IRE 111
Week 10: Project workshop
Colin Kimbrell
Research
fundamentals
revisited
4 phases of research:
preliminary, preparatory, analysis, reporting
First step is to build background knowledge
Extensive reading (aka - reviewing the literature)
is the means
Doing so will inspire your research.
& help you to situate your research in the field
e.g. the CARS model
Research
fundamentals
& the final
project
4 phases of research:
preliminary, (preparatory), analysis,
reporting
Building background knowledge through
Extensive reading (aka - reviewing the literature)
Hopefully you will gain inspiration for your future
research...
As well as useful output to be used therein
What output?
• Primary: a literature review
- Definition of literature
a: writings in prose or verse
- especially: writings having excellence of form or expression and
expressing ideas of permanent or universal interest
b: the body of writings on a particular subject
• Secondary: a research "proposal"
What output?
• - k r u t l a W i | ^ l « +
I i • . .K
tilt"'
r
id
Weak justification of the topics relevance to IR/PoliSci + not
supported with sources
Commo
n
mistakes
in
previous
years
Lit review focuses on particular research question/case
No discussion of operationalization
Limited range of literature is covered
Proposed application is insufficiently explained:
- Justification of case selection/research question
- Connection with particular conceptualization +
operationalization is unclear
- Data sources are not discussed
- Other particular aspects are unclear, e.g. time period
Conceptualization &
operationalization
• AKA definition & measurement
• How would you define "democracy"?
• Based on that definition, how can we measure "democracy"?
• Is Russia a democracy?
4 phases of research:
Your
final
projects
& your
bachelor
studies/
thesis
reporting
preliminary, preparatory, analysis,
Building background knowledge through
Extensive reading (aka - reviewing the
literature)
Inspiration & useful outputs for your future
research
Skills development
Remember, this is
a continuous
process.
Your
bachelor
studies
& future
you
Skills development
Extensive background knowledge
In-depth knowledge of a particular topic
And (hopefully) inspiration and useful output
Remember,
continuous
processes.
Kristin Luker, Salsa Dancing into the Social
Sciences: Research in an Age of Info-glut
James Hayton, PhD: An uncommon guide to
research, writing & PhD life
Cal Newport, So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why
Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You
Love
Questions?