Z2211 Social Geography Research Methods

Faculty of Science
Spring 2022
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Ondřej Mulíček, Ph.D. (lecturer)
RNDr. Robert Osman, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Eva Kašparová (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Veronika Kotýnková Krotká (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Ondřej Mulíček, Ph.D.
Department of Geography – Earth Sciences Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: Mgr. Ondřej Mulíček, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Geography – Earth Sciences Section – Faculty of Science
Timetable
Wed 16:00–16:50 A,01026
  • Timetable of Seminar Groups:
Z2211/01: Mon 18:00–18:50 Z3,02045, E. Kašparová, V. Kotýnková Krotká
Z2211/02: Mon 17:00–17:50 Z3,02045, E. Kašparová, V. Kotýnková Krotká
Z2211/03: Tue 17:00–17:50 Z3,02045, E. Kašparová, V. Kotýnková Krotká
Prerequisites
SEMESTR(2)
The course is intended for students in the 1st year of BSc. study. Overall knowledge of human geography on the basic level is required.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 77 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 4/77, only registered: 0/77
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Main objectives can be summarized as follows:
- to depict the basic methods and techniques of human-geographical enquiry;
- to differentiate between quantitative and qualitative methodology;
- to give an overview of geographic data resources;
- to present the formal aspects of scientific work in geography.
Learning outcomes
After finishing the course student will:
- know basic methods and techniques of geographic research;
- be able to search, construct and interpret appropriate geographic data;
- be able to set up a research plan and formulate a research question;
- be able to follow the formal rules of the scientific text as well as to follow the ethics of research.
Syllabus
  • 1. General methodology of science in social geography, the role of epistemology in geographic research
  • 2. Basic concepts, typology of research, methods of scientific work, induction, deduction, abduction
  • 3. Differences between quantitative and qualitative methodology
  • 4. Data construction and sampling, reliability and validity
  • 5. Data in quantitative research, sources of secondary data and their spatial assignment
  • 6. Questionnaire survey
  • 7. Analysis and interpretation of quantitative data
  • 8. Choice of appropriate research design
  • 9. Research question, its role and function in research
  • 10. Data in qualitative research, sources of primary data
  • 11. Working with texts in social geography
  • 12. Ethics of research
Literature
  • BABBIE, Earl R. The practice of social research. Fourteenth edition. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2016, xxiv, 566. ISBN 9781305104945. info
  • PUNCH, Keith. Úspěšný návrh výzkumu. Translated by Jan Hendl. Vydání druhé. Praha: Portál, 2015, 230 stran. ISBN 9788026209805. info
  • Introducing human geographies. Edited by Phil Crang - Mark Goodwin - Paul J. Cloke. 2nd ed. London: Hodder Arnold, 2005, xvii, 653. ISBN 034088276X. info
  • Practising human geography. Edited by Paul J. Cloke. 1st pub. London: SAGE Publications, 2004, xvi, 416. ISBN 0761973001. info
  • 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
  • ROBINSON, Guy M. Methods & techniques in human geography. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, 1998, xiv, 556 s. ISBN 0-471-96231-7. info
  • FRANKFORT-NACHMIAS, Chava and David NACHMIAS. Research methods in the social sciences. 5th ed. London: Arnold, 1996, xxii, 600. ISBN 0-340-66226-3. info
Teaching methods
Teaching methods - lectures, class discussion, homework, presentations by professionals.
Assessment methods
Written exam (the student has to get more than 50% of points), pre-condition - independent work during class exercises and homework elaboration.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2022, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/spring2022/Z2211