- Docente: Matteo Dian
- Credits: 6
- SSD: SPS/08
- Language: English
- Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
- Campus: Forli
- Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in East European and Eurasian Studies (cod. 5911)
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from Sep 22, 2022 to Nov 11, 2022
Learning outcomes
The course aims to reconstruct the debate on the Method in the social sciences and aims to offer students a framework of the strategies and techniques of detection and analysis most frequently used in socio-political empirical research. The course is dedicated to students who have never dealt with topics related to the Method and techniques of Social Research, neither from the theoretical point of view nor from the empirical point of view. The course focuses on some central themes of the Methodology of empirical Research in the Social Sciences. At the end of the course the student is expected to: - have a basic knowledge of some central themes of the Epistemology of empirical Research; - know how to apply logic elements in the preparation of research design and in the interpretation of the results of an investigation; - to critically evaluate the quantitative and qualitative empirical investigations presented in journals and/or academic publications; - have the ability to find information by consulting the available databases; - use the basic statistical analysis techniques for the description of economic, political and social phenomena.
Course contents
Content of the course
The course aims to give students a broad understanding of research methodology and qualitative methods. During the course students will acquire skills for critical reading of research literature and for developing a research proposal for a master’s thesis project.
By the end of the course students will be able to:
Understand the major concepts involved in designing and conducting research
Formulate a research question
Design a research proposal
Identify and use autonomously primary and secondary sources.
Consider the appropriateness of different research strategies.
Critically evaluate the contribution of existing research.
Effectively present a research proposals.
Given the pratical nature of the subject, active partecipation during seminars and discussions is essential to obtain a good evaluation.
Schedule of classes
- The structure of a good research paper
- From topic to research questions.
- Variables, hypotheses, theories.
- Theories, assumptions, and paradigms
- Values and neutrality in social sciences.
- Cases and critical junctures
- Mapping the field: secondary sources and literature reviews
- Primary sources
- Fieldwork, archives and Interviews
- Writing and presenting your research
- Presentations
- Presentations
- Presentations
- Presentations.
- Guest lecture.
Readings/Bibliography
Readings/Bibliography
Lamont, C. (2021). Research methods in international relations. Sage. (ch.1-2-4-10)
Halperin, S. & Heath, O. (2016) Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills, 2nd edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press. (ch. 2-3-5-6-9)
Hancké, B. (2009). Intelligent research design: a guide for beginning researchers in the social sciences. Oxford University Press. (ch.5+ appendix)
Gustafsson, K. & Hagstrom, L. (2017). “What is the point? Teaching Graduate Students how to Construct Political Science Research Puzzles.” European Political Science, pp. 1‐15
Sartori, G. (1991). Comparing and miscomparing. Journal of theoretical politics, 3(3), 243-257.
Mosley, L. (2013). “Introduction. ‘Just Talk to People’? Interviews in Contemporary in Political Science.” In Interview Research in Political Science, edited by Layna Mosley, Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1–30.
Capoccia, G., & Kelemen, R. D. (2007). The study of critical junctures: Theory, narrative, and counterfactuals in historical institutionalism. World politics, 59(3), 341-369.
Teaching methods
Seminars, students' presentations, discussions, active learning.
Assessment methods
30% Class Participation
30% Presentation
40% Final Assignments
Office hours
See the website of Matteo Dian
SDGs
This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.