Research Methods in Food Science

Catalog description

Planning and conducting research in food science including: problem definition, experimental design, collecting and recording data, and effective communication. FD SC 501 Research Methods in Food Science (2) FD SC 501 is designed to develop and improve research skills and prepare students for professional careers. The course will guide the student from problem selection to a completed research report. Along the way the student will come to appreciate the philosophical underpinnings of the research enterprise and understand how a research project is conducted in a professional and acceptable manner. The course will provide an overview of statistical techniques used for data analyses and protocols necessary to conduct research using human and animal subjects. Emphasis will be given to learning and improving written and oral communication skills. Students will learn by identifying funding sources, writing a research grant proposal and presenting the same to an audience. Subtleties of writing skills for peer-reviewed journals and corporate reports will be highlighted. Performance in the course will be evaluated based on written and oral presentations and class participation. A variety of audio-visual tools will be available to make presentations in the class. The course will be offered every spring semester.