Bachelor
2023/2024
Research Seminar «Scientific Methods in Social Sciences and International Relations»
Type:
Compulsory course (International Program 'International Relations and Global Studies')
Area of studies:
Public Policy and Social Sciences
Delivered by:
Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs
When:
3 year, 2, 3 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Open to:
students of one campus
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
3
Contact hours:
28
Course Syllabus
Abstract
Research Seminar “Research methods in social sciences and international relations” is a seminar-based practical course for 3rd-year World Politics students. The course introduces students to the core applied research approaches in social sciences. It starts the discussion and practice of qualitative, quantitative and mixed techniques with the topic of case selection, drawing attention to interconnectedness between the goal of the study, research problem and data sample. The bulk of the course covers widely-applied case study methodology, qualitative discourse, content analyses, qualitative comparative analysis as well as tools for large-scale data analysis, particularly regressions, and social network analysis. Practical exercises and review of academic papers aim to equip students with research skills and develop an ability to critically assess the validity of both their own term paper and future thesis projects and published scholarly research.
Learning Objectives
- Understand how goal of the study and research question inform case selection.
- Learn how to operationalize concepts and use existing tools in both quantitative and qualitative designs.
- Being able to suggest multiple methodological options for the same research goal and research question.
- Being able to critically assess both own studies and existing literature, identifying their errors and shortcomings.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Being able to use quantitative methods in research paper and work with large chunks of data.
- Being able to conduct a thorough qualitative study by selecting appropriate tools.
- Knowing how to use existing data and collect new information.
- Understanding how research goal informs the scope of the study and choice of the case or sample.
- Learning how to identify research question or other rationale for doing a case study.
- Being able to identify the challenges of quantitative and qualitative techniques and to provide a solution using mixed methods approach.
Course Contents
- How research problem defines case selection: single, medium- and large-N studies
- Case study approach
- Qualitative methods
- Quantitative methods
- Methods of collecting data
- Mixed methods approach
Assessment Elements
- Oral examThe exam tests the command of the material studied throughout the course. Each student will be invited to randomly pick an examination card containing 2 questions on the course materials. The student will have time (15 min) for preparation before answering the questions.
- Research proposalIn the research proposal, students should show deep understanding of their chosen topic, its background and ongoing scholarly debates, applied theoretical and methodological framework and their own argumentation (research question and hypothesis(es) if appropriate within the selected methodological approach). The proposal should contain the following elements: 1) introduction (background/context of the topic, its relevance and current agenda - why is it important for studying); 2) literature review highlighting the flow of the debates on the topic and potentially existing research gap(s) (not less than 8-10 academic references); 3) methodology (core applied theoretical and methodological paradigm, how the chosen approach forms the research problem, research question and preliminary hypotheses (if relevant) or expectations, planned methods/research techniques for data collection/generation and analysis, potential sources of data); 4) expected results; 5) reference list. The required volume of the proposal is around 2500 words excluding reference list. If the volume is considerably smaller (i.e. less than 2000 words) and the paper is not sufficiently elaborate, it will affect the grade. Technical requirements are: 1) cover page highlighting author’s first and last name, group, and title of the term paper, 2) 12 TNR, 1.5 spacing, text aligned with both margins, 3) reference list in APA.
- Participation
Interim Assessment
- 2023/2024 3rd module0.4 * Oral exam + 0.3 * Participation + 0.3 * Research proposal
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Handbook of Research Methods and Applications in Political Science. (2016). Edward Elgar. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsnar&AN=edsnar.oai.research.vu.nl.publications.79adffd0.782e.411f.b258.53afc56be456
- King, G., Verba, S., & Keohane, R. O. (1994). Designing Social Inquiry : Scientific Inference in Qualitative Research. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=329740
- McNabb, D. E. . V. (DE-588)128628677, (DE-627)376934980, (DE-576)185381413, aut. (2021). Research methods for political science quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods approaches David E. McNabb.
- Political science research methods, Johnson, J. B., 2016
- Qualitative methods in international relations a pluralist guide ed. by Audie Klotz and Deepa Prakash. (2008).
- Research design : qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches, Creswell, J. W., 2018
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Research methods in political science : an introduction using microCase, Le Roy, M. K., 2013
- Research methods in politics, Burnham, P., 2008
- Understanding case study research : small-scale research with meaning, Tight, M., 2017