Experimental Methods and Design of Experiments 7.5 HP FOR045F

COURSE SYLLABUS, third-cycle courses

Course name: Experimental Methods and Design of Experiments

ECTS/HP: 7.5 hp

Course code: FOR045F

Educational level: Third-cycle course

Entry requirements:
The course is open for students admitted to third-cycle studies at LTU.

Course content:
The course deals with experimental work, theoretical and practical. We study when experiments can be effective and the requirements. We also consider process-related resources, e.g., how much time and money we spend, how we use experiments in research, and how we design experiments when conducting them in random order is difficult. You will work with experimental theories and experiments that you design, implement, and analyse.

Learning outcomes:

The student should, after the course completion, be able to:

• Analyse experiments based on a given design and given results,
• Identify strengths and weaknesses of different experimental designs,
• Explain and defend the assumptions underlying the selected analysis methods,
• Discuss and, in some cases, adjust analysis results when data deviate from the basic assumptions of the statistical analysis,
• Describe the problem and ways to counteract the influence of non-random trial order,
• Design, implement and analyse experiments.

Designs include standard experiments such as paired experiments, factorials, and response surface methods. Analysis methods include standard tests such as t-test, ANOVA, and linear regression. The course's learning objectives support the following of the Higher Education Ordnance's learning objectives that a doctor should reach for doctors whose research can be experimental:

Knowledge and understanding:

Demonstrate familiarity with research methodology in general and the methods of the specific field of research.

Competence and skills:

• Demonstrate the capacity for scholarly analysis and synthesis and to review and assess new and complex phenomena, issues, and situations autonomously and critically,
• Plan and use appropriate methods to undertake research and other qualified tasks within predetermined time frames and to review and evaluate such work,
• Demonstrate the ability to identify and formulate issues with scholarly precision critically, autonomously, and creatively, and to
• Plan and use appropriate methods to undertake research and other qualified tasks within predetermined time frames and to review and evaluate such work.

The course addresses the following qualitative targets for a Degree of Doctor according to the Higher Education Ordinance: 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, and 2.5.

Course methods:
The course consists of seminars, and students shall perform individually planned experiments. The seminars are based partly on the course book and on homework assignments, discussion of scientific articles, and the presentation and discussion of their experiments. The course is examined through active participation in seminars, presentation of the student's planned experiment and through submitted solutions to shared data at the end of the course.

Examination form:
The course's learning objectives regarding the ability to:

• analyse planned experiments according to different designs,
• compensate for analyses for cases when the data deviate from the analytical methods' statistical assumptions, and
• describe problems with non-random experimental designs and how these are counteracted

are examined through solutions to the distributed assignments that the student submits, through the students' experiments and the exam.

The course's learning outcomes on knowledge about designing, planning, and conducting experiments are examined through the student's experiment and the presentation of the same. The exam format will be decided at the start of the course.

Grading scale: Pass/Fail

Course literature:
D.C. Montgomery, Design and Analysis of Experiments, latest ed., Wiley.

Education cycle:
Study period 1-2, 2025

Course is given periodically:

Yes, next time is planned 2027

Send application to: The application is made via the form below

Application to the course starting autumn 2025 External link, opens in new window.

Doctoral student enters name, civic registration number, e-mail, Division and Department in the application

Deadline for application:
2025-05-15

Course open for application by doctoral students admitted to other universities than LTU: No

Limited number of students: No

Tuition:
The course is free of charge for doctoral students admitted at LTU.

Contact person:
Prof. Bjarne Bergquist (bjarne@ltu.se, 0920-492137)

Examiner:
Professor Bjarne Bergquist

Course syllabus decided by:
Helena Ranängen

Date of decision:

2023-12-04