ZURn6301 Research Project

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2023
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 8 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. et Mgr. Marína Urbániková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Iveta Jansová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. et Mgr. Marína Urbániková, Ph.D.
Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Mgr. Boris Rafailov, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Thu 16. 2. 12:00–13:40 M117, Thu 23. 2. 12:00–13:40 M117, Thu 2. 3. 12:00–13:40 M117, Thu 9. 3. 12:00–13:40 M117, Thu 16. 3. 12:00–13:40 M117, Thu 23. 3. 12:00–13:40 PC25, Thu 30. 3. 12:00–13:40 M117, Thu 6. 4. 12:00–13:40 M117, Thu 13. 4. 12:00–13:40 M117, Thu 20. 4. 12:00–13:40 M117, Thu 27. 4. 12:00–13:40 M117, Thu 4. 5. 12:00–13:40 M117, Thu 11. 5. 12:00–13:40 M117
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of this course is to equip students with the skills and abilities to be able to design their own quantitative or qualitative empirical research project. The course will take students through the different phases of the research process - from the choice of the research topic through the formulation of the research problem, the specification of the research goal and the research question, the formulation of the hypotheses, the operationalization, the choice of the method(s) and the sample selection (including the problem of representativity). At the same time, it will also address the problems and risks that researchers most often encounter. During the course the students will work on their own research projects, which will be discussed during practical workshops in the course of the semester and which will also be the main output of the course.
Learning outcomes
Upon the completion of the course, students will:
- Have knowledge of the main stages of empirical research
- Understand the importance of research design
- Have knowledge of the main building blocks of the research project
- Be able to design their own research project and to defend their methodological choices
Syllabus
  • 1. Empirical research design. Creation of the research project and its main part.
  • 2. Research topic and research problem. Social and academic relevance of research.
  • 3. Workshop I.
  • 4. Theoretical context of research. Literature review.
  • 5. Research objectives and research questions.
  • 6. Workshop II.
  • 7. Hypotheses, their justification, and testing.
  • 8. Conceptualization and operationalization.
  • 9. Workshop III.
  • 10. Choice of research strategy, methods and techniques of data collection.
  • 11. Sample selection. Representativity, validity, reliability.
  • 12. Measuring, data analysis, types of variables.
Literature
  • RAGIN, Charles C. and Lisa M. AMOROSO. Constructing social research : the unity and diversity of method. Third edition. Los Angeles: Sage, 2019, xii, 217. ISBN 9781483379302. info
  • BABBIE, Earl R. The practice of social research. Fourteenth edition. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2016, xxiv, 566. ISBN 9781305104945. info
  • CRESWELL, John W. Research design : qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. International student editio. Los Angeles: Sage, 2014, xxix, 273. ISBN 9781452274614. info
  • The handbook of media and communication research : qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Edited by Klaus Jensen. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge, 2012, xii, 431. ISBN 9780415609661. info
  • BLAIKIE, Norman W. H. Designing social research : the logic of anticipation. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2010, ix, 298. ISBN 9780745643380. info
  • PUNCH, Keith. Základy kvantitativního šetření. Translated by Jan Hendl. Vydání první. Praha: Portál, 2008, 150 stran. ISBN 9788073673819. info
  • DAVIES, Máire Messenger and Nick MOSDELL. Practical research methods for media and cultural studies : making people count. Jaipur: Rawat publications, 2006, 202 s. ISBN 8131601005. info
  • BERTRAND, Ina and Peter HUGHES. Media research methods : audiences, institutions, texts. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005, x, 286. ISBN 0333960955. URL info
Teaching methods
lecture, seminar, reading
Assessment methods
submission of own research project
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2023, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2023/ZURn6301