Assignments and exercises with subsequent seminars where the students take an active part in giving each other feedback. This is complemented by key lectures. Specific focus is given to the use of literature and an understanding of the relationship between research questions, theory and method in the students own thesis topic. The need of the individual students is in focus and hence the course maintains some flexibility to adjust the content and time spent on each theme in dialogue with the participating students. The following themes are addressed in the course: Personal strengths and challenges including expectations and models for supervision. Information retrieval and reference management. How to read scientific papers. Different uses of a literature review. Theory in relation to method. Research topic in relation to research questions. Writing as a thinking tool.  Communicating your thesis topic. 

The two main objectives of the course is to become conscious of the scientific and personal challenges involved in doing a PhD and to facilitate and boost the work with the education plan and the design of the thesis project through constructive guidance and thinking tools to understand, structure and demarcate the thesis topic in the crucial initial stages of the PhD. The students will get training in communicating their own project and give feedback to others. Students will also get a basic orientation in theories and methods relvant to the research fields within the department. 

Lectures, seminars, exercises, self study

Teacherled seminars. Supervision and feeback from teachers and fellow students.

Accepted as PhD student

Attendance at minimum 70 % of the lectures and seminars

Evaluation of class paper

Emnet tilbys ved behov.

10 h lectures, 30 h seminars and classwork, 110 h of selfstudy

Minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway (generell studiekompetanse)

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Lectures 10 hours, Seminars 30 hours