Research Methodology in Natural Sciences

About the Course : The course covers all the conceptual and methodological issues that go into successful conduction of research. That includes philosophy of science, the methodological issues in measurement, proposing and testing hypotheses, scientific communication and the ethical issues in the practice of science. INTENDED AUDIENCE : This is a compulsory course for all PhD students as mandated by UGC. Bachelor’s and Master’s students interested in pursuing a research career may also take it. The course content is suitable for students of all disciplines of basic science, medical science and engineering.

Week 1: Philosophy of Science (subjective versus objective, materialism versus idealism, causality, etc.) Week 2: Logical Reasoning (inductive logic, deductive logic, syllogistic logic) Week 3: History of development of science and the influence of philosophy Week 4: What Scientists Actually Do Week 5: Forming a Hypothesis Week 6: Techniques of Scientific Measurement Week 7: Testing of hypothesis Week 8: Methods of Theoretical Research Week 9: The Art of Scientific Communication Week 10: Presentation in Seminars and Conferences Week 11: Sponsored Research Week 12: Ethical Conduct in Science