Качественные и количественные методы социологических исследований

Магистратура 2019/2020

Статус: Курс обязательный (Политический анализ и публичная политика)

Направление: 41.04.04. Политология

Кто читает: Кафедра публичной политики

Где читается: Факультет социальных наук

Когда читается: 1-й курс, 1-3 модуль

Формат изучения: без онлайн-курса

Преподаватели: Илори Эмманюэль Идемудия, Седашов Евгений Александрович

Прогр. обучения: Политический анализ и публичная политика

Язык: английский

Кредиты: 10

Контактные часы: 100

Full Syllabus

Abstract

The goal and objectives of the course «Quantitative Methods in Social Research» is to teach students how to analyse data using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Understanding statistics is essential to understand research in the social, management and behavioural sciences, the course introduces to the students the notions of the basic statistical tools, how to calculate the basics of statistics and how to evaluate them. This is an elementary course and students without strong mathematical knowledge will have no difficulties to follow it.

Learning Objectives

The ability to work with information: find, evaluate and use information from various sources, necessary to complete scientific and professional tasks
The ability to construct relevant research questions and hypotheses in research

Expected Learning Outcomes

Students at the end of this course will have the basic prerequisite to developing a concept
The ability to work with information: find, evaluate and use information from various sources, necessary to complete scientific and professional tasks
Students at the end of this course will have the basic prerequisite to developing a concept.
The course gives students an important foundation to develop and conduct their own research as well as to evaluate the research of others

Course Contents

The Nature of Scientific Knowledge
This session consists of lecture and the chapter encompasses the nature and form of human knowledge, the difference between the three contexts or words in which knowledge functions namely: the world of everyday life (lay knowledge), the world of science (scientific knowledge) and the world of metascience (the world of reflection on scientific practice).
An Introduction to Research Methodology
This session consists of the Lecture and the Seminar. The chapters encompass research scope and definition, the objectives of research and the motivation for research.
Business/Social Research Approaches
This session explores the nature of the relationship between theory and research. Does theory guide research (known as a deductive approach) or is theory an outcome of research (known as an inductive research)? Epistemology issues, ontological issues, reliability, replication and validity. How can they be used as criteria for assessing the quality of social/business research?
The Significance of Research
This session consists of the significance of research, the importance of knowing how research is done, the criteria of good research and problem encounters during research. The session comprises both lecture and a seminar.
Research Design and Problem Formulation
This chapter encompasses the logic of research, what is designing of social research? Developing a typology of research questions, examining the structure of research problem, show how a proper problem formulation incorporates both the research purpose of a study and clear identification of the unit of analysis.
Types of Research Design
This session encompasses the various type of research design vis-à-vis experiments, surveys, qualitative studies, participatory action research, evaluation research and unobtrusive research. The session includes both a lecture and a seminar.
The logic of Sampling
This chapter consist of sampling history, types of sampling, non-probability sampling, the logic of probability sampling, sampling concept and terminology, population and sampling frames, and the types of sampling design. The session consists of Lecture and the Seminar.
Elementary Analysis
This segment encompasses distribution, central tendency and dispersion. The session will be guided by a lecture and a seminar. Student will apply basic commands software for computing and calculating basic statistics.
Getting started: Planning a Research Project.
This session consists both a lecture and seminar and students will get to know about what is expected of them in research, thinking about your research area, using your supervisor, managing time and resources, avoiding plagiarism, referencing your work and questions for review.
Literature Review
This session encompasses a lecture and a seminar. The focus will be on literature review and process involved in reviewing literatures.
Formulating a Research Proposal
This session consists of the Lecture and the Seminar. This chapter explores the nature of research, the principles of research for social sciences, formulating a proposal, research problem, research purpose, research question, research tasks and qualitative research design.
Quantifying Data
This session is made up of a lecture and a seminar with includes the introduction of quantifying data, computers in social research: enter computers and microcomputers.
Writing up Research
This session encompasses lecture and seminar. The focus will be on writing up research putting into considerations some factors such as start early, be persuasive, avoiding disestablish language(s) and getting feedback.
Data Collection
The first segment encompasses the Lecture and the Seminar. The Lecture will introduce the basic concepts of quantitative and qualitative methods in social research and lay out the course plan and requirements from student participation. The focus of section one includes but not limited to data collection and types of data, During the Seminar, we will find out different types of qualitative and quantitative data collection methods and available data sources.
Interview and Focus Group
This section encompasses the introduction and structure interview, accuracy and ease of data processing, interviews, other approaches to structure interviews, focus group and its introduction and finally conducting focus groups- how many groups and the size of group. The first segment encompasses the Lecture and the Seminar
Data Gathering Methods
This session consists of the Lecture and the Seminar. During the Lecture, we will learn basic sampling techniques vis-à-vis statistical sampling, simple random sampling, stratified random sampling, cluster sampling and systematic random sampling. Probability and Non Probability samplings. Samplings for social surveys, structured observation, interviews and participant observation During the Seminar, we will emphasize more on the basic sampling plans.
Quantitative methods
This section focusses on quantitative research and explores the main features. During the lecture, we will learn in details qualitative methodology and its purpose. Students will learn during the seminar and apply basic commands of software for statistical computing and calculating basic statistics
Quantitative Method
This section focusses on quantitative research and explores the main features. During the lecture, we will learn in details qualitative methodology and its purpose. Students will learn during the seminar and apply basic commands of software for statistical computing and calculating basic statistics.
Probability Concepts
This session consists of the Lecture and the Seminar. The Lecture will introduce the basic concepts of the Probability theory vis-à-vis probability distribution and probability rules. During the Seminar, we will practice in probabilities distribution which is essential in the development of statistical inference.
Graphical and Tabular Descriptive Techniques
This section consists of a Lecture and a Seminar. The lecture focuses on graphs, charts and tables describing data. We will learn frequency distribution and histograms, bar charts and pie charts, and the ability to interpret frequency tables.
Sample Distribution
This section consists of a Lecture and Seminar. The sample distribution, mean, median and mode, the population mean and variance forms part of the lecture while we will practice the calculation in the seminar.

Assessment Elements

Homework #1
Homework #2
Homework #3
Midterm quiz
Final test

Interim Assessment

Interim assessment (3 module)
0.4 * Final test + 0.1 * Homework #1 + 0.1 * Homework #2 + 0.1 * Homework #3 + 0.3 * Midterm quiz

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

6, P., & Bellamy, C. (2012). Principles of Methodology : Research Design in Social Science. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications Ltd. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=595703
Anilan, B., Atalay, N., & Kiliç, Z. (2018). Teacher Candidates’ Levels of Relating the Scientific Knowledge to Their Daily Lives. International Journal of Instruction, 11(4), 733–748. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1191612

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Haig, B. D. (2018). The Philosophy of Quantitative Methods : Understanding Statistics. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1666249
Newbold, P., Carlson, W. L., & Thorne, B. (2013). Statistics for Business and Economics: Global Edition (Vol. Eight edition). Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson Education. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1417883
Premlata. (2014). Advanced Methodology of Social Research. [N.p.]: Centrum Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1816511
Willson, V. L. (1999). Unifying Quantitative Methodology in Social Research. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED434157

Course Syllabus