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ES50115: Applied research methods

[Page last updated: 02 August 2022]

Academic Year: 2022/23
Owning Department/School: Department of Economics
Credits: 6 [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 120
Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Period:
Semester 1
Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • CW Group Project 50% (CW 50%)
  • CW 2 50% (CW 50%)
Supplementary Assessment:
ES50115 Reassessment 100% Exam (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Learning Outcomes: By the end of the unit students will have acquired enhanced skills essential to undertaking and presenting quantitative research and will have developed competencies to represent and analyse economic data. Students will have participated in writing and presenting a group project, which will have enhanced their understanding of economic relationships from the Applied Microeconomics and Applied Macroeconomics units.

Aims:
* To foster research skills, students will be required to work both independently and as part of a team
* To foster skills in data handling and data description, students will be taught how to effectively present and interpret economic data using tables and graphs
* To foster understanding of relevant economic statistics and hypothesis testing, this unit will include analysis of examples of applied economic research
* To develop presentational skills, students will be required to present results of a group project.

Skills:
* Problem formulating and problems solving
* Information technology
* Ability to formulate a research question
* Ability to analyse and manage data and conduct appropriate bibliographical searches
* Ability to work independently
* Ability to work and communicate effectively in a team.

Content: This unit will introduce students to Eviews, Stata and R; emphasising the commands that are needed to import data from various sources, arrange and combine datasets and conduct empirical research in applied economics. In addition, students will use the appropriate software to assess relevant real-life examples and research questions.
In addition, this unit will provide a summary of the overall structure of the research process. During seminars, various topics will be covered: searching for appropriate literature, sources of applied economic and financial data, research ethics, working with survey data, plagiarism, acknowledging sources and referencing conventions, finding a supervisor and managing the dissertation process.

Programme availability:

ES50115 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Economics

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2022/23 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2023/24 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2022/23.
  • 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.