This course will introduce the students to a wide array of research methods used in the various disciplines of the natural and social sciences. ENS 196 will show the students how these disciplinary methods can be incorporated into interdisciplinary research in environment and resource management. This course provides the theoretical and practical knowledge required by Environmental Science students to undertake independent research. The conceptual and technical aspects of research and all the various phases of the research process will be discussed over the course of the semester. This course is designed to guide the Environmental Science students during the preparation of their research proposal and the actual conduct of their thesis either in the laboratory room or in the field.
ENS 196 will be a mix of an in-person and online course. Lectures will be online or in person. Lecture notes and supplementary materials will be uploaded to Moodle or will be sent through emails or FB messenger. Those who have intermittent internet connection during online lectures in their respective places will receive the link of recorded online lectures, and detailed lecture notes through FB messenger or email. Students will be grouped according to their research topic interest and will be held responsible to coordinate with one another to work on the assigned tasks per chapter. There will be actual application of the concepts or research steps learned per chapter of the lectures given such as the identification of research steps as reflected in a research output or a scientific article in Chapters 1-2; writing of Review of Related literature and formulation of theoretical and conceptual frameworks after discussing Chapter 3; writing research title, introduction with objectives after discussing Chapter 4 and other activities that apply the concepts to be discussed all along. Hence, the students are expected to finish writing a thesis proposal, submit the write-up at the end of the semester and present it in person with the invited panel and their respective potential advisers. The students in this class are also expected to be equipped with not just knowledge and skill in writing a research proposal at the end of the semester but also empowered on how to conduct environmental research independently in the future.
- Teacher: Sherryl Paz