University of Washington, Fall 2003

In this course you will learn some of the practical aspects of how to conduct research—the topics that you must somehow master but are seldom taught formally. To be a successful researcher you must learn to write and review papers and proposals, secure funding, present your work clearly in formal and informal presentations, and use research tools such as libraries and citation indices effectively. Yet many researchers just “pick this knowledge up along the way.” This is not a course on research methods—in that course you learn the academic methods of conducting research. Here you learn the set of necessary skills that complement research methods.