Methodologies of Investigation in a Doctoral Project
博士研究專案調研方法
Lifelong Learning
(Course information is currently available in English)
Course Description:
This course proposes an overview of the foundations of the scientific method and some of the central philosophical trends that have shaped today’s scientific thinking. Aspects of modern science, such as publications fora, indexing and ranking, scientific communities or fake science, are approached and analysed. This is followed by a review of the scientific production’s different types, characteristics and content nature as publications with particular emphasis on the doctoral thesis, research papers and scientific posters. Students will receive an overview of fundamental techniques for academic writing and oral presentations, along with hands-on exercises to apply and consolidate the theoretical concepts. The course will be entirely delivered online with eight synchronous sessions, online learning materials, and asynchronous discussion and assignment delivery.
Learning Outcome:
- Identify the major philosophical currents that shaped modern scientific thinking and distinguish the characteristics and nature of scientific knowledge and method.
- Discriminate the fundamental principles of scientific writing.
- Differentiate the several types, characteristics and nature of scientific publications with special emphasis on a doctoral thesis, research papers and posters.
- Describe a doctoral research plan’s key elements, purpose, specific characteristics, and nature.
- Apply relevant concepts/knowledge to write scientific texts in a summarising essay, a poster and a provisional state-of-the-art study or literature review.
Study Plan
| Session | Topics |
| I | Introduction to the course: characterising the scientific revolution. Main theories of knowledge and philosophical world views. Research methods. |
| II | Action Research as a research design for solving problems. |
| III | Presentation of research papers. The structure and content of a doctoral thesis. |
| IV | Presentation of research papers. The fundamental key elements of the doctoral research plan. |
| V | Visual communication in science and visual research approaches. Research questions, objectives and hypothesis. |
| VI | State-of-the-art study/literature review. Systematic review principles and practices. |
| VII | Presentation of the Poster. Research in an inter-, multi- and transdisciplinary area: digital media arts in a postdigital era and the charter of transdisciplinarity |
| VIII | Presentation of the Poster. Publishing in the early stages of doctoral research. |
Assessment Requirements
- Quality and level of Participation in the online discussions (10%).
- Quality of the Assignments (essay summarising a research article and its presentation; provisional state-of-the-art study/ literature review; scientific poster and its presentation) (90%).
Details:
| Instructor: | Adérito Fernandes-Marcos (Dean of the Doctoral School) and António Maneira (Assistant Professor at the Doctoral School) |
| Date: | 07 May 2025 to 25 June 2025 |
| Time: | Wed 19:00 – 20:30 |
| Duration: | 12 hours（8 online sessions）plus 18 hours (offline individual work) |
| Credits | 2 |
| Medium of Instruction: | English |
| Delivery of Mode: | Online Lecture (8 sessions in Zoom; discussions in forum and assignments via USJ Moodle Platform) |
| Tuition Fee: | MOP2,000 |
| Targeted participants: | Doctoral students, master students, holders of a master’s degree |
| Requirements: | Participants who enroll in this programme and maintain an attendance rate of 70% or above, along with fulfilling the assessment requirements, shall receive a certificate of completion and be awarded 2 credits. Credits maybe exempted from their respective degrees programmes after they have successfully enrolled in such a programme at the University of Saint Joseph and have applied to the relevant office for consideration for exemption. |
Tuition fee special offered available for:
┃5% Discount (MOP1,900)
- Early-bird application
** Applicants who submit a complete course enrollment on/before 06 May 2025 will enjoy the early-bird special offer in this course! Registrants will be notified of enrollment details via E-mail and SMS after we receive your registration. Don’t miss it!
┃10% Discount (MOP1,800)
- USJ working staff and students
- Members of AAUSJ (Alumni Association of USJ)
- Next of kin relationship (spouses, children, and parents), for current internal staff, USJ students, and members of AAUSJ
- Former LLO students
Notes: the D.S.E.D.J. 2023-2026 Continuing Education Development Subsidy Scheme is NOT available for this course.
Remarks: the above Conditions of eligibility are subject to the terms in the “Policy of Lifelong Learning Public Programmes Tuition Fee Discount” (LLO-529). The full version is available on the LLO website (click here), please be sure to read the Terms and Conditions contained in this document carefully since any use of this tuition fee discount for lifelong learning public courses constitutes your acceptance of the Terms and Conditions set out herein. In the event of any dispute concerning the matters in this document, the Lifelong Learning Office of the University of Saint Joseph reserves all rights to make the final decision.
HOW TO APPLY
A three-step flow of “Registration, Notification, Enrolment” applies.
Applicants should first register (through methods listed in the “Registration” section on our website) during the application period of a Programme. Accepted Registrants will be notified through SMS and they must complete the application process in person during the period mentioned in the SMS, with a valid copy of Macao Resident ID Card.
A certificate of completion will be issued for participants fulfilling an attendance rate of 70%.
Withdrawal applications must follow stated policies.
Remark: Programmes may be cancelled due to insufficient registration.
