2026 (Current Year) Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Entrepreneurship courses
Fundamentals of Scientific Research
- Academic unit or major
- Entrepreneurship courses
- Instructor(s)
- Hazel Bantolino Gonzales / Dan Ricinschi /
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-6 Thu (S3-215(S321))
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- ENT.B301
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2026
- Offered quarter
- 1Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 5, 2026
- Language
- English
※ Courses with parentheses in the course number have different subject codes depending on the student's year of admission.
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
The course aims to introduce students to the basic terminology, definitions and principles of scientific research and their practical application to research projects to be carried out as part of their education in senior years/graduate school and further in the future throughout their career after graduation.
The course will be taught in English.
Course description and aims
Students will be able to correctly understand and consistently apply the scientific method to their research projects in near and far future. They will also develop the basic ability to collect, process, describe and analyze scientific research results.
Keywords
Scientific Research, Scientific Method, Hypotheses, Research Design, Data Description and Analysis, Research Ethics
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
The course will be taught by three instructors and classes will be held for 100 minutes each week for 7 weeks. Students are expected to attend each class. Missing more than 50% of the classes will prevent acquisition of PASS grade and credits.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction to Scientific Research |
Students will be introduced to the basic definition of scientific research (including its types) and the research scenario. They will be introduced to the important terminologies or expressions, rules, patterns or formats, and methods in conducting research. |
| Class 2 | Scientific Method and Its Importance |
Students will learn the step-by-step method of inquiry through the scientific method. They will be guided to the importance of each step and how the whole process can be beneficial in organizing their research and thereby communicating their output. |
| Class 3 | Application of the Scientific Method of Inquiry |
Students will be tasked to apply parts of the scientific method to a research topic of their choice. As a practical application, this session will help students exercise their ability to formulate a research outline that illustrates the use of scientific method. |
| Class 4 | Constructing and testing of scientific hypotheses. |
Students will learn the basics of scientific hypothesis formulation and testing, with an overview of statistical methods for their evaluation. |
| Class 5 | Research design and methods |
Students will learn the fundamentals of experimental design, with an overview of statistical methods. |
| Class 6 | Research Ethics |
Students will gain an understanding of the lecture on ‘Research Ethics’, and consider the relationship of research ethics with the independent research projects they will undertake in their respective laboratories starting next year, as well as their future careers. |
| Class 7 | Describing, displaying and analyzing data |
Students will learn the fundamentals of data organizing and graphing. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
TBD
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Course materials will be distributed on the Science Tokyo LMS after the classes, or in advance where necessary.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Students will receive a grade for reports assigned by each instructor, with active participation during the class exchanges also taken into consideration. The final grade will be the weighted average of the three grades, proportional to the number of classes taught by each instructor.
Related courses
- not applicable
Prerequisites
not applicable