Research Methods, Spring 2018

This semester, I’m treating this class as joining a research lab. You’re all members of the (brand new) Energy & Representations Lab at Boise State. In a research lab, no one knows what they will find; you don’t start in advance by saying “I’m going to prove X.” Instead, there is an interesting phenomenon and set of ideas to explore. Tangents may arise and become the central theme. I have a place I’d like us to start, and a phenomenon I’d like us to model, but the particulars are going to emerge from our work together. The topic and phenomenon I’ve chosen have to do with energy – because this is a cross-cutting concept in NGSS, a central topic to all sciences, a critical (and poorly understood) theme globally, and because I think developing ideas around this abstract, weird topic is going to help us better understand how science happens.

Unlike a lab, you’ll have weekly homework and grades. (Consider that link your syllabus!) Those assignments will be posted here. Your notebook will also be graded. Our rubric is here. Every Monday night, you should also submit a self-reflection using this rubric.