| Unit name | Social Research Methods |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SOAD20004 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Phil Sayer |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School for Policy Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
Social Research Methods builds on the knowledge and skills gained during the first year of studies. It explores a wide variety of possible ways students can approach and research a particular topic of inquiry for their dissertation or for other forms of social investigation. Readings, workshops and lectures help students to see how empirical investigations of social life are always theoretically informed. Students will leave this unit with critical insight into how and why empirical social research is undertaken, what elements need to be considered for a good research design, and an understanding that social research is an always evolving, cumulative endeavour which is enriched by diverse and appropriate use of qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
Studying social research methods in second year is a pre-requisite for single honours students who must complete a dissertation in their final year - and joint honours who may choose to complete a dissertation. All dissertations require completion of a unit in research methods. Joint honours students who choose not to submit a dissertation in their final will find that the unit helps them to understand the process of social research from start to finish, shining light on several issues that might be encountered in work within and beyond university life. This unit also enables students to better use library resources and academic databases when independently searching for reliable sources on a particular topic, and will also support better insights into the potential rationales for research decisions made by social researchers who have devised research studies that they read about across their degree.
An overview of content
This unit encourages students to: learn about and undertake different types of literature searching and various styles of literature review; how to devise a research question at the outset of a project plan; make decisions about the most appropriate research method(s) that can address a particular research question; devise specific tools for use during data collection; undertake basic data analysis and how to understand and critically interpret social research data results prepared by others. This unit is devised developmentally, in a way that supports students along each stage of the research design process so that by the end of the unit they will understand the requisite components of a well-planned and appropriately executed social research study.
How will students personally be different as a result of the unit
Students will feel more confident when discussing and engaging with empirical data and empirical research studies, and they will be able to differentiate between searching for evidence by locating others’ empirical findings (searching the literature); secondary data analysis (new analysis of other researchers’ raw data); and primary data collection (undertaking a fresh new piece of research using data collection tools such as interviews, surveys, observations or analysis of social documents). The aims of the unit are for students to:
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the unit, students will be able to demonstrate:
This unit will draw on a blended learning approach. Students will engage with taught content that is self-paced (including, for example, pre-recorded lectures with accompanying slides and other teaching and research materials).
Each week students will be tasked to complete activities (a mix of individual work and collaborative work) during live 2 hour workshop sessions. During these sessions students will be expected to explore and discuss ideas emerging from essential readings, and to clarify learning with the tutor. The materials used for these sessions will be separately shared for those unable to attend. A weekly Office Hour run by the Unit Convenors will be complemented by periodic monitoring and responses to online discussion space for student reflections and Q&A.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Annotated Bibliography (750 words): Verbal and written feedback will be provided by peers and by the seminar tutor during dedicated workshop time. This links to the summative assessment as it will encourage students to critically engage with existing evidence related to the topic that they want to explore through their research proposal. The formative work will be shared and feedback offered during a dedicated workshop session in the second half of the unit (after reading week).
Tasks which count toward your unit mark (summative):
Research proposal (3000 words, 100%)
This assessment covers all of the unit ILOs.
When assessment does not go to plan:
Subject to the university regulations for taught programmes, unsuccessful students may be offered an opportunity for reassessment. This will comprise a task of the same format as the original assessment.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. SOAD20004).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
