IREb1008 Research Methods and Tools

Zuzana Ringlerová, email: ringler@fss.muni.cz

Office hours: Mon 9-10 (online, MS Teams chat), Tue 3-4pm room 4.48, and by appointment.
Student assistants: (TBD)

Welcome to the course!

The aim of this course is to provide you with basic tools that will allow you to have a basic understanding of ​​how our knowledge of international relations is generated. And not just knowledge in international relations - science and scientific knowledge appear all around us and enter our daily small and large decisions. How do I know that this is quality research? Where are the weaknesses of research methods that may potentially compromise the validity of the reported results? This course gives you the tools to better understand scientific literature and other materials that you read or follow about international relations (or, in fact, about anything else). In addition, you will learn what types of final bachelor's theses there are in your field and how to go about writing each of these types of theses. Overall, the aim of the course is to equip you to work in courses, to write a great BA thesis, and to prepare you for life.

Study materials

Study materials and other resources will be available either in the interactive syllabus or online through the library.

Course objectives

By the end of this course, students will

·      be able to define what scientific knowledge of politics is and explain key concepts related to scientific study of politics

·      be able to describe the hurdles in establishing causality and discuss the pros and cons of different research designs

·      understand the importance of theory in research and the basics of conceptualization and variable measurement

·     be able to identify different thesis genres and know the basics of how to go about writing each type of thesis

·      have a basic idea about research tools such as quantitative methods, case study, text analysis etc. 

Course requirements and grading

The final grade (max 100%) consists of several components:

15% Homework. For most classes you will prepare answers to homework questions. You will prepare the answers in a text document and then copy your answers to a ROPOT application in the IS. You are also required to bring your homework answers to the class, we will be using them during the lecture. The homework assignments will not be graded on a scale, they will be graded pass/fail. A random draw will be used to determine which assignments will be checked. That is, everyone who submits answers will get a passing score. If a random check discovers a poor homework assignment the score turns to fail.

15% Online quizzes. Quizzes are short multiple choice tests, which will test you on the literature assigned for the given week. The purpose of the quizzes is to add additional motivation to read the literature and to reward you for carefully reading the literature.

30% Midterm exam. The midterm exam is an online multiple choice test. It will review the knowledge acquired in the first weeks of the semester. The purpose of the midterm is to help you organize this early knowledge since this knowledge is going to be important in the latter part of the semester.

40% Final exam. If the situation allows, this exam will take place as a paper and pencil exam (not online). It will consist of multiple choice and short answer questions. The purpose of the test is to provide you with an opportunity to review everything you have learned. As research in psychology shows, reviewing the learned material substantially increases knowledge retention, so the final exam should help you to remember more from the course.

2% Writing challenge. This is an optional activity. At some point in the semester, you may decide to join the Writing challenge. Those who successfully complete the challenge will earn additional 2 percentage points to their final score.

Absences at exams can be excused only in extenuating circumstances (such as illness or other serious reasons). In most cases, you will be required to provide documentation of the excuse in the IS (by submitting your documents to the study department). 

I will use the following grading scale:

Academic integrity

You are required to adhere to Masaryk University regulations. This involves following the rules of academic integrity. According to the university regulations, students are obliged to maintain academic honesty by refraining from plagiarism and other forms of cheating.

Violations of academic integrity will result in sanctions. These sanctions range from taking points off the particular part of the grade to assigning F as the final grade in the class. Serious violations of academic honesty will be reported to the FSS Disciplinary Committee. With respect to the grading in the course, the decision about the sanction for academic dishonesty is entirely at the discretion of the instructor. 

Course format

Given the size of the course, this course will be primarily based on lectures. Nevertheless, it is not the plan to style the lectures as 100 minute monologues of the instructor.  The required literature, study questions, and homework assignments provide the basis of the interactive lecture format. It is, therefore, very important that students come to the class prepared, ready to answer study questions or share the answers to their homework assignments. Such interactive lectures are not just more fun for the instructor and the students but they lead to better learning outcomes. 

Class rules

Please, help create a focused and quiet learning environment for yourself and your colleagues. Reading materials that are not related to the lecture, writing text messages, reading emails, browsing the Internet or social media is rude and will not be tolerated.

Please refrain from eating during class. Having something to drink is fine.

If you have a question during the lecture, don't be afraid to ask. It is likely that some of your colleagues have the same question and are afraid to ask. By asking a question, you will help others better understand the issue at hand.

In class discussions, be respectful of other students' opinions. You have the right to hold and express whatever opinion on the discussed topic, no matter how unacceptable it may seem to your classmates. Your classmates can disagree with you but they must respect your right to hold your opinion. Likewise, you must respect their right to express their views freely. Only if each of us feels free and safe, we can have interesting and stimulating discussions. 

Information for students with special needs

Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact me by email if they have any special needs. Your privacy will be respected. There are adaptive programs offered by Masaryk University which are designed to help students with disabilities. If you want to register to these programs, contact the Support Centre for Students with Special Needs (http://www.teiresias.muni.cz/?lang=en). 

University regulations allow special accommodations for students who are parents to young children. Students who are parents to young children are encouraged to contact the instructor if they have any special needs with respect to the course.

Course caveat

During the semester, emergencies may arise that are beyond the instructor's control. As a results, course requirements, deadlines and grading percentages may change. Here are ways to get information about changes in this course: Course interactive syllabus and your MUNI email. It is therefore very important that you check your university email regularly.