Research Methods and Beginning of the Preparation of the Dissertation

Code:

MIET0031

Acronym:

MIIPD

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Innovation Management
OFICIAL	Research Methods

Instance: 2024/2025 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Industrial Engineering and Management
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Innovation and Technological Entrepreneurship

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIET	19	Syllabus since 2008/09	2	-	12	42	324

Teaching language

English

Objectives

To allow students to make use of the knowledge learned (in the first year of the Master programme) in preparing their dissertation plan.

At the end of the course, the student should be able to:

- Understand some basic concepts of research and its methodologies,

- Identify appropriate research topics and a research problem,

- Prepare a dissertation proposal.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the final essay, the student is expected to:

- Clearly identify the research question(s) and discuss the gap/opening question he wants to study in its master dissertation;

- Fully perform a literature review and systematize the relevant literature in a main framework;

- Justifiably identify the methodology suitable to analyze the problem in research (based on the relevant literature)

- Plan the research work through a chronogram.

Working method

Presencial

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

N/A

Program

1. How to write a scientific paper/research.

2. Bibliographic databases.

3. "Design Science" as Research Methodology.

4. Individual tutorials.

Mandatory literature

Alexander M . Novikov and Dmitry A . Novikov; Research Methodology - From Philosophy of Science to Research Design, CRC Press 2013, 2013. ISBN: 978-0-203-76472-5 (Available at FEUP at crcnetbase: http://www.crcnetbase.com/doi/book/10.1201/b14562)
Saunders, Mark; Lewis, Philip and Thornhill, Adrian; Research Methods for Business Students, Prentice-Hall, 2009
Vaishnavi, V. ; Design Science Research in Information Systems. January 20, 2004 , 2004 (This is paper is very interesting to understand the concept of "DESIGN SCIENCE RESEARCH" and its applicability in multiple areas.)
Ferreira, J. J. P., Mention, A. L., & Torkkeli, M; Phrasing the giant: on the importance of rigour in literature search process. Journal of Innovation Management, 8(2), 1-10. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.24840/2183-0606_008.002_0001), 2020

Complementary Bibliography

Tracy, Sarah J.; Qualitative Research Methods: Collecting Evidence, Crafting Analysis, Communicating Impact, Willey, 2013

Teaching methods and learning activities

Sessions for the introduction of Concept and orientation to the recommended readings ("Course Readings") made available to all students in the OneNote ClassNotebook. Individual tutorial sessions for reflection, discussion, and motivation for future dissertation work.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Trabalho escrito	100,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	16,00
Frequência das aulas	42,00
Trabalho de investigação	48,00
Trabalho escrito	56,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Important notes:

• Failure to submit by the date specified the assessment report (albeit justified) will involve assigning zero value to that evaluation component.
• Academic fraud, including plagiarism in any component of evaluation, will automatically imply failure in the course without recourse and subsequent process to the Director and Scientific Commission.

Calculation formula of final grade

GoIA = Grade of Intermediate Assignment
Assignment: an early version of the research proposal.

GoRP = Grade of Research Proposal

FG = Final Grade
If GoRP <= 10 (/20) then FG = GoRP
If GoRP > 10 (/20) then FG = GoIA x 10% + GoRP x 90%

Examinations or Special Assignments

N/A

Internship work/project

N/A

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

N/A

Classification improvement

N/A

Observations

Work language

•   The course will be taught in English.
•   The reports can be written in English or Portuguese.

Assessment criteria

It is expected that the student will produce a research proposal with high scientific rigour and that constitutes a scientific contribution to the field of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Detailed Assessment Rubrics are made available to the students.

In the literature review, students are expected to access academic databases, available to U.Porto and FEUP, such as SCOPUS and WoS.

Sugested Tools

R (https://cran.r-project.org/), Bibliometrix (https://www.bibliometrix.org) and VOSviewer (https://www.vosviewer.com/).


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In extraordinary situations, this course may be concluded at special period to complete master course units. There are limitations. Students should check regulations.