EPOKA UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF ECONOMICS AND ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (FEAS)
COURSE SYLLABUS
COURSE INFORMATIONCourse Title: RESEARCH METHODS IN SOCIAL SCIENCES |
| Code | Course Type | Regular Semester | Theory | Practice | Lab | Credits | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIR 201 | C | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 |
| Academic staff member responsible for the design of the course syllabus (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) | NA |
| Lecturer (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours: | Diturije Ismaili |
| Second Lecturer(s) (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours: | NA |
| Teaching Assistant(s) and Office Hours: | NA |
| Language: | English |
| Compulsory/Elective: | Compulsory |
| Classroom and Meeting Time: | N/A |
| Course Description: | The course teaches students to learn how to use the quantitative and qualitative methods for investigating political and social sciences topics. It is clear that students will learn developing their research topics and know how to collect and analyze and discuss data. This course seeks to ensure that all students become able to use appropriate research methods on their chosen studies’ field. The course will teach how to use two software, SPSS and NVivo for enabling student to analyses their collected data and equips students how to producing an academic paper. Research Methods in social science are tools that help students and academics to conduct academic studies properly. These methods will provide appropriate guidance for students and academic alike to ask meaningful question about what they study and to find answers of their questions. Therefore, this course will help students to learn and apply key techniques, including inductive and deductive reasoning, hypothesis construction, operationalization of concepts, measurement, sampling and probability, causal inference, and the logic of controls. By the end of the semester undergraduates and graduate students will have a proposal that can be used as the foundation for the senior project and the dissertation prospectus, respectively. |
| Course Objectives: | This course observes the research methods in social sciences, with particular emphasis on political science and international relations. It deals with methods for both qualitative and quantitative empirical research as well as case studies. The focus is on methodology design, data collection, analysis and research writing/report. The course aims to teach students to learn the logic of research and covering both quantitative and qualitative approaches. It aims to accommodate students between the common elements in research methods across social sciences area, on the other hand specialized elements that relate to political sciences and international relations. As a final result, the course seeks to ensure that all students before they cover qualitative and quantitative methods they should be able to identify define and analyze research questions and establish connections among questions, data and techniques for their collection and analysis on their preferred specific field |
|
COURSE OUTLINE
|
| Week | Topics |
| 1 | Presentation of the syllabus. Introduction to the research methodology , overview of texts and expectations. Introduction to Research, Science and scientific research(hours 3-4) |
| 2 | Methodology, research design and ethics |
| 3 | Desk review, Literature Review, Archival analysis |
| 4 | Research Strategy: Qualitative and Quantitative Research Designs |
| 5 | Field Research, Elite interviewing |
| 6 | Historical-comparative research and case study methodology |
| 7 | Project Cycle Management |
| 8 | MID TERM EXAM |
| 9 | Concluding the research and Policy Process |
| 10 | Qualitative and quantitative measurements |
| 11 | Qualitative and quantitative sampling |
| 12 | Experimental Research |
| 13 | Survey Research, Focus Groups |
| 14 | Non creative research, secondary and discourse analysis |
| Prerequisite(s): | Class attendance and participation; timely delivery of the assignments |
| Textbook: | • Alan.B, 2008, Social Research Methods, Oxford University Press • Roger.P, 2009, Research Methods in Politics, SAGE publications • Anol Bhattacherjee, Social Science Research: Principles, Methods, and Practices, Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, 2012 (Available online) • Keith.P, Introduction to Social Research, Qualitative and quantitative Approaches, SAGE Publications • Michael J.P, David S. Waller, 2011, Designing and Managing g a Research Project, SAGE Publications • Burnham, P. 2008. Research methods in politics. Palgrave Macmillan: New York.(Available in the Library of the Epoka University). • Neuman, W. L. 2003. Social research methods: qualitative and quantitative approaches (Available in the Library of the Epoka University). • European Commission. 2004. Project Cycle Management Guidelines. Brussels. (Available online) |
| Other References: | • Bob Matthews and Liz Ross, Research Methods, A practical guide for the social sciences, Pearson, 2010 • Scott B.,2008, Making Things Happen, mastering project management, O’Reilly Media • Marsh, D., and Stoker, G. 2002. Theory and methods in political science. Palgrave Macmillan: New York. (Available in the Library of the Epoka University |
| Laboratory Work: | N/A |
| Computer Usage: | N/A |
| Others: | No |
|
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
|
| 1 | The students will receive basic and general information about research |
| 2 | The students will demonstrate knowledge of major research methods in social sciences, including political science and international relations |
| 3 | The students will demonstrate sufficient ability to use these methods in particular cases |
| 4 | They will demonstrate ability to select a topic for research project and apply research method |
| 5 | They will demonstrate skills evaluating and providing critiques to selected methods |
|
COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO... PROGRAM COMPETENCIES
(Blank : no contribution, 1: least contribution ... 5: highest contribution) |
| No | Program Competencies | Cont. |
| Bachelor in Banking and Finance (3 years) Program | ||
|
COURSE EVALUATION METHOD
|
| Method | Quantity | Percentage |
| Midterm Exam(s) |
1
|
30
|
| Presentation |
1
|
10
|
| Project |
1
|
10
|
| Final Exam |
1
|
40
|
| Attendance |
10
|
|
| Total Percent: | 100% |
|
ECTS (ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD)
|
| Activities | Quantity | Duration(Hours) | Total Workload(Hours) |
| Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours) | 16 | 4 | 64 |
| Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice) | 16 | 2 | 32 |
| Mid-terms | 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Assignments | |||
| Final examination | 1 | 20 | 20 |
| Other | 0 | ||
|
Total Work Load:
|
125 | ||
|
Total Work Load/25(h):
|
5 | ||
|
ECTS Credit of the Course:
|
5 | ||