Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences, Unit Catalogue 2007/08 |
XX50133 Short research apprenticeship project (MRes) |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Masters |
| Semester: 1 |
| Assessment: CW 100% |
| Requisites: |
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Aims: To support students, within an active research community, in identifying and designing their own original research project on a modest scale.
Learning Outcomes: By the end of the unit, the students should be able to: Knowledge and Understanding * understand the basic principles of research design and appreciate alternative approaches to research; * understand the significance of alternative epistemological positions that provide the context for theory construction, research design and the selection of appropriate analytical techniques Intellectual skills * define researchable problems and formulate questions and, where appropriate, hypotheses; * understand the relationships between, and the rationale for, particular qualitative and quantitative research methods and be able to select appropriate strategies for research and/or evaluation; * understand and apply concepts of generalisability, validity, reliability and replicability; Professional practice skills * develop, apply, test and hone on a modest scale the professional practice skills taught in the research methods units of the programme, depending on the particular nature of their Research Apprenticeship * understand issues posed by social research in relation to ethics, confidentiality and legality; * have a good command of language skills where appropriate. Transferable/Key skills * develop, apply, test and hone on a modest scale some of the transferable/key skills taught in the research methods units of the programme, depending on the particular nature of their Research Apprenticeship Project. Skills: See above. Content: Any area of social science research for which an adequate level of supervision can be offered. The nature of the Short Research Apprenticeship Project is that students 'learn-by-doing', and so they will be expected to demonstrate their ability to identify a manageable research question from an area of interest and literature, and then to plan the research process through from problem identification to research choices, to data collection and analysis, with clear consideration of ethical issues. the submitted research design, including pilot data, is expected to conform to acceptable standards of presentation for a research proposal. |