Module SOCI2252: SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS

Department: Applied Social Sciences

SOCI2252: SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS

Prerequisites

• SOCI1321 - Introduction to Research

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• Building on work done at level one, further develop students’ conceptual understanding of social research methods and methodology as well as the ethics of social science research.
• Introduce students to a range of methods for analysing qualitative data and develop students’ ability to deploy these methods in practice.
• Introduce the basic principles of major methods of quantitative data analysis and develop students’ ability to deploy these methods in practice using SPSS.
• Develop students’ practical ability to design and implement a research project and therefore prepare students for their final-year Dissertation module.

Content

• Term One – Masterclasses in Research Design and Practice: This ten-week lecture series is taught by a range of staff from across the School of Applied Social Sciences. Each class focuses on specific issues in the design and implementation of social research projects using examples drawn from staff-members’ own research.
• Term One – Masterclasses in Qualitative Data Analysis: This ten-week lecture/practical series is taught by a range of staff from across the School of Applied Social Sciences. Each class focuses on a specific method of qualitative data analysis, outlining the conceptual underpinnings of the method as well as how the method is used and applied in practice. Immediately following each lecture is a practical session in which students will use this method to analyse data provided by the lecturer.
• Term One – Masterclasses in Quantitative Data Analysis: This ten-week lecture/practical series introduces students to the central methods of quantitative data analysis, including methods for describing the distribution of a variable (univariate analysis) and methods for examining relationships between two variables (bivariate analysis). Immediately following each lecture is a computer practical session in which students learn how to undertake these methods using SPSS and how to interpret the results of their analyses.
• Term Two – Group Research Projects: Students will design and carry out a short research project in small groups. Students will be responsible for organising their own time and work but will receive supervision, guidance and feedback in weekly workshops running throughout the term.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will know the core principles of designing a social research project: formulation of a research question; operationalisation of core concepts; selection of an appropriate sample/set of cases; and selection of appropriate methods of data collection and analysis.
• Students will understand how research questions, research methods and theoretical issues interlink when designing and implementing a social research project.
• Students will know the main principles of several different methods of qualitative data analysis and be able to identify which method(s) are most appropriate for addressing particular kinds of research questions using particular kinds of qualitative data.
• Students will know the main principles of univariate and bivariate analysis as well as statistical inference. Further, students will be able to identify which method(s) are most appropriate for addressing particular kinds of research questions using particular kinds of quantitative data.
• Students will understand the importance of research ethics and risk assessment when designing a social research project as well as how to carry out a project in a manner which is both ethical and safe.

• Students will be able to design a small research project which can effectively address a research problem or question. This will involve: effective operationalisation of core concepts; identification of an appropriate sampling strategy; and identification of methods which can collect and analyse data in a manner which effectively addresses the research question.
• Students will be able to collect primary data using one or more methods of data collection (e.g. interviews, focus groups, ethnography, archive/web searches, surveys/questionnaires, etc.).
• Students will be able to undertake a detailed analysis of qualitative (textual) data using one or more different methods of qualitative data analysis.
• Using SPSS, students will be able to analyse quantitative data by describing the distribution of individual variables (univariate analysis), describing the relationship between two variables (bivariate analysis) and inferring conclusions about a population based on sample data (statistical inference).
• Students will be able to clearly and succinctly communicate the central findings of a research project based on analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data.

• Students will be able to demonstrate a range of communication skills including the ability to: evaluate and synthesise information obtained from a variety of sources (e.g. written, oral, web); communicate relevant information in different ways (e.g. written, oral, tables and graphs, etc); select most appropriate method of communication for different tasks; respond effectively to others; monitor and reflect on use of communications skills.
• Students will be able to demonstrate a range of numeracy skills including the ability to read and interpret tables, graphs, charts; organise and classify data; make inferences from sets of data; adapt numerical strategies to overcome difficulties raised by self-reflection.
• Students will be able to demonstrate competence in the use of IT resources; use the statistical software SPSS; use a range of web-based resources to gather relevant information; adapt learning to overcome difficulties raised by self-reflection.
• Students will be able to demonstrate an ability to work effectively as part of a team including specific abilities to: plan work with others in order to achieve desired outcomes; establish good working relationships with peers; monitor and reflect on the quality of the group work, including group and external feedback on personal contributions; monitor and reflect on use of skills in working with others.
• Students will be able to demonstrate a capacity to improve own learning and performance, including the specific ability to manage time effectively; work to regular prescribed deadlines; engage in different ways of learning including both independent and directed forms of learning; gather necessary information from a range of bibliographic and electronic sources.

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

• Subject-specific knowledge outcomes are addressed by the Research Design and Practice masterclasses as well as the lecture components of the Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis masterclasses. These are reinforced by the Research Proposal summative assignment which assesses students on these issues as well as their ability to translate these issues into an effective research design.
• The practical sessions which are run as part of the Qualitative and Quantitative analysis classes will allow students to develop practical aptitude in different methods of data analaysis, thereby addressing subject-specific skills related to data analysis as well as key skills related to communication, ICT and numeracy. These are reinforced by the Data Analysis summative assignment which will assess students on these analytical skills.
• The group research project in term two will reinforce conceptual issues learned in the first term, as well as provide an opportunity for students to further develop their practical research skills. Hence, these projects and the accompanying summative assignment will help students develop towards all of the module’s learning outcomes.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

(Term 1): Regular, self-assessed statistics practical exercises completed between classes. These exercises will draw and expand on what students have done in their recent quantitative analysis masterclasses. (Term 2): A 10-15 minute group presentation outlining students’ research projects undertaken in Epiphany Term. These will receive written feedback from the workshop leader as well as verbal feedback from other students in the same workshop group.

■ 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