This course introduces first-year students to the fundamentals of academic inquiry and research in Sustainability Science. Students will explore sustainability-related topics, learn how to search and evaluate scholarly literature, and develop basic information literacy skills. The course covers scientific literature reading, academic integrity, citation practices, and reference management using Zotero. Through assignments and presentations, students will develop critical thinking and communication skills. By the end of the course, students will be able to conduct a preliminary literature search, evaluate relevant sources, and develop and present a basic project proposal.

Punch, K. F. (2016). Developing Effective Research Proposals (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (5th ed.). Sage Publications.

Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., Williams, J. M., Bizup, J., & Fitzgerald, W. T. (2016). The Craft of Research (4th ed.). University of Chicago Press.

Zotero Documentation. Available at: https://www.zotero.org/support/

Selected scientific journal articles and sustainability-related case studies provided during the semester.