Module ANTH54830: The Research Process

Department: Anthropology

ANTH54830: The Research Process

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To provide an understanding of the contexts in which various research techniques are appropriate.
• To become familiar with accounts by anthropologists of their field experiences.
• To understand the formulation of anthropological research aims and to practice the formulation of one's own research aims.
• To understand how anthropological fieldwork is influenced by the researcher's theoretical orientation.
• To understand the ethical problems which anthropological researchers encounter.
• To gain an understanding of the presentation of anthropological research aims.

Content

• Planning a research paper.
• Techniques fo investigation.
• Bounding the unit of research.
• Ethics.
• Writing up field notes.
• Preparing a research project.

Learning Outcomes

• Knowledge of the contexts in which various research techniques are appropriate socio-cultural anthropology.
• Knowledge of the accounts by anthropologists of their field experiences the ways in which anthropological theory informs anthropological practice.
• An understanding of how anthropological fieldwork is influenced by the researcher’s theoretical orientation.

• To understand the process of formulating anthropological research aims, and the opportunity to engage in formulating one’s own research aims.
• To identify the ethical problems which anthropological researchers encounter.
• Familiarity with methodological debates and controversy in contemporary socio- cultural anthropology.

• Communication: students will be taught how to communicate clearly (both orally and specifically in report writing) their understanding of the material they have read.
• Improving own learning and performance: students will learn to use a variety of web tools for searching the primary and secondary literature.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Weekly seminars throughout the year, chaired by two members of staff.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Summary assessment sheets of seminar presentations.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University