IREn4005 Research Methods in Social Sciences

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2023
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 8 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Filip Černoch, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Lukáš Lehotský, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Jan Osička, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Filip Černoch, 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 10:00–11:40 P24a
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 range of methods with which social scientists work as they attempt to systematically understand social phenomena. It provides first-hand experience with the specific procedures through which social science knowledge is developed. The course introduces framework of social science research providing the students with knowledge of the necessary questions and dilemmas that need to be tackled during the course of preparation and conducting a research. The course emphasizes general procedures such as discriminating between theories, posing proper research questions, operationalizing concepts, or collecting data.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the students will be able to use the basic techniques of quantitative and qualitative research.
Syllabus
  • I. Introduction to quantitative analysis II. Introduction to qualitative analysis III. Philosphy of science and its role in research IV. Designing social research
Literature
  • CRESWELL, John W. and Cheryl N. POTH. Qualitative inquiry & research design : choosing among five approaches. Fourth edition. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2018, xxv, 459. ISBN 9781506361178. info
  • GERRING, John. Social science methodology : a unified framework. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012, xxv, 495. ISBN 9780521132770. info
  • When to use what research design. Edited by W. Paul Vogt - Dianne C. Gardner - Lynne M. Haeffele. New York, N.Y.: Guilford Press, 2012, xxi, 378 p. ISBN 9781462503612. 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
Lectures, discussions.
Assessment methods
Exam, research design project.
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2023, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2023/IREn4005