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12.757

Seminar in Oceanography at Woods Hole

Units arranged [P/D/F] · Graduate

Topics in marine geology and geophysics, physical, dynamical, and chemical oceanography. Content varies from term to term. 12.754 , 12.755, and 12.756 are letter-graded.

Spring 2005 · Science and Communication

This seminar is intended to help students in the MIT/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program develop a broader perspective on their thesis research by considering some aspects of science in the large. The first part of the course challenges students to develop a thoughtful view towards major questions in science that can be incorporated in their own research process, and that will help them articulate research findings. The second part of the course emphasizes science as a social process and the important roles of written and oral communication. This course is offered through The {{% resource_link "5560fe2a-4175-4416-a7e1-bad1d0ccc611" "MIT/WHOI Joint Program" %}}. The MIT/WHOI Joint Program is one of the premier marine science graduate programs in the world. It draws on the complementary strengths and approaches of two great institutions: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI).

Readings

  • HP97 - Hatton, J., and P. B. Plouffe. Science and Its Ways of Knowing . Princeton, NJ: Benjamin Cummings; 1 edition, 1996. ISBN: 9780132055765.
    Listed reading
  • M79 - Medawar, P. Advice to a Young Scientist . New York, NY: Harpercollins Childrens Books; 1st ed edition, 1979. ISBN: 9780060130299.
    Listed reading
  • NAS95 - National Academy of Sciences. On Being a Scientist, Responsible Conduct in Research . Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1995. ISBN: 9780309051965.
    Listed reading
  • C99 - Chalmers, A. What is This Thing Called Science ? New York, NY: Open University Press; 3rd edition, 1999. ISBN: 9780335201099.
    Listed reading
  • Anholt, R. Dazzle’em With Style, the Art of Scientific Presentation . Burlington, MA: Academic Press; 2 edition, 2005. ISBN: 9780123694522.
    Listed reading
  • Bishop, C. How to Edit a Scientific Journal . Philadelphia, PA: ISI Press, 1984. ISBN: 9780894950339.
    Listed reading
  • Bronowski, J. “The creative process.” Scientific American 1995 (1958): 4-11.
    Listed reading
  • Dodd, J. The ACS Style Guide . Washington, DC: American Chemical Society, 1997. ISBN: 9780841234628.
    Listed reading
  • Kuhn, T. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions . Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1996. ISBN: 9780226458083.
    Listed reading
  • Klemke, E., R. Hollinger, D. Rudge, and A. Kline. Introductory Readings in the Philosophy of Science . Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 1998. ISBN: 9781573922401.
    Listed reading
  • Miller, D. Popper Selections . Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1985. ISBN: 9780691020310.
    Listed reading
  • Woodward, J., and D. Goodstein. “Conduct, misconduct and the structure of science.” American Scientist 84 (1996): 479-490.
    Listed reading
  • Zucker, A. Introduction to the Philosophy of Science . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995. ISBN: 9780024321046.
    Listed reading
  • In most cases the readings are one or a few chapters extracted from a long monograph. Even well written chapters taken out of their context will lose some clarity and some of their meaning, and, for example, it would be much better to read Medawar’s Advice to a Young Scientist straight through rather than in bits and pieces as is indicated in this syllabus. Because the reading selections come from a wide range of sources you will often notice a significant and sometimes jarring difference in style and perspective from one piece to the next. This can make the articles a good deal harder to assimilate on first reading than they would be if we could take the time to read the full volume from which they are taken.
    Listed reading
  • Bronowski. 1995, pp. 5-11.
    Required
  • M79. Preface and chapters 1-4.
    Listed reading
  • Popper. In Miller. 1985, pp. 25-32.
    Listed reading
  • Ziman. In Klemke, et al. 1998, pp. 48-53.
    Required
  • Popper. In Miller. 1985, pp. 163-179.
    Required
  • C99. Introduction and chapter 1.
    Required
  • M79. Chapters 5-7.
    Listed reading
  • Kuhn. 1996, chapter 9.
    Required
  • C99. Chapter 8.
    Required
  • C99. Chapters 2, 3, and 13.
    Required
  • M79. Chapter 9.
    Listed reading
  • C99. Chapters 4 and 5.
    Required
  • M79. Chapter 11.
    Required
  • C99. Chapters 6,7,10, and 11.
    Required
  • Salmon. 1992, pp. 7-41.
    Required
  • Weinberg. In Best American Science Writing . 2002, pp. 258-272.
    Required
  • Mayr, E. Toward a New Philosophy of Biology . 1988, essays 1 and 2, pp. 8-37.
    Required
  • Jenkins, S. H. How Science Works ? 2004, chapter 4, pp. 53-72.
    Required
  • M79. Chapter 6.
    Required
  • Bishop. 1984, chapter 6.
    Required
  • Woodward and Goodstein. 1996.
    Required
  • M79. Chapter 8.
    Required
  • Dodd. 1986, chapter 1.
    Required
  • Medawar. 1990, pp. 228-233.
    Required
  • Anholt. 1994, chapter 1 and 2.
    Required

Prerequisites & course information

Prereq: Permission of instructor Acad Year 2027-2028: Not offered Acad Year 2028-2029: G (Fall) Units arranged [P/D/F] Can be repeated for credit.

Sources