Scientific Theory for Engineers
Vetenskapsteori för ingenjörer

EDAG10, 5.0 credits, G2 (First Cycle)

Valid for: 2025/26
Faculty: Faculty of Engineering LTH
Decided by: PLED C/D
Date of Decision: 2025-04-14
Effective: 2025-05-05

General Information

Main field: Technology Depth of study relative to the degree requirements: First cycle, in-depth level of the course cannot be classified
Mandatory for: C3
Elective for: D4
Language of instruction: The course will be given in Swedish

Aim

The course should provide a reasonably advanced understanding of what knowledge is, as well as how it can be obtained, communicated, assessed, and used in practice. The course also provides training in written and oral presentation and reasoning around ethical aspects.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must

• The course should provide a reasonably advanced understanding of what knowledge is, as well as how it can be obtained and valued and used in practice.
• After completing the course, the student must be familiar with, able to compare some basic epistemological concepts and approaches, and be familiar with and compare some basic scientific paradigms and methods

Competences and skills
For a passing grade the student must

• be able to search for and use evidence-based knowledge
• be able to formulate relevant research questions
• be able to plan an approach to seeking answers to research questions
• be able to formulate generalizable knowledge based on a completed research study
• be able to review a research report

Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must

• be able to assess and reason about the value of different kinds of knowledge
• be able to determine what kind of knowledge is needed for different decisions by engineers

Contents

The course provides an overview of what science is in a broader perspective, which includes not only explanatory sciences (such as natural sciences) but also other forms of knowledge building such as analytical (formal) sciences and creative (design) sciences. The course provides tools and training in valuing different forms of knowledge, identifying common basic assumptions and knowledge gaps, and systematically seeking and communicating new knowledge.

Examination details

Grading scale: TH - (U, 3, 4, 5) - (Fail, Three, Four, Five)
Assessment:

To pass, preparation and active participation at the seminars and a completed project are required. The final grade for the course is based on a combined assessment of the project's parts.

The examiner, in consultation with Disability Support Services, may deviate from the regular form of examination in order to provide a permanently disabled student with a form of examination equivalent to that of a student without a disability.

Modules
Code: 0123. Name: Project.
Credits: 4.0. Grading scale: TH - (U, 3, 4, 5). Assessment: To pass a completed project is required. The module includes: Project
Code: 0223. Name: Seminars.
Credits: 1.0. Grading scale: UG - (U, G). Assessment: To pass, preparation and active participation in seminars are required.

Admission

Admission requirements:

• At least 110 credits completed in the MSc in Engineering program up to and including study period 2

Reading list

• Kristina Säfsten och Maria Gustavsson: Forskningsmetodik - För ingenjörer och andra problemlösare. Studentlitteratur AB, 2019, ISBN: 9789144067421. Main book.
• Chalmers, Alan F., 1939-: What is this thing called science?. Maidenhead : Open University Press/McGraw-Hill Education, 2013, ISBN: 0335262783. Recommended reading.
• Per Runeson, Emelie Engström, and Margaret-Anne Storey: The Design Science Paradigm as a Frame for Empirical Software Engineering - Chapter in book: Contemporary Empirical Methods in Software Engineering. Springer, 2020, ISBN: 978-3-030-32489-6. Complementing material.
  https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-32489-6_5

Contact

Course coordinator: Emelie Engström, emelie.engstrom@cs.lth.se
Examinator: Emelie Engström, emelie.engstrom@cs.lth.se