78160 - Methodology of Political and Social Research (O-Z)

Learning outcomes

The course provides an introduction to the most important methodological problems students of political and social science have to tackle constantly. It is designed to get participants acquainted with opportunities and limits of data-gathering and data-analysis techniques. The objectives of the class are to prevent a mechanical and non-critical use of these techniques and to make students aware of the peculiar nature of social sciences subjects of analysis: human beings, their symbols, values, and institutions.

Course contents

The course is inspired by a conception of method as the ability to consciously choose the most appropriate techniques to profitably investigate a given phenomenon, in a specific field and with a given availability of resources.

After an introductory part devoted to epistemological reflection on the scientific method and, specifically, on the social science method, the course presents the numerous techniques necessary for the creation and conduct of a research design.

The aim of the course is to familiarise students with the key issues, tools and techniques of social research, enabling them to structure and conduct research projects. The course also aims to enable students to read, understand and contextualise the results of empirical research in the social sciences in a competent and critical manner.

The course is organised in two different sections. The first section consists of lectures (40 hours) and aims to introduce students to the acquisition of basic conceptual and theoretical tools. A second section, organised in seminar mode (10 hours), aims at applying and deepening knowledge.

For the seminar section, students will be divided into three groups.

Students attend a total of 50 hours of classes. The course participates in the University's teaching innovation project. 

In the first part of the course (40 hours) the three lectures per week will focus on the following topics:

• Introduction; Philosophy and epistemology of (empirical social) science; Social science research: different approaches;
• Qualitative research techniques: Individual and collective interviews; Participant observation and ethnographic research;
• Quantitative research techniques: From objects to cases; From properties to variables; Official statistical sources; Sample survey; Scaling techniques; Types of variables and their analysis.

At the end of the first section of the course there will be an intermediate test to assess the knowledge acquired.

In the second section of the course (10 hours), each seminar group will attend only one seminar per week, in order to have adequate time to prepare the exercises. The exercises can be carried out by the students in groups (5-7 members) and will concern: the construction of a research design, the construction of a questionnaire, the implementation of the online questionnaire and the analysis of the data collected.

The exercises will be evaluated during their presentation and discussion in class.

In parallel to the seminars, students will be able to attend three workshops (9 hours) on data manipulation literacy and data analysis using STATA. Attendance of the workshops will be necessary to carry out the last exercise planned during the seminars.

At the end of the second section of the course there will be an intermediate test to assess the skills acquired and the individual contribution of each person to the group work carried out during the exercises.

 

Readings/Bibliography

Mandatory readings:

P. CORBETTA (2015), La ricerca sociale: metodologia e tecniche, Bologna, Il Mulino

• Volume I. I paradigmi di riferimento
• Volume II. Le tecniche quantitative
• Volume III. Le tecniche qualitative

A. MARRADI (2007), Metodologia delle scienze sociali, Bologna, Il Mulino (solo i capitoli 4, 7 e 9).

Further readings:

E. AMATURO (2012), Metodologia della ricerca sociale, Torino, UTET

M. CARDANO (2003), Tecniche di ricerca qualitativa, Roma, Carocci

P. CORBETTA (2015), La ricerca sociale: metodologia e tecniche, Bologna, Il Mulino - Volume IV. L’analisi dei dati

F. MARTIRE, P. PARRA SAIANI, S. CATALDI (2023), La ricerca sociale e le sue pratiche, Roma, Carocci

Teaching methods

Lectures and seminars, exercises and discussion.

Assessment methods

In the exam sessions at the end of the course and in the rest of the academic year, the oral exam will be preceded by a written exam (lasting one hour) with open questions and problems to be solved. Written and oral exams will focus on the mandatory readings.

Attending students will have a reduced programme (which will be communicated in class) and will able to participate in an alternative assessment procedure based on three midterm tests:

• an individual written test (with 5 open questions) at the end of the first section of the course (after the lectures) to assess the knowledge acquired, which will be evaluated with a maximum mark of 10;
• a group evaluation of the exercises carried out during the seminar lessons, which will take place during the course and will be evaluated with a maximum mark of 10;
• an individual written test (with 5 open questions) at the end of the second part of the course, to assess the skills acquired and the individual contribution of each student to the group work carried out during the exercises, which will be evaluated with a maximum mark of 10.

Students will be attending if they have participated in all three tests and have not accumulated more than two absences during the seminars and one absence during the workshops.

Grading scale:

Preparation on a very limited number of course topics and analytical skills that emerge only with the help of the teacher, expression in generally correct language → 18-19;

Preparation on a limited number of course topics and independent analytical skills only on purely practical issues, expression in correct language → 20-24;

Preparation on a wide range of course topics, ability to make independent critical analysis choices, mastery of specific terminology → 25-29;

Substantially comprehensive preparation on course topics, ability to make independent critical analysis and connection choices, full mastery of specific terminology and ability to argue and self-reflect → 30-30L.

Teaching tools

Students will be provided with the slides used by the teacher during the course and support materials for exercises and discussion.

The teaching resources will be uploaded to https://virtuale.unibo.it

It is advisable to attend the workshops with a laptop on which the STATA software has been installed. The licence details will be provided during the course.

Office hours

See the website of Barbara Saracino