T-701-REM4-14-3 Research Methodology / Aðferðafræði Rannsókna

FINAL EXAM: Date: Friday Nov. 14 Time: 14:00 - 17:00, T-701-REM4, Place M201

Example-Final-Exam-Questions

Instructors: Kristinn R. Þórisson (KRÞ), Jacky Mallett (JM), Jordi Bieger (JB)
Classroom: M113 on Mondays, V103 on Fridays

NB: For all homework and correspondence sent via email: PLEASE PUT “REM4” SOMEWHERE (anywhere) IN THE TITLE OF YOUR EMAIL, SO IT GETS CLASSIFIED CORRECTLY IN THE INSTRUCTOR'S INBOX. Thanks.

You are expected to have read and thoroughly learned the following texts and topics:

Books:

• Research Methodology - a step-by-step guide for beginners (“RM”), Ranjit Kumar - All chapters except Ch10 (and Ch18 if you have the 3rd edition). Emphasis on those listed in the table below. Note: If you learn the contents of this book you should do very well on the final.
• Introductory Readings in the Philosophy of Science (“IRPS”). E.D.Klemke, R. Hollinger, D. W. Rudge and A. D. Kline (Eds.). - Selected chapters (see below).

• http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/scientific-progress/

• Short overview: http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9002756/Thomas-S-Kuhn
• Longer overview: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/thomas-kuhn/
• Example of a paradigm shift a la Kuhn: http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-261582/plate-tectonics#936104.hook

• Short definition: http://nostalgia.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logical_positivism

• Short overivew: http://nostalgia.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Popper

• Short overview: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imre_Lakatos
• Short summary of his attempt to reconcile Kuhn & Popper: http://coraifeartaigh.wordpress.com/2011/02/11/kuhn-vs-popper-the-philosophy-of-lakatos/

Use the Stanford Encylopedia of Philosophy and Google to further explore concepts and ideas that we encounter.

Philosophy of Science with humor: http://consc.net/phil-humor.html

Philosophy of Science useful hub: http://undsci.berkeley.edu/resourcelibrary.php

We use Edward R. Tufte (1983), “The Visual Display of Quantitative Information” (VDQI) in the second lecture on visualization, but it's not mandatory to buy the book.

There will be a 3-hour written final exam. The topics it will cover are: Experimental designs, Statistics and Philosophy of Science, in the proportions of which these have been emphasized in the lectures.