Course Objectives:

The course consists 2-hour small group discussion sessions. Its purpose is to have students contemplate and discuss academic research as a profession, with emphasis on responsibilities they may have to themselves, their field of study, and society. Topics will include: mentoring, data collection, academic integrity, authorship, sponsored research and intellectual property.

More specifically:

• We shall discuss the overall goals, interests, responsibilities, and regulations that apply to academic research. We will discuss why training in the responsible conduct of research is a necessary, and in many cases, required, part of academic training. We will use discussions and case studies to advance these points.
• We want participants to gain an appreciation of the role of mentorship in career development, especially as applicable to academic research. Students should finish the sessions with a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of both mentor and mentee, and an appreciation for the core values (e.g., mutual trust and respect) that make such a relationship productive and valuable to both participants. In particular, we hope to provide advice for first-year students in selecting mentors for their thesis work.
• Students will gain an understanding of the “communication” aspects of academic research, including the roles and responsibilities central to publication and peer review. Students will learn about the various “scientific cultures” that dictate how authorship is handled in different fields, and about the various economic models of research journals (e.g., subscription vs open access). They will also consider the role of peer review in both paper publication and grant approvals.