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Research Methodology in Food Science

Course developer

Course abstract

In the study course students acquire knowledge about analysis of information sources, evaluation of research quality, topicality, setting research goals, tasks, hypotheses and research types. Gains knowledge about the innovative research methods in food science and development of the experimental work design. Problem analysis in study design, including validation and repeatability. Gains knowledge’s about the presentation of research and publication opportunities in scientific articles and their quality assessments.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

At the end of the study course students will get:
Theoretical and practical knowledge of scientific literature analysis - lectures, 1st. independent work.
Skills to formulate research goals and tasks - lectures, 2nd independent work.
Acquires competences to develop experiment design according to the set goal and tasks - lectures, 3rd independent work, and methods of data mathematical processing for chosen fields of food science - lectures and 4th independent work.

Acquires competence to develop the research rationale and experimental plan - 5. independent work.

Course Content(Calendar)

1 General and structural basic principles of doctoral thesis (Lecture - 1h, practical works - 2h)
2 Literature analysis and evaluation of research topicality (Lecture - 2h, practical works - 3h)
3 Databases available for literature research in the field of food science (Lecture - 1h, practical works - 3h)
4 Substantiation of research topicality, formulation of goals and tasks (Lecture - 2h, practical works - 3h)
5 Scientific methods in research (Lecture - 1h, practical works - 2h)
6 Types of research methods (qualitative and quantitative research methods) (Lecture - 1h, practical works - 3h)
7 Hypothesis development, modeling, descriptive and explanatory research (Lecture - 1h, practical work - 3h)
8 Development of experimental design for research in food science (Lecture - 2h, practical works - 3h)
9 Defining the study object. Selection and characterization of research samples and materials (Lecture - 1h, practical works - 3h)
10 Analytical methods, their suitability for achieving the goal, validation and repeatability (Lecture - 1h, practical work - 3h)
11 Errors during research planning and implementation (systematic, random, etc.) (Lecture - 1h, practical work - 3h)
12 Analysis of problems related to the implementation of research design (time, finances, availability of equipment) (Lecture - 1h, practical work - 2h)
13 Data treatment methods for interpretation of results (Lecture - 2h, practical works – 3..h)
14 Presentation of doctoral thesis results (Lecture - 1h, practical works - 3h)
15 Presentation of research in scientific articles and approbation in conferences, exhibitions, popular scientific articles and seminars (Lecture - 1h, practical works - 3h)

16 Writing and defending a doctoral thesis (Lecture - 1h, practical works - 2h)

Requirements for awarding credit points

Successfully defended practical works, five independent works and submitted written part of two independent works (2nd and 5th independent works). Independent works should be submitted electronically in accordance with the requirements

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Within the course students independently develop 5 independent works:
1. independent work - a review of the latest literature on the research topic. The review includes at least 20 publications, volume 3-5 pages, presentation 6-8 slides, submitted electronically.
2. independent work - topicality, aim, tasks. Presentation 3-4 slides, submitted electronically.
3. independent work - development of experimental design. Presentation 2-3 slides, submitted electronically.
4. independent work - mathematical processing of data in recent publications. Presentation 4-5 slides, submitted electronically.

5. independent work - final work includes topicality, goal, tasks, experimental plan, data processing. The volume of the presentation is 6-8 slides, submitted electronically. Electronically submitted written work, volume 10-12 pages

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The evaluation of the study course depends on the arithmetic average evaluation of the five independent works.
The student defends the developed independent works, answering questions related to the practical and theoretical basis of the work. Independent work is evaluated according to the established evaluation scale from excellent to almost satisfactory.

Compulsory reading

Zinātniskā rakstīšana un pētījumu rezultātu izplatīšana Red. Red. Martinsone K., Pipere A., 2019, RSU, 311 lpp.
Petnieciba: teorija un prakse. Red. Martinsone K., Pipere A., Kamerade D. 2016, Raka, 546 lpp.
Researching and writing a dissertation. An essential guide for business students. Ed. Fisher C. Third edition. Prentice hall: Financial times, 2010, p. 436. 3.
Mitchell M.L., Jolley J. M. Research design explained. Thomson Wadsworth, 2004, p.570. 4.

Marder M.P. Research methods for Science. Cambridge University Press, 2011, p. 227.

Further reading

Destination dissertation: a traveler's guide to a done dissertation Ed. Sonja K. Foss and William Waters, 2016,p. 452
Miller A.B. Finish your dissertation once and for all. 2009, p. 181 3.
Research methodology. Ed. Ranjit Kumar, second edition. Sage publications, 2005, p.332

Periodicals and other sources

Databases: SCOPUS, Web of Science, ScienceDirect. Journals - Critical Reviews in Food Science and Technology, Food Chemistry, Trends in Food Science and Technology, Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety

Notes

The mandatory course for PhD students of the study program “Food Science” full-time students.