of studies they have
chosen with a critical viewpoint, and then they will develop their own research proposal which builds on some or all of these
studies. This will include writing an annotated bibliography, referencing and evaluating the papers they have studied, and
also appropriately condensing those papers' own citations. Lastly, students will finalise their research proposal into a presentation
format such as PowerPoint and give a presentation on it to their peers in the classroom.
The purpose of this module is to equip students with the foundational knowledge and practical skills necessary to design,
conduct, and communicate independent research in the field of Engineering. Students will develop the ability to evaluate scholarly
literature, construct annotated bibliographies, and formulate well-structured research proposals. The module aims to foster
analytical thinking, develop the skills needed to evaluate scholary literature, and enable students to contribute original
insights to the growing body of knowledge in Engineering Education.
| Goals and objectives | Course Outcomes | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Students will be able to describe the foundational research principles that are applied in the engineering discipline. |
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| 2. | Students will develop the skills needed to evaluate scholarly literature. |
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| 3. | Students will be able to explain and demonstrate practical research skills. |
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| 4. | Students will be able to formulate and communicate research proposals. |
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| Assignments | Final | Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 10% | 15% | 25% |
| 2. | 10% | 15% | 25% |
| 3. | 10% | 15% | 25% |
| 4. | 10% | 15% | 25% |
| Total. | 40% | 60% | - |
| Class schedule | HW assignments (Including preparation and review of the class.) | Amount of Time Required | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Introduction to Engineering Research - Course overview and expectations - Defining 'Research' - What do we mean by 'research', and what are the general objectives of scientific studies? |
Review/Written assignment 1 | 150分 |
| 2. | Ethics in Research - Students will discuss ethical considerations related to data acquisition methods, data retention, scientific notetaking, and presentation techniques. For example, students will be taught ethical approaches to conducting questionnaires. Types of Research - The lecture will explore the kinds of topics that students will be able to choose from as they begin to contribute to engineering research. |
Review/Written assignment 2 | 150分 |
| 3. | Major Components of Research Design - Students will learn about the different sections into which an engineering study is divided, from the Abstract through to the Conclusion and Discussion. Students are shown the format of a typical paper and given an overview of why this layout or a variation on it is generally followed. |
Review/Written assignment 3 | 150分 |
| 4. | Research Questions - How are appropriate research questions formulated for a given study? Having explored this, students will define the research questions for their study. |
Review/Written assignment 4 | 150分 |
| 5. | The role of hypotheses in research - Many research projects state an explicit hypothesis, describing what the researchers 'suspect' they might find. Students will explore how appropriate, testable hypotheses are chosen. |
Review/Written assignment 5 | 150分 |
| 6. | Literature Search Strategies and the Literature - Review Students will learn how to find and evaluate sources (particularly past research papers in relevant fields) using Google Scholar and ASEE Peer. |
Review/Written assignment 6 | 150分 |
| 7. | Literature Review and Annotated Bibliography - Students will learn how to carry out a Literature Review and will put this practice by summarising the existing body of research on an engineering topic. At this stage students may have chosen the topic for their own final research project, in which case they can carry out the literature review and write an annotated bibliography for this field. |
Review/Written assignment 7 | 150分 |
| 8. | What is Research Methodology? - Students will learn why and how researchers explicitly describe the methodology used in their studies. |
Review/Written assignment 8 | 150分 |
| 9. | Effective Introductions and Abstracts in Research Papers - Students will learn about the purpose of these sections in scientific studies. - Students will read and analyse high-quality examples. |
Review/Written assignment 9 | 150分 |
| Preparation for the final | 100分 | ||
| 10. | Reviewing of sample Introductions and Abstracts - Continuing with the samples from the previous week, students will review more sample Introductions and Abstracts from the selection of Engineering papers; they will give their own reviews of these papers using an evaluation checklist. |
Review/Written assignment 10 | 150分 |
| Preparation for the final | 100分 | ||
| 11. | Drafting a research proposal - Students will draft a research proposal, bringing together the knowledge they have gained in previous weeks. The proposal should be on a topic related to 'Engineering Education', which is the field covered by ASEE papers. |
Review/Written assignment 11 | 150分 |
| Preparation for the final | 100分 | ||
| 12. | Refining the research proposals - After receiving feedback, students will refine their proposals in accordance with the evaluation checklist |
Review/Written assignment 12 | 150分 |
| Preparation for the final | 100分 | ||
| 13. | Student Presentations - After finalising their proposals and writing them in a appropriate format (generally MicroSoft PowerPoint), students will give a presentation on their proposal to an audience of their peers. |
Review/Written assignment 13 | 150分 |
| Preparation for the final | 150分 | ||
| 14. | Student Presentations and Course Wrap-up - Student presentations (cont.) - Feedback and discussion - Course summary and reflections |
Review/Written assignment 14 | 150分 |
| Total. | - | - | 2650分 |
| A:Fundamental Mechanical Engineering | B:Advanced Mechanical Engineering | C:Environment and Materials Engineering | D:Chemistry and Biotechnology | E:Electrical Engineering and Robotics | G:Advanced Electronic Engineering | F:Information and Communications Engineering | L:Computer Science and Engineering | H:Urban Infrastructure and Environment |
|---|
| ways of feedback | specific contents about "Other" |
|---|---|
| Feedback in the class |
Books recommended:
Flick, U. (2020). Introducing Research Methodology: Thinking Your Way Through Your Research Project. SAGE Publications Ltd
Creswell, J. W. (2018). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Sage Publications.
Flick, U. (2020). Introducing Research Methodology: Thinking Your Way Through Your Research Project. SAGE Publications Ltd
Creswell, J. W. (2018). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Sage Publications.
Students are required to submit weekly assignments and give a final presentation. They should be argumentative and written
academically.
- Office hours: Monday to Friday between 12:30-13:20 in the lecturer's office & by appointment
- Contact e-mail address: zam08580@shibaura-it.ac.jp
- Course that cultivates an ability for utilizing knowledge
| Work experience | Work experience and relevance to the course content if applicable |
|---|---|
| N/A | N/A |
- 4.QUALITY EDUCATION
- 16.PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS
- 17.PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS
Last modified : Sat Mar 15 04:09:32 JST 2025