08829 - Social Research Methodology

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the students: - have the necessary knowledge and skills to plan and carry out a social research; - know the criteria to solve the methodological and technical problems they can meet during the research;- know - the various research techniques either the statistical quantitative or the qualitative ones.

Course contents

Course objectives

In order to achieve the above mentioned skills, it is necessary to learn:

- as for the institutional part of the course:

· the rounds of the methodological research cycle related to the various patterns of empirical inquiries;

· the most important methodological approaches, as part of an integrated methodology;

· the main techniques of social research;

- as for the applied part of the course: the methodology and the techniques of a practical experience of empirical research,

choosing among themes about youth condition, women transgression, voluntary service, all analyzed with different approaches.

Contents

The course will be composed by two parts.

a) Institutional part about the methodologies and techniques of the social research. In particular:

a.1) the methodological cycle and the various patterns of the social research;

a.2) the characters of the integrated and participatory social research;

a.3) the most important social research techniques:

statistical indicators

surveys

free interviews

field looking

group tecniques

randomized controlled trials

b) Applied part about some cases of empirical research, with a few examples, as aspects of youth condition (work, family, group

activities, sports, clubs); young women deviance and transgression; old people and voluntary service (a compared research in Italy and Germany).

Readings/Bibliography

References:

Three basic books and a research report more (during the lessons the lecturer will give more accurate information about the chapters to study):

Main books:

1- C. Cipolla (edited by), Il ciclo metodologico della ricerca sociale , FrancoAngeli, Milano, 1998

[Chapters to study: n. 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 13, 15];

2- L. Altieri, Valutazione e partecipazione. Per una metodologia interattiva e negoziale, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2009;

[Chapters to study: n. 9, 10, 11];

3- Others essays indicated in the lessons.

Read one among these research reports:

I) L. Altieri, Giovani in frammenti. Famiglia, lavoro, compagnie, sport, discoteca , FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2012;

II) L. Altieri (a cura di), Over 60 e volontariato Risorse umane per due comunità Una ricerca sociale a Abtsgmünd e Castel Bolognese, Faenza: Homeless Book (Italy), 2012; (E-book too);

III) D. Togni, Ragazze trasgressive in cerca di identità, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2012.

Teaching methods

Lecture methods

Traditional lectures will be the main teaching technique, with theoretical lessons, examples and case studies.

A part of the lectures will consist in videos about free interview or field-looking.

Practical works will also be encouraged, concerning free interview or questionnaire: the students will work with interviews or

questionnaires and this will be accounted for during the final test.

Assessment methods

Final test

At the beginning of the course, students will be told if tests for attending students during the course will take place.

The final examination will consist in a written test, divided into three parts:

1- one part formed by some multiple choice questions

2- one part with open questions, but with very short answers

3- the most important part: open broad questions, the students must write all they known about some themes.

An optional part is added, on themes presented during the course or on the optional book. Participation to voluntary activities will be

taken into account.

During official test days, results will be registered during the same day, so students are asked to wait, and not to come in the following days.

Teaching tools

Helpful tools and devices

Traditional lecture methods are sided by videos about free interview or field-looking.

Moreover, practical work concerning free interview or questionnaire will be proposed. Students are invited to follow Lab lectures where they can practically learn how to deal with questionnaires, observation techniques and software for data processing.

Office hours

See the website of Leonardo Altieri