SPEDB009 Research Methodology I - Writing Academic Texts

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2025
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 8 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Bc. Libor Juhaňák, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Bc. Libor Juhaňák, Ph.D.
Department of Educational Sciences – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. et Mgr. Adéla Zajíčková
Supplier department: Department of Educational Sciences – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites (in Czech)
SPEDB001 Educational Sciences && SPEDB002 Social Education
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Learning outcomes of the course unit the aim of the subject is to acquire professional competences for independent processing and presentation of professional text. The subject leads students to write a theoretical study based on scientific procedures (analysis, comparison and synthesis). The partial aim is to prepare students to acquire skills for reviewing expert texts.
Learning outcomes
The aim of the course is to present academic project writing skills to students. Students will be able to exert:
- work with sources and literature;
- crate the outline;
- write a resource-based text;
- evaluate the quality of text;
- write the review;
- present the results (defense of the thesis).
Syllabus
  • In order to start working on the thesis, students must enroll in the course in the IS. Each student chooses his/her supervisor in September. Students agree on a specific topic with their supervisors. If a student fails to do so in the given period of time, a supervisor will be assigned. A cycle of lectures begins in October, which will present to students the progress of work and possible difficulties. Text creation progress will be supervised – it is desirable that the students follow instructions from their supervisors. The first assignment is to create a topic, a list of sources, annotated basic bibliography, an outline, and, in the end, the thesis as such. There are two submission dates: the first one is recommended and students who submit their theses on this date will get feedback prior to the final deadline. The second submission date is the final deadline for completed final-drafts. Theses will be defeated within the supervisor’s group. Each student writes a review of a thesis by a colleague and prepares his/her reaction to a review written by a colleague. The supervisor decides the result.
  • Course outline
  • September: course registration and enrolment in the IS
  • Choice of a supervisor and agreement on a topic
  • Lecture: What is scientific text?
  • Lecture: How to create a text outline?
  • Lecture: How to work with information and literature?
  • Lecture: How to defend a thesis?
  • First-draft submission.
  • Final-draft submission.
Literature
    required literature
  • TRNKOVÁ, Kateřina, Kateřina LOJDOVÁ, Petr NOVOTNÝ, Klára ŠEĎOVÁ, Roman ŠVAŘÍČEK and Jiří ZOUNEK. Psaní odborných textů. Průvodce tvorbou ročníkové práce na Ústavu pedagogických věd FF MU (Academic writing). 1. vyd. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2014, 106 pp. ISBN 978-80-210-6863-6. Digitální knihovna FF MU info
  • ŠANDEROVÁ, Jadwiga and Alena MILTOVÁ. Jak číst a psát odborný text ve společenských vědách : několik zásad pro začátečníky. Vydání první. Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství, 2005, 209 stran. ISBN 9788086429403. info
  • PICHA, Marek. Základy odborného výzkumu (Basics of scientific research). In Cesty k vědě: jak správně myslet a psát. Olomouc: Nakladatelství Olomouc, 2007, p. 147-155, 8 pp. Katedra filozofie FF MU, svazek 1. ISBN 978-80-7182-223-3. info
    recommended literature
  • MAZÁČOVÁ, Pavlína. Jak (ne)psát odborný text (How (not) to write a scholarly text). 2013. URL info
  • ECO, Umberto and Ivan SEIDL. Jak napsat diplomovou práci. Olomouc: Votobia, 1997, 271 s. ISBN 80-7198-173-7. info
    not specified
  • Pedagogická encyklopedie. Edited by Tomáš Janík - Milada Rabušicová - Jan Průcha. Vyd. 1. Praha: Portál, 2009, 935 s. ISBN 9788073675462. info
Teaching methods
lectures; class discussions; presentation and discussion of papers; individual consultation.
Assessment methods
Course evaluation: credit
Assessment:
1. Presence at lectures
2. Participation at discussion sessions with the thesis supervisor
3. Thesis submission
4. Writing a review of another thesis
Language of instruction
Czech
Study support
https://elf.phil.muni.cz
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: individuální konzultace.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
Teacher's information
https://elf.phil.muni.cz/
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