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PL20963: Research design and methods in MLES

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2017/8
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
Further information on credits Credits: 6      [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Further information on notional study hours Notional Study Hours: 120
Further information on unit levels Level: Intermediate (FHEQ level 5)
Further information on teaching periods Period:
Semester 2
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 33%, ES 67%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework (CW 33%)
  • Essay (ES 67%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites:
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
The aim of this unit is to provide students with a detailed knowledge of key methodologies and research techniques in preparation for their year abroad and final year dissertation.
It provides an introduction to the principles, philosophies and practice of research design in social sciences and the humanities. It introduces students to a selection of qualitative research techniques. It also provides students with an overview and initial experience of planning and conducting research before the year abroad and the final year dissertation.
The unit will provide an overview of approaches to theory construction and research design, the selection and definition of a research question and specification of key concepts. It will also introduce students to qualitative, quantitative and mixed methodological approaches, and provide examples of how they have been used in the discipline. A key aim of the unit is to introduce students to qualitative methods by discussing the central methodological concepts and principles that underpin them and examining the criteria for assessing the quality of qualitative research. This is applied to interviews, focus groups, observations and other qualitative techniques.
Seminars will focus more precisely on skills required during the year abroad and the MLES dissertation.

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this unit, students will be able to:
* demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a range of research approaches and methods;
* develop an understanding of approaches to theory construction and research design; understand the relationships between theory and research material;
* demonstrate an understanding of the stages involved in the research process from specifying a research question to analysing evidence using analysis techniques;
* critically appraise up to three qualitative research methods;
* plan and carry out research for a dissertation.

Skills:
Skills in critical analysis, conceptual thinking, exercise of independent judgement, reasoned argument, effective communication and the planning/conduct/reporting of research are developed and assessed in this unit.

Content:

* An introduction to the principles of research in the Humanities and Social Sciences - approaches to theory construction and research design (inductive and deductive); the role of theory in the selection and formulation of research questions; research questions and hypotheses
* An introduction to qualitative, quantitative and multi/mixed method designs - examination of different approaches and how they have been applied in the Humanities and Social Sciences.
* A detailed overview of qualitative methods in the Humanities and Social Sciences such as narrative/discourse analysis; interviews/elite interviews, observations, focus groups and qualitative comparative analysis and case studies
* A basic overview of key statistical concepts used in the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

PL20963 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
  • UHPL-AYB08 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and ab initio Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AYB09 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and ab initio Russian) with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AYB05 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and German) with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AYB04 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AYB18 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and Spanish) with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AYB06 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (German and ab initio Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AYB07 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (German and ab initio Russian) with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AYB02 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (German and Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AYB23 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (German and Spanish) with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AYB20 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (Spanish and ab initio Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AYB22 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (Spanish and ab initio Russian) with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AYB19 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (Spanish and Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 2)

Notes: