B2647 - STRUMENTI PER LA RICERCA E LA RILEVAZIONE DELLE OPINIONI

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide advanced methodological tools for empirical research in the social and political sciences. Students learn to independently design studies to answer specific research questions and acquire skills in data collection via questionnaire, analysis of the data collected and communication of research results.

Course contents

The course provides a range of techniques and tools for social and political research through detailed study of trust, social capital and political culture. The course consists of three modules.

The first, held by prof. Paola Bordandini, focuses on the importance of the link between concepts, terms and referents in empirical research, on research design, choice of data collection method and construction of data matrices.

The second, held by prof. Laura Sartori, introduces data analysis, concentrating on univariate and bivariate analysis.

The third, held by prof. Luca Bortolotti, follows a laboratory approach and introduces the students to data analysis through the software STATA.

“Non-attending” students tackle these topics through critical analysis of the course literature and a short written exam related to the third module based on the handouts provided by prof. Bortolotti on the virtuale webpage on november.

Attending students are evaluated on the basis of a group empirical research.

In order to be considered "attending", students must regularly attend the lectures and laboratory of all the teachers throughout the course (from September to December). Because learning STATA is easier for small groups, three equal laboratories will be held in parallel (each of them lasts 5 lessons for a total of 10 hours). Attending students will be divided in groups which will be involved in empirical research about a current topic. In the month of November each group will be assigned to the STATA laboratory: all the STATA laboratories will have the same contents and it will not be possible to switch to a different laboratory without a proper reason.

The three modules

The empirical work of the first module focuses on research design and formulation of questions for quantitative research questionnaires. Students as groups learn to draw up and administer a questionnaire, the latter by online survey, and to build and organise the data matrix for data analysis.

The empirical work of the second and third modules introduces data analysis using statistical software (Stata). Students practise univariate and bivariate analysis of different matrices of data provided by the teacher.

Readings/Bibliography

References for the first module

- Bordandini, P. (2006), Cultura politica e piccola impresa nell'Italia plurale. Roma-Catania, Bonanno editore [only chapters 1, 2, 3, 7, presentazione, premessa e conclusioni].

- Cartocci, R. e V. Vanelli (2006), Atlante del capitale sociale, in «SOCIOLOGIA DEL LAVORO», 102, pp. 169 – 191.

- Marradi, A. (1980),Concetti e metodo per la ricerca sociale, La Giuntina, Firenze [sino a pagina 73, esclusi i paragrafi 1.1, 1.3 e 2.5]

- Pavsic R. e Pitrone M.C (2003), Come conoscere opinion e atteggiamenti. Roma-Catania Bonanno editore

- Materiale didattico (dispense e slides)

Other recommended reading for first module:

- Marradi, A. (2019), Tutti redigono questionari. Ma è davvero così facile?. Milano: Franco Angeli.

- Natale, P. (2004), Il sondaggio. Laterza, Bari.

References for the second module

For "attending" students

1) Corbetta, P. (2003), La ricerca sociale: metodologia e tecniche. IV. L'analisi dei dati. Bologna, Il Mulino. NO cap. 1. SI capp. 2 e 3

For "non-attending" students

1) Corbetta, P. (2003), La ricerca sociale: metodologia e tecniche. I. I paradigmi di riferimento. Bologna, Il Mulino.

2) Corbetta, P. (2003), La ricerca sociale: metodologia e tecniche. IV. L'analisi dei dati. Bologna, Il Mulino. NO cap. 1. SI capp. 2 e 3

The teachers reserve the right to change the texts before lectures begin.

References for the third module

1) STATA handouts, available on virtuale from November

Teaching methods

Lectures, seminars and workshops

Assessment methods

Assessment for "attending" students

First module

The working groups present a research project and draw up a questionnaire, which are assessed.

Second and third module

The working groups write a research report in which they discuss the data collected in the first module on the basis of the literature used to construct the questionnaire. The report is assessed.

The students work in the groups formed for the first module. The final grade is the average of the grades obtained in the two group works.

Assessment for "non-attending" students

Assessment consists in an individual oral examination on the texts, held during one of the official exam sessions defined by the teaching calendar, and in a small written exam on the STATA software held together with the second module exam.

Teaching tools

Slides, exercises and discussions

Office hours

See the website of Paola Bordandini

See the website of Laura Sartori

See the website of Luca Bortolotti