| Unit name | Investigating Society (Politics) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | POLI20019 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Oksanen |
| 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 of Sociology, Politics and International Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
How do we generate research questions and produce reliable information? What methods are appropriate, and in what context, to generate evidence in social research? How do we interpret and evaluate such evidence? And what does it mean to conduct social science research ethically? This unit serves as an introduction to a wide range of issues that relate to these questions and concern social scientists as they produce and evaluate research material. It covers a range of qualitative methods to generate and interpret evidence, including observation, interview, and archival research, and it provides an introduction to digital and survey research. It aims to:
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit is a crucial component of the Politics and International Relations programme as it directly prepares students for dissertation research. It reviews key types of analytical and empirical methods available to social scientists. This enables students to choose the most appropriate method, or methods, for their dissertation project in the final year. The unit also gives students the initial experience of planning and carrying out a research project and alerts them to the problems that arise in the generation and evaluation of evidence. Overall, it is best to think of this unit as a springboard for an independent study of society.
An overview of content
The unit starts with an introduction to methodological reflection and practice in social sciences. It then moves on to explore archival and diary methods, as well thematic and discourse analysis, in a block of plenaries and seminars that directly link to the unit’s assessment. Then follows a block on generating empirical evidence to introduce key methods used in social science research. It covers qualitative interviews, focus groups, as well as digital, survey, and ethnographic research. The unit concludes with the consideration of research ethics and preparation for ethical approval in the context of the dissertation.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
The unit develops independent research skills and it improves critical thinking skills. It enables students to independently conduct research at an undergraduate level. It also allows them to critically evaluate published research in a methodological perspective.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:
The unit will be taught through plenaries to introduce key methods for the generation and analysis of evidence, and through seminars to apply these methods interactively through inquiry-based or problem-based exercises. The plenaries will be delivered by experts specialised in each of the research methods discussed. These experts include politics and sociology academics, as well as external speakers. This mode of learning enables students to reflect on social science research methods in a broad context and to understand them as an intricate resource to investigate the social and political life from different disciplinary perspectives.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Seminars are structured around practical exercises and feedback is provided verbally in class which will help prepare students for the summative assignments.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
1,000 word research proposal (25%) - ILO 1, 2. The research proposal evaluates the ability to design a research project: identify a research topic, construct a research question, and justify the choice of method (or methods) to generate and/or analyse evidence. It also prepares the students for writing a dissertation proposal later in the programme.
2,500 word research report (75%) - ILO 2, 3, 4. The research report evaluates the ability to implement a research project: assemble and analyse research evidence, interpret results, draw conclusions, and disseminate these results in the form of a written research report. It also prepares the students for writing up the results on their dissertation research later on in the programme.
When assessment does not go to plan:
You will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. You will be required to select a new research topic.
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. POLI20019).
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.
