FYSJ9900 Research ethics and open science for physicists and chemists (2 cr)

Study level:
Postgraduate studies
Grading scale:
Pass - fail
Language:
English
Responsible organisation:
Department of Physics
Curriculum periods:
2024-2025, 2025-2026, 2026-2027, 2027-2028

Description

Ethical foundations of scientific research
Responsible conduct of research

  • according to TENK
  • violations of responsible conduct
  • conscious avoidance of violations
  • handling of alleged violations

Questions specifically relevant to physics and chemistry

  • data acquisition, archiving and analysis (experimental data, theoretical data, simulation data)
  • choice and development of methods
  • meaning of 'representative data'
  • appropriate statistical analysis and justification of conclusions
Publishing
  • accuracy of documentation
  • citing previous work
  • anonymous peer review process
  • ownership and authorship
Open science in general: why?
Open science in natural sciences: status now
Open research culture
Open access publication
  • as endorsed by the university: practices and policies
  • as endorsed or mandated by funding agencies
  • as option offered by publishers
Open access research data
  • data repositories
Open access or open source computer codes
  • licenses and standards

Appropriate use of open access materials
Open science in education

Learning outcomes

After completing the study unit the student

  • understands the key ethical principles and their foundations in science and in one’s own research field in particular
  • can apply those principles to research in practice, including data acquisition, data analysis, choice of methods, documentation and publishing
  • can utilize various tools of open science as relevant to natural sciences, following the policies of the university, funding agencies and publishers
  • knows the appropriate use of open access research data, computer codes and other materials, understanding the meaning of licenses and standards.  

Study materials

  • Instructions. Finnish National Board on Research Integrity (TENK, tenk.fi)
  • Open science in Finland (avointiede.fi/en)
  • Instructions of the University (jyu.fi)
  • Course material in Moodle

Completion methods

Method 1

Description:
Annually.
Evaluation criteria:
Exercises, participation in group work, personal project in written form.
Time of teaching:
Period 3, Period 2
Select all marked parts
Parts of the completion methods
x

Participation in teaching (2 cr)

Type:
Participation in teaching
Grading scale:
Pass - fail
Evaluation criteria:
Exercises, participation in group work, personal project in written form.
Language:
English
Study methods:
  • Exercises related to course materials
  • Discussion of ethical issues in small groups
  • Personal project in written form: considerations relevant to one's own PhD research

Teaching