Course detail
Methodological Principles of Research and Development Work
FSI-9VVP Acad. year: 2026/2027 Both semester
The course provides a common methodological framework for independent research and development work in engineering. It focuses on formulating and systematically scoping a problem, critically appraising the state of knowledge and existing technical solutions, selecting and justifying methods, verifying and validating results, scholarly and technical communication, and the responsible handling of results. Its unifying logic is: problem → state of knowledge or existing technical solutions → research or development gap → objective → method → result → verification and validation → contribution, linking the research and development pathways of doctoral study. These principles apply throughout doctoral studies; their first comprehensive application is the preparation and defence of a doctoral thesis proposal.
Language of instruction
Czech
Supervisor
Department
Entry knowledge
Students are expected to have Master 's-level knowledge in their field, be able to work independently with scholarly and technical sources, particularly in English, identify and provisionally frame a problem, and interpret results obtained using methods relevant to their area of specialisation. It is recommended that students have a broadly defined doctoral thesis topic agreed with their supervisor.
Rules for evaluation and completion of the course
The course is completed by an examination graded Pass/Fail. Continuous assessment consists of completing and submitting the required outputs from five practical classes in the winter semester and participating in the seminars in the summer semester, including providing structured peer review. Admission to the examination requires fulfilment of these obligations, submission of the final doctoral thesis proposal, and a favourable statement from the supervisor confirming the relevance and feasibility of the proposal.
The examination takes the form of a presentation and defence of the doctoral thesis proposal within the Final Assessment Seminar. Assessment covers the definition of the problem, critical appraisal of the state of knowledge or existing technical solutions, justification of the research or development gap, logical alignment among the problem, gap, objectives, and methods, the approach to verification and validation of results, feasibility of the proposed approach, expected contribution, and quality of scholarly argumentation. To pass the course, all listed criteria must be met; a major deficiency in the definition of the problem, gap, objectives, methods, or approach to verification and validation cannot be offset by stronger performance in other areas of assessment.
Aims
The course aims to develop students' ability to independently conceive and structure engineering research and development work in a methodologically defensible manner. Students will be able to translate a problem into a structured research or development concept, critically appraise the state of knowledge and existing technical solutions, and define a research or development gap. On this basis, they will be able to formulate appropriate objectives, select and justify suitable methods, and design an approach to the verification and validation of results. The course also develops the ability to construct scholarly arguments, present them effectively, and handle results responsibly. Students will apply these principles both in preparing and defending a doctoral thesis proposal and in subsequent research and development activities during their doctoral studies and in engineering practice.
Study aids
Presentation slides and accompanying methodological materials for individual topics, together with assignments and methodological guidance for preparing the doctoral thesis proposal, are available on the e-learning platform.
The study programmes with the given course
Programme D-STG-P: Manufacturing Technology, Doctoral, compulsory
Programme D-ENE-P: Power Engineering, Doctoral, compulsory
Programme D-MAT-P: Materials Sciences, Doctoral, compulsory
Programme D-IME-P: Applied Mechanics, Doctoral, compulsory
Programme D-KPI-P: Design and Process Engineering, Doctoral, compulsory
Programme D-FIN-P: Physical Engineering and Nanotechnology, Doctoral, compulsory
Programme D-APM-P: Applied Mathematics, Doctoral, compulsory
Type of course unit
Lecture
20 hours, optionally
Syllabus
Winter semester
1. Doctoral Study and the Nature of the Contribution – roles of the doctoral student, supervisor, and research community; independence, originality, and the nature of the contribution; research and development results and their defensibility.
2. Problem, System, and Model – topic, problem, problem situation, assignment, and objective; types of problems; system scoping, system boundaries, elements, and relationships; modelling, complexity, and selection of an approach appropriate to the nature of the problem.
3. Scientific Method and the Research Process – generation and verification of scientific knowledge; role of research questions and hypotheses; theory, model, and evidence; induction, deduction, and abduction; experimentation, measurement, simulation, and data handling.
4. Engineering Development and the Development Process – needs and requirements, functions, parameters, and design criteria; generation and selection of alternatives; iterative design, modelling, simulation, prototyping, and testing; role of verification and validation in the development process.
5. From the Problem to a Preliminary Gap and Project Concept – problem context; preliminary identification of gaps in knowledge, methods, data, or existing technical solutions; working formulation of a research or development gap and a framework for its verification.
6. Review Strategies and Synthesis of the State of Knowledge and Existing Technical Solutions – exploratory, narrative, systematic, patent, and technical reviews; searching, screening, and critical appraisal of sources; evidence synthesis, scientometrics, mapping the research community, and responsible use of AI in literature searching and source evaluation.
7. From Evidence to the Research or Development Gap, Objectives, and Methodological Approach – confirmation, refinement, or reconsideration of the gap; formulation of objectives, research questions and hypotheses, or a development brief; selection and justification of methods; logical alignment among the problem, gap, objectives, and methods; feasibility, limitations, and risks.
8. Results, Verification, Validation, and Contribution – distinction among output, result, and contribution; evaluation, verification, and validation; validity, repeatability, reproducibility, uncertainty, and robustness; functionality, performance, reliability, safety, compliance with requirements, and application readiness.
9. Responsible Research and Development Practice and Communication of Results – research integrity and authorship; research data management, FAIR principles, and open science; scholarly publishing and peer review; responsible use of AI in research and development; principles of scholarly argumentation and presentation.
10. Protection and Application of Research and Development Results – public disclosure, protection, and confidentiality; intellectual property, patents, utility models and industrial designs, software, know-how, and trade secrets; collaboration with industry, ownership of results, technology transfer, and commercialisation.
Seminar
12 hours, optionally
Syllabus
Summer semester
1. Consultation Seminar on the Doctoral Thesis Proposal – development of the winter-semester project concept into a working draft of the proposal; refinement of the problem, research or development gap, objective, methodological approach, expected outputs and results, including the principal risks; assessment of the scope and feasibility of the proposal.
2. Assessment Seminar – Draft Proposal – expert review of the logical alignment among the problem, gap, objectives, and methods; quality of evidence, expected outputs and results, approach to verification and validation, feasibility, and risks; identification of weaknesses and recommendations for further development.
3. Peer Review of the Proposal – structured review of peers' proposals; clarity of the problem, persuasiveness of the gap formulation, methodological coherence, quality of evidence, feasibility, approach to verification and validation, and expected contribution; giving and receiving scholarly feedback and planning how to address it.
4. Final Assessment Seminar – Presentation and Defence of the Doctoral Thesis Proposal – presentation and defence of the final proposal; scholarly discussion of methodological coherence, quality of evidence, feasibility, approach to verification and validation, and expected contribution; assessment using the established rubric.
Exercise
10 hours, optionally
Syllabus
Winter semester
1. Problem Formulation and System Scoping – transition from topic to problem; current and target states; system boundaries, relevant elements and stakeholders, constraints, and preliminary success criteria; preliminary choice of a research or development approach.
2. Narrative Review and Preliminary Research or Development Gap – exploratory searching and critical screening of sources; mapping key concepts, research directions, existing technical solutions, and open problems; working formulation of the gap.
3. Design of a Systematic Review and Refinement of the Project Concept – review question and protocol; databases, keywords, and selection criteria; documentation and verification of sources; responsible use of AI; refinement of the preliminary gap, research question, hypothesis, or development brief.
4. Critical Appraisal of Scholarly Sources and Mapping the Research Community – analysis of the problem, methods, data, validation, argumentation, limitations, and contribution of selected publications; scientometrics, research groups, journals, conferences, and citation networks.
5. Methodological Coherence and Presentation of the Project Concept – logical alignment among the problem, gap, objectives, and methods; expected outputs, verification and validation, feasibility, risks, and contribution; project outline and presentation of the concept.