Магистратура 2019/2020

Научно-исследовательский семинар (проект магистерской диссертации)

Статус: Курс обязательный (Сравнительные социальные исследования)

Направление: 39.04.01. Социология

Кто читает: Департамент социологии

Где читается: Факультет социальных наук

Когда читается: 2-й курс, 3 модуль

Формат изучения: без онлайн-курса

Преподаватели: Алмакаева Анна Михайловна, Фрёлих Кристиан

Прогр. обучения: Сравнительные социальные исследования

Язык: английский

Кредиты: 8

Контактные часы: 16

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This course will support students in developing the research design for their MA thesis, while discussing the steps and processes of empirical field research. Students will in peer-review format support each other with productive critique and feedback about the development process.

Learning Objectives

• write a full-fletched MA thesis project proposal

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Know the basic principles of academic writing
• be able to find and review papers on the subject of MA thesis
• be able to put forward the correct research question and identify the novelty of the MA thesis
• Have skills in writing the research proposal for master thesis
• know the basic principles of academic ethics

Course Contents

• Academic writing
  Basic principles of academic writing. Vocabulary, grammar and structure of sentences. Basic rules of academic writing. Basic mistakes in academic writing.
• Reviewing literature
  Collecting relevant literature for writing research proposal. Main databases and search specifications. Reference managers. Common mistakes in collecting literature.
• Research methodology
  Types of research design (qualitative, quantitative, mixed). Their advantages and disadvantages. Steps of choosing research methodology. Ethical principles of doing research and academic writing
• Research question
  Steps in developing the research question. Difference between good and bad research questions. Common mistakes.
• Proposal structure
  Structure of proposal: title, background and rationale, research question, research methodology, working schedule, bibliography.
• Reference managers
  References managers and their advantages. Using Zotero for research projects and references. Integrating Zotero into Microsoft Word and Internet browsers.

Assessment Elements

• proposal presentation
• full MA thesis proposal
  The proposal has to be send as .pdf file to the email adresses of both course instructors until the communicated deadline. Individual postponements due to technical difficulties are possible.

Interim Assessment

• Interim assessment (3 module)
  0.6 * full MA thesis proposal + 0.4 * proposal presentation

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Academic writing : a handbook for international students, Bailey, S., 2008
• Academic writing : a handbook for international students, Bailey, S., 2011
• Academic writing for graduate students : essential tasks and skills, Swales, J. M., Feak, C. B., 2012
• Leavy, P. (2017). Research Design : Quantitative, Qualitative, Mixed Methods, Arts-Based, and Community-Based Participatory Research Approaches. [N.p.]: The Guilford Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1497395
• Puckett, J. (2017). Zotero : A Guide for Librarians, Researchers and Educators (Vol. Second edition). Chicago, Illinois: Association of College and Research Libraries. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1561980
• Qualitative inquiry & research design : choosing among five approaches, Creswell, J. W., 2013
• Steps to academic writing : with key, Barry, M., 2011

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Academic writing : from paragraph to essay, Zemach, D. E., Rumisek, L. A., 2005
• Bailey, S. (2015). Academic Writing : A Handbook for International Students (Vol. Fourth edition). Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=862062
• Creswell, J. W. . (DE-588)133331512, (DE-576)164944168. (1994). Research design : qualitative and quantitative approaches / John W. Creswell. Thousand Oaks, Calif. [u.a.]: Sage. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.040749258
• Sword, H. (2012). Stylish Academic Writing. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=464125
• Thyer, B. A. (2012). Quasi-Experimental Research Designs. New York: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=422245
• Wallwork, A. (2016). English for Writing Research Papers (Vol. Second edition). Cham: Springer. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1175370