SOC756a Seminar to Research Methodology

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2016
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Beatrice Elena Chromková Manea, M.A., Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Ladislav Rabušic, CSc.
Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Ing. Soňa Enenkelová
Supplier department: Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Wed 9:45–11:15 PC25
Prerequisites (in Czech)
NOW( SOC756 Research Methodology )
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 20 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/20, only registered: 0/20
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
This seminar is associated with SOC 756, Research Methodology. It will provide students with an opportunity to delve more deeply ad profoundly the issues addressed within SOC756 course. The overarching goal is to offer students a comprehensive understanding of the diverse issues on research methodologies in the social sciences. Individual weekly topics include the choosing a methodology, formulating research problems/questions, techniques for gathering data, presenting and interpreting results and research ethics. By the end of the semester, students should be able to: •Recognize, define and discuss various methods for research in the social sciences •Review and assess existing research according to its methodology and use of data and methods •Compare and contrast quantitative and qualitative research methods •Formulate research problems and apply techniques for collecting data and presenting and interpreting findings that address the relevant research questions •Cultivate research proficiency and expertise by undertaking a semester-long assignment that in-volves designing a research project and writing up a proposal elaborating it
Syllabus
  • • 1st Seminar: Introduction, course organization
  • • 2nd Seminar: Human inquiry and science. Paradigms and theory in social research. 1st assignment discussion
  • • 3rd Seminar: Selecting the method you need. 1st assignment discussion
  • • 4th Seminar: Selecting the questions you need. 1st assignment discussion
  • • 5th Seminar: Look for differences in your results. 1st assignment discussion
  • • 6th Seminar: No class – Reading week
  • • 7th Seminar: Validation of the results.
  • • 8th Seminar: Replicability. 1st assignment discussion
  • • 9th Seminar: Correlation, association, causality. 1st assignment discussion
  • • 10th Seminar: Longitudinal data for each aim. Panel data vs. cross-sectional data. 1st assignment discussion
  • • 11th Seminar: Methods and context effects. 1st assignment discussion
  • • 12th Seminar: In-class presentations of the 2nd assignment
  • • 13th Seminar: In-class presentations of the 2nd assignment
Literature
    required literature
  • CRESWELL, John W. and Vicki L. PLANO CLARK. Designing and conducting mixed methods research. 2nd ed. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2011, xxvi, 457. ISBN 9781412975179. info
  • BABBIE, Earl R. The practice of social research. 12th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2010, xxiv, 530. ISBN 9780495598428. info
  • BRYMAN, Alan. Social research methods. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008, xiii, 748. ISBN 9780199202959. info
    recommended literature
  • Bergman, M.M. 2008. (ed.) Advances in Mixed Method Research. SAGE:London
  • YIN, Robert K. Case study research : design and methods. 4th ed. Los Angeles, Calif.: Sage Publications, 2009, xiv, 219. ISBN 9781412960991. info
  • The SAGE handbook of online research methods. Edited by Nigel Fielding - Raymond M. Lee - Grant Blank. Los Angeles: Sage, 2008, xvi, 370. ISBN 9781412922937. info
  • DAVIES, Martin. Doing a successful research project : using qualitative or quantitative methods. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007, xiv, 274. ISBN 9781403993793. info
  • The SAGE handbook of qualitative research. Edited by Norman K. Denzin - Yvonna S. Lincoln. 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2005, xix, 1210. ISBN 0761927573. info
Teaching methods
The course will consist of a weekly seminar, where students actively participate in class and fulfil the assignments. The following assignments are to be fulfilled: 1) Design and piloting of a questionnaire that is placed in the context of an appropriate research question, hypothesis and sampling strategy (team assignment – 2 students per team) 2) An analysis of the role that issues of measurement and analysis play in an important social issue (individual assignment). Students are expected to work on the assignments, cooperate with colleagues, and discuss the issues in class. Each student will also lead a class discussion at least one over the course of the semester (based on course assignments).
Assessment methods
Conditions for passing the course:

1. Regular Attendance
2. Systematic work on assignments
3. In-class participation
4. Discussant performance

Particular activities of students will be evaluated as follows:

10% – Regular Attendance
50% – Systematic work on assignments
25% – In-class participation
15% – Discussant performance
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Výhradně pro zahraniční studenty programů "Sociology" a "Erasmus". Just for Sociology and Erasmus students.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2016, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2016/SOC756a