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XX50236: Research apprenticeship project

[Page last updated: 04 August 2021]

Academic Year: 2021/2
Owning Department/School: Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences (units for MRes programmes)
Credits: 18 [equivalent to 36 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 360
Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Period:
Academic Year
Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • Report (CW 100%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Aims: To support students, within an active research community, in identifying, investigating and presenting their own original research questions within a fixed time period.

Learning Outcomes: By the end of the unit, the students should be able to:
* 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
* define researchable problems and formulate questions and 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 relevant to the integrity and rigour of research such as generalisability, validity, reliability and replicability, transparency ;
* 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.
* 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 project.
* show competency in the use of particular research designs and techniques within their own specialist discipline or subject area;
* produce a report of academic and professional merit that defines a research question/questions, identifies an appropriate methodology which has been piloted, and engages with relevant theory and data.

Skills: Intellectual skills:
* define and answer a research question
* demonstrate knowledge of 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;
* develop a pilot of the research methodology and present findings in a coherent manner
* support arguments with relevant empirical data;
* develop rigorous arguments through precise use of relevant concepts, models and illustrations
* understand and apply concepts relevant to the integrity and rigour of research such as generalisability, validity, reliability and replicability. Professional practice skills:
* develop, apply, test and hone professional practice skills taught in the research methods units of the programme, depending on the particular nature of the Research Apprenticeship Project
* understand issues posed by social research in relation to ethics, confidentiality and legality;
* have a good command of language skills where appropriate;
* present the Report in a written form that conforms to acceptable standards of presentation and expression;
* complete the assignment within the agreed deadline. Transferable/Key skills:
* writing, presentation and dissemination skills
* bibliographic skills including library and other sources
* research management skills, including time, personnel and resources planning and monitoring
* language skills where appropriate
* ability to work independently.

Content: Any area of social science research for which an adequate level of supervision can be offered. The nature of the Research Apprenticeship Project is that students 'learn-by-doing', and so they will be expected to demonstrate their ability to define a research question, design an appropriate and coherent methodology to answer the research question, conduct primary research through a pilot exercise, and produce a research report that conforms to acceptable standards of presentation.

Programme availability:

XX50236 is a Designated Essential Unit on the following programmes:

Department of Education Department of Economics Department for Health Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
  • THXX-AFM50 : MRes Politics & International Studies
  • THXX-AFM51 : MRes Politics & International Studies (Leading to PhD)
Department of Psychology Department of Social & Policy Sciences

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2021/22 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2022/23 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2021/22.
  • Programmes and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.