Scientific and Technical Communication

Subject description

Basics of philosophy of science:

brief overview of history of philosophy, basics of epistemology
logical fallacies, argumentation

Importance of statistical practice:

brief history of statistics and ICT
principles and types of statistical consulting
good practices and common mistakes in dealing with data
motivation, emotions and interpersonal communication in professional work

Scientific and technical communication:

general structure of a research report
sources of, and finding, scientific information
technical writing in English
basics of graphical design
preparing presentations

Data visualisation:

selected topics from perception and cognitive psychology
types and selection of data displays
principles of good data visualisation, examples of good and bad practice modern analytical displays of large data sets
dashboards and big data visualisation

The subject is taught in programs

Objectives and competences

The objective of the course is to familiarise the students with the basics of philosophy and psychology required for independent and responsible professional and research work, the importance and types of communication in statistical practice, and the elements and principles of producing various scientific and technical publications.

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures, tutorials, essays, consultations

Part of the pedagogical process will be carried out with the help of ICT technologies and the opportunities they offer.

Expected study results

Knowledge and understanding:

identifying pitfalls and errors in logical inference and argumentation;
understanding the aim and characteristics of empirical scientific research;
knowing how to find scientific and technical literature and critically appraise it;
knowing how to appropriately present statistical data and results of statistical analyses in tabular and graphical form, and interpret them using valid arguments;
knowing how to present the result of one's individual or collaborative work in the form of posters, technical reports, scientific and technical articles in Slovenian and English language;
knowing how to submit a project proposal;
knowing how to prepare an effective public presentation.

Application:

retrieval of existing scientific evidence and its critical appraisal;
preparation of feasible research plans and successful project proposals;
oral and written reporting at scientific and professional meetings, and publishing in scientific and technical publications.

Reflexion:

awareness of historical development, limitations and virtues of scientific research methodology;
awareness of the role of probability and statistics as decision tools in all areas of contemporary society;
awareness of importance of oral and written communication in research and professional work, including awareness of importance of good language, graphical design and data visualisation.

Transferable skills:

ability to defend viewpoints through argumentation, practice effective self-criticism and objectively evaluate claims;
ability to find and critically appraise scientific and technical literature;
ability to write scientific and technical texts, typeset scientific and technical publications and prepare presentations;
ability to link theoretical findings from different fields and transfer them to professional practice.

Basic sources and literature

Abelson R.P. (1995): Statistics as Principled Arguement. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Šuster D. (1998): Moč argumenta. Logika in kritično razmišljanje. Maribor: Pedagoška fakulteta.
Good P.I., Hardin J.W. (2003): Common Errors in Statistics (And How To Avoid Them). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Hall G.M. (2003). How to Write a Paper (3rd ed.). London: BMJ.
Tufte E.R. (1983): The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. Cheshire, CT: Graphics Press.
Robbins N.B. (2005): Creating More Effective Graphs. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Interscience.
Pfannkuch M., Wild C.J. (2000): Statistical thinking and statistical practice: themes gleaned from professional statisticians. Statistical Science, 15 (2): 132-152.
Bishop T.A. (2008): The Role of Statistical Theory and Methods Within the Context of the Scientific Discovery Process. www.stat.osu.edu/~jas/coursebook/stat504notes.pdf
Dowden B. (2009): Fallacies. V: The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy [IEP]. www.iep.utm.edu/fallacy/