MPV_MSEV Methodology of empirical research

Faculty of Economics and Administration
Spring 2017
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Laura Fónadová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Dr. Robin Henderson (lecturer)
Mag. Dr. Peter Huber (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Laura Fónadová, Ph.D.
Department of Public Economics – Faculty of Economics and Administration
Contact Person: Jana Biskupová
Supplier department: Department of Public Economics – Faculty of Economics and Administration
Timetable of Seminar Groups
MPV_MSEV/01: Wed 12:50–14:30 S402, L. Fónadová
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 25 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/25, only registered: 0/25, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/25
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The objective of the course is to introduce students to the basics of the social research methodology and to show them methodological procedures of applied research of socio-economic phenomena.

The course should give students the knowledge and skills which will be of practical use for them:
1. in managerial positions (when acquiring information needed for effective decision-making, when analyzing the value of the acquired information etc.);
2. in their further studies (when writing their thesis and as a source for deeper study of scientific research methodology in their postgraduate studies).

At the end of the course the students should:
- have basic knowledge of the aims and the significance of social research;
- know the major types of research design and methods of collection and analyzing research data;
- know what is necessary for research proposals and for research reports;
- be able to judge critically the planned research proposals and their outputs.
Syllabus
  • 1.Introduction. Science, structure of sciences. Scientific research, features of scientific research, purpose and significance of scientific research. Ethical aspects of scientific research. Empirical social research and its value for the practice of different fields.
  • 2. Types of research. Basic and applied research, primary and secondary research. Scientific research methods. Theoretical methods, empirical methods. Theory, model, concept. Purpose of theory, theory-practice relationship.
  • 3. The stages of research process. Research problem, research objectives, research questions, research hypotheses.
  • 4. Study of scientific and professional literature. Theoretical critical analysis of the level of knowledge, choice and formulation of theoretical methodological background. Contemporary information sources and their use.
  • 5. Types of research design. Types defined on the basis of research purpose (exploratory, descriptive, predictive, causal research), types defined on the basis of research objective and logics (qualitative, quantitative research). Research proposal. Examples of research proposals in selected fields of application.
  • 6. Quantitative methodology I. Conceptualization, operationalization. Variable, types of variables. Levels of measurement. Quantitative data collection methods.
  • 7. Quantitative methodology II. Measurement scales, questionnaires and their construction. Validity and reliability.
  • 8. Research sample, research sample representativity. Methods for research sample selection (probability sampling design, improbability sampling design). Addressing respondents, general principles of primary data collection quality. Return rates.
  • 9. Quantitative methodology III. Quantitative data analysis, documentation and presentation of quantitative research results (tables, graphs). Research results interpretation.
  • 10. Qualitative methodology. Qualitative data collection and analysis methods.
  • 11. Secondary data and their analysis. Sources of secondary data, judging the quality of secondary data, advantages and disadvantages of secondary data analysis.
  • 12. Presentation of research results. Research report, scientific article, poster, popularization article. Language of science.
Literature
    required literature
  • Jak se vyrábí sociologická znalost :příručka pro uživatele. Edited by Miroslav Disman. 3. vyd. Praha: Karolinum, 2000, 374 s. ISBN 80-246-0139-7. info
  • PUNCH, Keith. Základy kvantitativního šetření. Translated by Jan Hendl. Vydání první. Praha: Portál, 2008, 150 stran. ISBN 9788073673819. info
  • Základy sociologického výzkumu. Edited by Alois Surynek - Růžena Komárková - Eva Kašparová. 1. vyd. Praha: Management Press, 2001, 160 s. ISBN 80-7261-038-4. info
    recommended literature
  • KREJČÍ, Jindřich. Kvalita sociálněvědních výběrových šetření v České republice. Vyd. 1. Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství, 2008, 195 s. ISBN 9788074190018. info
  • PAVLICA, Karel. Sociální výzkum, podnik a management : průvodce manažera v oblasti výzkumu hospodářských organizací. Vyd. 1. Praha: Ekopress, 2000, 160 s. ISBN 8086119254. info
  • STRAUSS, Anselm and Juliet CORBINOVÁ. Základy kvalitativního výzkumu : postupy a techniky metody zakotvené teorie. Vyd. 1. Boskovice: Albert, 1999, 196 s. ISBN 80-85834-60-X. info
  • ŠANDEROVÁ, Jadwiga and Alena MILTOVÁ. Jak číst a psát odborný text ve společenských vědách : několik zásad pro začátečníky. Vydání první. Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství, 2005, 209 stran. ISBN 9788086429403. info
Assessment methods
90-minute seminars take place regularly in the weeks of the term. Students will elaborate a research proposal on the selected topic. At the end, there is a written examination and an oral discussion of the elaborated research proposal. The written exam has 2 parts: 1st part checks the knowledge of the theory presented in the lectures (evaluation scale 0-100%); 2nd part checks the ability to apply the theory to practical examples (evaluation scale 0-100%). The quality of the research projects will be evaluated using the 0-100% scale. The final evaluation will be the average of the above-mentioned three partial evaluations. The minimum for passing the exam is 60%.
If students commit a prohibited act, such as using various forbidden tools, cribbing, taking out any part of the exam or any other cheating, the teacher is allowed to interrupt an exam and to grade a student with F, FF or FFF according to the seriousness of the offence. The mentioned procedure relates to all the activities that are included in the final evaluation of the course (seminar work, essays, tests etc.).
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
General note: Předmět je identický s Metodologií socioekonomického výzkumu.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2009, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Spring 2016, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2017, recent)
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