Literature Review Earth Sciences

6 EC

Semester 2, period 4, 6

5264LIT12Y

Owner Master Earth Sciences
Coordinator dr. M.C. Hoorn
Part of Master Earth Sciences, Master Earth Sciences, track Geo-Ecological Dynamics, Master Earth Sciences, track Future Planet Ecosystem Science,

Course manual 2024/2025

Course content

The subject of the literature review should be new to the student and is selected in consultation with the course coordinator and one of the lecturers in the Earth Sciences master programme. After selecting a topic and supervisor, initial literature is studied and a research plan is made. Work on the literature review proceeds according to this plan, in regular contact with the supervisor. The final result is a written report (accompanied by a citation database and a digital archive of the material studied) and an oral presentation in the period September - June. The criteria that the written report and oral presentation should meet are described in the course syllabus.

The course coordinator will guide and supervise the writing process and provide a list of literature review topics at the start of the course. However, students are encouraged to choose a topic themselves and find a supervisor to guide them into the technical literature corresponding to this topic.

Study materials

Syllabus

Software

Objectives

  • Define an appropriate scientific research question;
  • Find relevant scientific literature to answer the question posed;
  • Comprehend, structure and synthesize the collected information;
  • Form an opinion about the processed information in relation to the research question;
  • Present the results in a well-written report;
  • Present the results in an oral presentation.

Teaching methods

  • Working independently on e.g. a project or thesis
  • Supervision/feedback meeting
  • Presentation/symposium
  • Self-study

Under the guidance of the course coordinator and the supervisor (specialist on the chosen topic) the student will write a review proposal followed by the written review of c. 7500 words. The course concludes with submission in Datanose of the completed review and an oral presentation, at the end of the course and in the Research Workshop.

Learning activities

Activity

Number of hours

Zelfstudie

336

Attendance

Requirements of the programme concerning attendance (OER-B):

  1. Attendance during practical components exercises is mandatory.

Additional requirements for this course:

Students should attend all sessions to interact and discuss their ongoing review and that of their peers.

Assessment

Item and weight Details

Final grade

Final grade

We use a rubric to assess the quality of the review and the grade will be submitted in Datanose.

Assignments

The assignments consist of reading and discussing the composition, structure and narrative of existing reviews.

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Weeknummer Onderwerpen Studiestof
1 Introduction ppt & literature
2 Analysis of example reviews  & perspectives ppt & literature
3 Analysis of example reviews  & perspectives ppt & literature
4 Reference managers ppt & literature
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Contact information

Coordinator

  • dr. M.C. Hoorn

https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/h/o/m.c.hoorn2/m.c.hoorn.html

In addition Nesru Koroso and Andreja Lekic will be guest teachers in this course

https://www.uva.nl/profiel/k/o/n.h.koroso/n.h.koroso.html

https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/l/e/a.lekic/a.lekic.html