93801 - Research Methods For The Social Sciences

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; - knew 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

The teaching will deal with the following topics:

1. Logic of social research;
2. Analysis of the method for social research;
3. Standard and non-standard approaches to social research;
4. Operationalization and operational definition;
5. Concepts and indicators;
6. Presentation and discussion of the results of an investigation;
7. Basic statistical data analysis techniques (descriptive).

Readings/Bibliography

Bibliography

During the course it will be suggested several articles in English concerning the different topics taken into consideration, published on the main scientific Journals of Social Sciences and Methodology of Social Research.

Texts:

Handbook:

Earl Babbie (2013), The Practice of Social Research, Thirteenth Edition, International Edition, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Epistemology:

Michael Crotty (1998), The Foundations of Social Research. Meaning and Perspective in the Research Process, Sage, London.

Research design:

Martin Lee Abbott, Jennifer McKinney (2013), Understanding and applying research design, John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey.

Questions:

Patrick White (2009), Developing Research Questions, Palgrave Macmillian, New York.

Readings:

John W. Creswell (2014), Research Design. Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, Sage Publications, London, 4th Edition.

Jennifer Mason (2002), Qualitative Researching, Sage Publications, London, 2nd Edition.

Teaching methods

During the lessons electronic and audio visual instruments, Databases and Software for statistical analysis will be used.

The active participation of the students in group and laboratory activities will be fostered.

Assessment methods

The proof of the exam will consist in the preparation of an individual paper on the research activities carried out and on the discussion in the classroom of a presentation concerning team work, in order to evaluate the acquisition of knowledge related to design, management and analysis of research carried out with qualitative methods and techniques.

Teaching tools

Video Projector, PC, Statistical Software, Flip chart.

Office hours

See the website of Andrea Bassi