Universität Wien

233050 SE Mapping Controversies, Advising Policy (2022S)

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 23 - Soziologie
Continuous assessment of course work

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 25 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Friday 04.03. 13:30 - 15:30 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien (Kickoff Class)
  • Friday 18.03. 13:30 - 15:30 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Friday 08.04. 13:30 - 17:30 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Friday 29.04. 13:30 - 17:30 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Friday 13.05. 13:30 - 15:30 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Friday 03.06. 13:30 - 16:30 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Friday 17.06. 13:30 - 17:30 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Public controversies about science and technology have always been a major topic for STS. In this course, you will learn a method to map and grasp the complexity and dynamics of a recent real-world controversy. We will first review some central STS texts on mapping as a method. Then, working in groups, you will learn to use digital tools to identify and map first actors and then issues in a debate. You will reflect on and present the complexity of the controversy in text and image.
Building on this work, we will train a skill that is crucial for STS researchers: to communicate the complexity of techno-scientific controversies to different audiences. Concretely, you will write a policy brief to inform an imaginary policymaker about the controversy you have studied.
This course can be credited as 'additional prescribed social science methods' or as 'individual specialisation'.

Assessment and permitted materials

To pass the seminar, students are expected to complete the following tasks:
To pass the seminar, students are expected to complete the following tasks:
Preparation of the readings and active participation in class
Mapping and documenting a controversy along specific work assignments (group work)
Writing a policy brief (group work, individual work is an option)
This course uses the plagiarism-detection service Turnitin for larger assignments.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

The grading of the course is based on the separate assessment of different tasks on a scale of 1-5.

Preparation of the readings and active participation in class: 25 percent, assessed individually, Feedback on demand;

Mapping and documentation of a debate along specific work assignments (group work), regular presentation of work progress in class: 45 percent, assessed as group work, Feedback by lecturer;

Writing of a policy brief: 30 percent, assessed as group work, individual assessment optional on student request, Feedback in class;

Minimum requirements
To successfully complete the course, a weighted average of at least 4,5 is required. Failure to meet the
attendance regulations, to deliver course assignments on time or to adhere to standards of academic
work may also be considered in the course assessment.

Attendance
Presence and participation is compulsory. Absences of four hours at maximum are tolerated, provided that the lecturer is informed about the absence. Absences of up to eight hours in total may be compensated by either a deduction of grading points or/and extra work agreed with the lecturer. Whether compensation is possible is decided by the lecturer.

Absences of more than eight hours in total cannot be compensated. In this case, or if the lecturer does not allow a student to compensate absences of more than four hours, the course cannot be completed and is graded as a ‘fail’ (5), unless there is a major and unpredictable reason for not being able to fulfil the attendance requirements on the student’s side (e.g. a longer illness). In such a case, the student may be de-registered from the course without grading. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate this in a timely manner, and to provide relevant evidence to their claims if necessary. Whether this exception applies is decided by the lecturer.

Important Grading Information
If not explicitly noted otherwise, all requirements mentioned in the grading scheme and the attendance regulations must be met. If a required task is not fulfilled, e.g. a required assignment is not handed in or if the student does not meet the attendance requirements, this will be considered as a discontinuation of the course. In that case, the course will be graded as ‘fail’ (5), unless there is a major and unpredictable reason for not being able to fulfill the task on the student's side (e.g. a longer illness). In such a case, the student may be de-registered from the course without grading. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate this in a timely manner, and to provide relevant evidence to their claims if necessary. Whether this exception applies is decided by the lecturer.
If any requirement of the course has been fulfilled by fraudulent means, be it for example by cheating at an exam, plagiarizing parts of a written assignment or by faking signatures on an attendance sheet, the student's participation in the course will be discontinued, the entire course will be graded as ‘not assessed’ and will be entered into the electronic exam record as ‘fraudulently obtained’. Self-plagiarism, particularly re-using own work handed in for other courses, will be treated likewise.

Examination topics

Reading list


Association in the course directory

Last modified: Th 03.02.2022 11:49