MEBn4003 Social Science Methodology

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2024
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 8 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Lukáš Lehotský, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Petr Ocelík, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Jan Osička, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Filip Černoch, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
doc. Mgr. Hedvika Koďousková, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. et Mgr. Veronika Velička Zapletalová, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Jan Osička, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Supplier department: Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Mon 12:00–13:40 U33
Prerequisites (in Czech)
! MEB431 Social Science Methodology && !NOW( MEB431 Social Science Methodology )
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 course introduces students to the process of social science research. It emphasizes general procedures such as discriminating between theories, posing proper research questions, operationalizing concepts, or collecting data. Along with that, main questions and dilemmas pertinent to different approaches to research are addressed. The goal of the course is to provide students with basic instruments necessary for drafting a viable research proposal. The research proposal is one of two main outcomes of the course, through which students apply and test the acquired knowledge and skills. A feedback loop of peer review as well as teacher review and consultation ensures learning. In ideal situation, the submitted design might serve as a basis of the diploma thesis proposal. Along with that, students prove their knowledge through a written exam.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students will be able to draft a viable research proposal, with properly set research question, adequate literature review, and fitting theoretical framework.
Syllabus
  • 1. Course introduction and the introduction of research design
  • 2. Quantitative and qualitative research – false (?) dichotomy
  • 3. Selection of a research problem, literature review, and research questions
  • 4. Concepts, theories and their role in the research
  • 5. Operationalization, variables, and measurement
  • 6. Sampling, case and case selection
  • 7. Methods of data acquisition
  • 8. Quantitative methods and statistics
  • 9. Qualitative methods
  • 10. Questions and answers session
  • 11. and 12. Research design presentations
Literature
  • GERRING, John. Social science methodology : a unified framework. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012, xxv, 495. ISBN 9780521132770. info
  • GERRING, John. Case study research : principles and practices. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007, x, 265. ISBN 9780521676564. info
  • KING, Gary, Sidney VERBA and Robert O. KEOHANE. Designing social inquiry : scientific inference in qualitative research. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1994, xi, 247. ISBN 0691034710. info
Teaching methods
- Reading
- Lectures
- In-class discussion
- Homework assignment
- Peer review feedback
- Presentation
- Individual consultation
Assessment methods
Exam, research proposal, peer review report.
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 2023, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2024/MEBn4003