ARCH512 Research Methods in Architecture
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Oct 10, 2025
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Architecture
Nerma Omićević
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This course introduces students to the research process, through critical exploration of published research, relevant to their field of interest. The course provides the understanding and use of the research terminology and integrates the elements of the research process within quantitative, qualitative, and mixed scientific methods approaches.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Kate L. Turabian. 2007. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. Chicago Style for Student and Researchers, 7th edition. The University of Chicago Press; Steven R. Terrell. 2016. Writing A Proposal for your Dissertation. Guidelines and Examples. The Guilford Press; Margaret Cargill, Patrick O'Connor. 2009. Writing Scientific Research Articles. Strategy and Steps. Wiley Blackwell; Linda Groat, David Wang. 2013. Architectural Research Methods. Second Edition. Wiley. Various articles to be provided by the lecturer
Additional Literature
Various reading material to be provided by the lecturer.Teaching Methods
Lecture method during the lesson development; the collaboration method and discussion during the class exercise.
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Course Assignments and Course administration | |
| 2 | Introduction to Research and Academic Writing | |
| 3 | Writing a Critical Review - Structure of a Critical Review | |
| 4 | Research Structure - Content of the Scientific Work | |
| 5 | Submission of-Assignment 1 | In-class presentation and discussion |
| 6 | Developing the Research Problem Statement - Elaboration of Topic-Question-Working Hypothesis | In-class discussion and exercise - Assignment |
| 7 | Writing the Literature Review | |
| 8 | Midterm Exam - Critical Review of a Scientific Article | Submission |
| 9 | Non-working day | |
| 10 | Methods in Scientific Research | |
| 11 | Writing a Scientific Research Article - Developing the Research Proposal | |
| 12 | Submission of Literature review - Assignment 2 | Submission |
| 13 | Requirements for the submission of Research Proposal - Research Methodology | In-class discussion |
| 14 | Requirements for the submission of Research Proposal - Research Methodology | In-class discussion |
| 15 | Requirements for the submission of Research Proposal - Research Methodology and Research Plan | In-class discussion |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARCH512.1 | Course | Monday 17:00 - 19:50 | A F2.16 - Architecture Studio | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday | 09:00 - 12:00 | A F3.18 | |
| Thursday | 09:00 - 12:00 | A F3.18 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam_Scientific Research Paper
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1
Class exercise_Individual Writing Assignments and Presentations
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1
Mid Term Exam_Critical Review of Scientific Article
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture
42 hours ⏳ (14 week × 3 h)
Assignments
9 hours ⏳ (3 week × 3 h)
In-class exercise
9 hours ⏳ (3 week × 3 h)
Home study
30 hours ⏳ (15 week × 2 h)
Mid-term
20 hours ⏳ (4 week × 5 h)
Final exam
40 hours ⏳ (8 week × 5 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [ARCH512] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Oct 10, 2025 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| ARCH512 | Research Methods in Architecture | 2 | 0 | 6 | ||||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Nerma Omićević | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Wednesday: 9:30-12:00 Thursday: 9:30-12:00 |
|||||||
| nomicevic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | This course introduces students to the research process, through critical exploration of published research, relevant to their field of interest. The course provides the understanding and use of the research terminology and integrates the elements of the research process within quantitative, qualitative, and mixed scientific methods approaches. |
|||||||||
| Textbook | Kate L. Turabian. 2007. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. Chicago Style for Student and Researchers, 7th edition. The University of Chicago Press; Steven R. Terrell. 2016. Writing A Proposal for your Dissertation. Guidelines and Examples. The Guilford Press; Margaret Cargill, Patrick O'Connor. 2009. Writing Scientific Research Articles. Strategy and Steps. Wiley Blackwell; Linda Groat, David Wang. 2013. Architectural Research Methods. Second Edition. Wiley. Various articles to be provided by the lecturer | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Lecture method during the lesson development; the collaboration method and discussion during the class exercise. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Course Assignments and Course administration | |||||||||
| Week 2 | Introduction to Research and Academic Writing | |||||||||
| Week 3 | Writing a Critical Review - Structure of a Critical Review | |||||||||
| Week 4 | Research Structure - Content of the Scientific Work | |||||||||
| Week 5 | Submission of-Assignment 1 | In-class presentation and discussion | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Developing the Research Problem Statement - Elaboration of Topic-Question-Working Hypothesis | In-class discussion and exercise - Assignment | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Writing the Literature Review | |||||||||
| Week 8 | Midterm Exam - Critical Review of a Scientific Article | Submission | ||||||||
| Week 9 | Non-working day | |||||||||
| Week 10 | Methods in Scientific Research | |||||||||
| Week 11 | Writing a Scientific Research Article - Developing the Research Proposal | |||||||||
| Week 12 | Submission of Literature review - Assignment 2 | Submission | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Requirements for the submission of Research Proposal - Research Methodology | In-class discussion | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Requirements for the submission of Research Proposal - Research Methodology | In-class discussion | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Requirements for the submission of Research Proposal - Research Methodology and Research Plan | In-class discussion | ||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam_Scientific Research Paper | 1 | 40 | 1;2;3;4;5;6 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Class exercise_Individual Writing Assignments and Presentations | 2 | 40 | 1;2;3;4;5 | Not Allowed | |
| Mid Term Exam_Critical Review of Scientific Article | 1 | 20 | 1 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture | 3 | 14 | 42 | Assignments | 3 | 3 | 9 | |||
| In-class exercise | 3 | 3 | 9 | Home study | 2 | 15 | 30 | |||
| Mid-term | 5 | 4 | 20 | Final exam | 5 | 8 | 40 | |||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 03/10/2025 | |||||||||