General information


Subject type: Mandatory

Coordinator: Monica Juliana Oviedo León

Trimester: Third term

Credits: 4

Teaching staff: 

Helena M Hernandez Pizarro
Enric Camón Luis 
Judith Turrión Prats 
Maria Dolors Celma Benaiges 

Teaching languages


Check the schedules of the different groups to know the language of teaching classes. Although the material can be in any of the three languages.

Skills


Basic skills
  • B3_Students have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their area of ​​study), to make judgments that include reflection on relevant social, scientific or ethical issues

     

  • B4_That students can convey information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialized and non-specialized audiences

     

Specific skills
  • E15_Gather and interpret significant data to issue judgments that include a reflection on relevant topics in the business field and be able to prepare a document that allows information to be transmitted or an innovative business proposal

     

General competencies
  • G2_Be able to innovate by developing an open attitude to change and be willing to re-evaluate old mental models that limit thinking

Transversal competences
  • Communicate properly orally and in writing in the two official languages ​​of Catalonia

  • T4_Domain the computer tools and their main applications for the ordinary academic and professional activity

  • T5_Develop tasks applying, with flexibility and creativity, the knowledge acquired and adapting it to new contexts and situations

     

Description


This subject aims to delve deeper into the bases of the scientific method and provide students with the basic work tools to be able to design and execute a research project. On the other hand, improve your skills to use a series of instruments and tools that allow you to manage the different steps of the research process more efficiently and communicate your results more effectively: research tools and information management ; text processing and editing; organization and data processing; and presentation and communication of results.

Also, knowing and mastering the characteristics of the scientific method is of crucial importance in the business world: setting questions, carefully observing reality through the collection of data and verifiable facts, formulating and contrasting hypotheses, drawing conclusions and reformulating the problems and questions we ask ourselves is fundamental to the functioning of markets, companies, and organizations.

This subject has the following specific objectives:

  1. Provide students with a basic knowledge of the scientific method and a set of fundamental skills to apply it to their academic and professional activities.
  2. Convey the importance of the use of empirical data and databases and provide the basic tools to organize and present the information derived from this data in the form of diagrams, graphs, tables, etc. using the appropriate software.
  3. Develop useful communication skills for the presentation of the results of a research project, or any academic or professional work, from the design of the contents and materials used in a presentation, to the most effective strategies in oral communication for present ideas effectively and efficiently.

Learning outcomes


  • Turn an empirical problem into a research object and draw conclusions.
  • Solve problems through scientific methods.
  • Evaluate different resources for analysis.
  • Conduct research in scientific databases and critically analyze the usefulness of research results in the context of your work question
  • Present a synthesis of studies and information in an orderly manner and following a line of argument, so that useful conclusions can be drawn for the development of their own arguments and analysis.
  • Identify different ways of answering the research question and elaborate the design of the research based on the main methodologies and their adaptation to each type of question.
  • Understand the main decisions in the processes of data collection and analysis according to the type of research methodology.
  • Improve the communication of the results of empirical work, whether in reports, essays or research work.
  • Design and conduct oral and written presentations to convey information, ideas, problems, and solutions effectively.

Working methodology


Theoretical sessions       

MD1.Master class: Expository class sessions based on the teacher's explanation in which all students enrolled in the subject attend.

Guided learning    

MD5. Seminars: Face-to-face training in small work groups. These are sessions linked to the face-to-face sessions of the subject that allow offering a practical perspective of the subject and in which student participation is key. Cooperative learning methodologies and techniques will be used.

Autonomous learning

MD10. Research and critical reading of articles. The students apply the different phases of the research methodology, including the critical reading of articles.

MD11. Non-contact tutorials: for which the students will have electronic resources such as e-mail and virtual classroom resources.

The classroom (physics or virtual) it is a safe, free space of attitudes sexists, racists, homophobic, transphobic i discriminatory, ja be towards the student body or towards the faculty. we trust that among all and all we can create a space sure on ens can to err i to learn sense having to suffer prejudice others.

Contents


Block 1. Background and research question

  1. Research approach
  2. Sources of information
  3. Citation
  4. Critical reading
  5. Elaboration of antecedents
  6. Objectives and hypotheses

Block 2. Academic written communication

  1. The formal registration
  2. Organization of written work
  3. Editing and presentation of formal documents

Block 3. Academic oral communication

  1. Elements of communication
  2. Oral communication strategies
  3. Planning, design and execution of academic presentations.

Block 4. Data collection and analysis methodology

  1. Quantitative Methodologies vs. Qualitative
  2. The data collection process
    1. Quantitative methodology
    2. Qualitative methodology
  3. Presentation of results

Learning activities


  • AF1. Theoretical sessions (taught by the teaching staff)
  • AF2. Seminars (within the classroom they will take place through cooperative learning activities by the students)
  • AF3. Team work (inside and outside the classroom)
  • AF4. Individual work (outside the classroom)
  • AF5. Personal study (outside the classroom)

 

Evaluation system


  • FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES (20%). It includes the class activities and delivery of activities proposed throughout the course. This grade cannot be recovered. 
  • TEAMWORK (10%). Teamwork skills are assessed at different times during the course, both outside and inside the classroom. This grade cannot be recovered.
  • ORAL COMMUNICATION (10%). Oral communication skills will be assessed through different activities throughout the course. This grade cannot be recovered.
  • PROJECT (30%). A project will be proposed that will be worked on as a team throughout the course to put into practice the knowledge developed throughout the subject, as well as the competence of Written Communication (which will represent ⅓ of the project's overall grade). This grade can be recovered. It is necessary to get a grade equal to or higher than 5 in the delivery of the project to pass the subject. If the project grade is below 5, all team members will have to redo it and resubmit it for recovery. 
  • FINAL EXAM (30%). It will consist of a test in which concepts worked on in the subject will be evaluatedThis grade can be recovered. It is necessary to get a grade in the exam equal to or higher than 5 to pass the subject.

RECOVERY. The student body will be presented for recovery if the exam and/or project grade is lower than 5 out of 10 points. Only students who have taken part in the regular call (that is, those who have done the project and the exam beforehand) can apply for recovery.

In no case can students receive help from third parties for any evaluation activity of the course; and if this happens, the student will lose all the right to continue with the remaining assessments of the subject. The teaching staff may summon the student to make the necessary clarifications in case of doubt about the originality of the activities.

REFERENCES


Basic

Amat Salas, O., Rodrigo de Larrucea, J., & Rocafort Nicolau, A. (2017). How to do research ?: final degree project, master's thesis, doctoral thesis and other research projects (First ed.). Barcelona: Profit Editorial.

Lluch, G., & Nicolás, M. (2015). Academic writing: planning, documentation, writing, citation and models. Barcelona: Editorial UOC.

Turull, A., Ardanuy Baró, J., Arroyo and Amayuelas, E., & Arroyo and Amayuelas, E. (2017). Work and communication techniques: instrument for the legal and social sciences. Barcelona: Huygens Editorial

McGregor, S. (2018). Understanding and evaluating research. SAGE Publications, Inc. https://www.doi.org/10.4135/9781071802656

Ang, S. (2014). Research design for business & management. SAGE Publications Ltd, https://www.doi.org/10.4135/9781473909694