Introduction to Research

Code:

PDEQB0001

Acronym:

II

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Engineering and Related Techniques
OFICIAL	Manufacturing Industries
OFICIAL	Science, Mathematics and Informatics
OFICIAL	Environmental Protection
OFICIAL	Chemical Process Technology
OFICIAL	Engineering and Related Techniques

Instance: 2018/2019 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Chemical Engineering
Course/CS Responsible:	Doctoral Program in Chemical and Biological Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
PDEQB	16	Syllabus	1	-	12	48	324

Teaching language

English

Objectives

Achieve key skills to carry out advanced research activities (at Ph. D. level)

Learning outcomes and competences

Operational knowledge of the computational resources, namely those provided by FEUP/CICA, which should be needed for scientific communication and data treatment.
Mastering of safety and good hygiene practice in laboratories for chemical and biological Engineering.
Capacity for bibliography search, critical assessment of scientific and technical works, writing of reports, papaers and presentations, and knowledge of peer review system.
Recall of the key foundations of statistics, their connexion with scientific research and introduction to computational applications for data treatment (with emphasis for R language) and experimental planning.
Awareness about most typical errors in scientific publications and related ethical issues.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Expected master-level skills on applied computation, chemistry and statistics.

Program

Main computer applications for communication and data treatment. Their practical use as provided by FEUP/CICA.
Principles of safety and hygiene in research laboratories for chemical and biological engineering.
Scientific publication, information literacy, indexation and bibliometry, scientific writing and the peer review system.
Reappraisal of the basic concepts of statistics and their application in science. Broadly available computer applications for data treatment. Brief introduction to R language. Basics of experimental planning.
Errors and fraud in science works.

Mandatory literature

Andreas Öchsner; Introduction to Scientific Publishing: Backgrounds, Concepts, Strategies, Springer, 2013. ISBN: ISBN 978-3-642-38646-6

Complementary Bibliography

Alberto Sérgio S. R. Miguel, [J. Francisco Vasconcelos, cap. 6 e 12]; Manual de higiene e segurança do trabalho. ISBN: 978-972-0-01896-0
Peter Dalgaard; Introductory statistics with R. ISBN: 0-387-95475-9

Teaching methods and learning activities

Lectures presented by specialists in the respective fields, namely from CICA, Safety, Hygiene, Health and Environment Service (FEUP) , Documentation Service (FEUP) and LEA/FEUP.
Individual study of the themes, combined with making of reports on the application of the taught methods to the thesis goals.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Participação presencial	20,00
Trabalho escrito	80,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Elaboração de relatório/dissertação/tese	50,00
Estudo autónomo	30,00
Frequência das aulas	20,00
Total:	100,00

Eligibility for exams

Presence in all talks.

Calculation formula of final grade

Weighted average of the grades of the main report R_0 (70 %), of the reports related to the modules on computational resources (R_1) , hygiene and laboratory safety (R_2) and statistics applications in science R_3 (5 % each), plus the grade R_4 obtained in the scientific literacy and writing course (15 %).

C = 0.7 R_0 + 0.05 (R_1 +  R_2 +  R_3) + 0.15 R_4

Examinations or Special Assignments

Report describing the main experimental and/or computational techniques to be used in the foreseeable work thesis (about 30-40 A4 pages).
This report must be approved by the supervisor, who also should propose a grade for it.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Not applicable.

Classification improvement

Rewriting of reports.