This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Postgraduate Handbook 2019-2020 (archived)
Module SOCI59415: Research Design and Process
Department: Sociology
SOCI59415: Research Design and Process
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 4 | 15 | Available in 2019/2020 | Durham |
Pre-requisites
- None.
Corequisites
- Perspectives in Social Research (SOCI59515)
Excluded Combinations
- None.
Aims
- To provide training in research design and an understanding of the research process in preparation for the MA dissertation/Phd research and careers in social research.
Content
- Introduction.
- Formulating research questions and their relationship with research design.
- Reviewing the literature critically and its relationship to your own research.
- Designs for studying causal relations, comparing experimental with observational designs.
- Quantitative designs, particularly sampling and questionnaire designs.
- Qualitative designs, focusing on quality and rigor.
- Case studies.
- Evaluating research proposals.
- Ethical issues.
- Writing and publishing your research.
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- By the end of the module students will:
- Have an understanding of how to formulate and design a research project;
- Understand the ethical, political and organisational issues involved in social research;
- Understand the processes involved in writing, publishing and presenting research findings.
Subject-specific Skills
Key Skills
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- Through lectures, seminars, and course assessment.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 10 | weekly | 1 | 10 | |
| Seminars | 10 | weekly | 1 | 10 | |
| Preparation & Reading | 130 | ||||
| Total | 150 |
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment | 100% | Research proposal | 3,000 words | 100% |
Formative Assessment
Students will have the option of submitting a short plan (up to 300 words) by the last lecture in order to receive feedbacks from the module convenor.
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.