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 Academic Year: | 2018/9 |
| Owning Department/School: | Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies |
| Credits: | 6 [equivalent to 12 CATS credits] |
| Notional Study Hours: | 120 |
| Level: | Intermediate (FHEQ level 5) |
| Period: |
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| Assessment Summary: | CW 33%, ES 67% |
| Assessment Detail: |
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| Supplementary Assessment: |
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| 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. |
| Programme availability: |
PL20963 is Compulsory on the following programmes:Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
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Notes:
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