| Unit name | Introduction to Research Methods in the Social Sciences |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SSLFM0001 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Guizzo |
| 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 | Social Sciences and Law Faculty Office |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
This unit is designed to develop postgraduate research students’ skills in the conduct of research in their area of interest and to situate their own thought and practice within the wider context of social science research. The unit will benefit postgraduate researchers through providing a strong foundation in philosophical and practical aspects of research design in the social sciences. More broadly, it will provide a platform for reflective, methodologically engaged scholarship across future study.
This unit is hosted by the Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences, meaning that students will engage with interdisciplinary conversations involving peers from across the Faculty. As a result, students’ epistemological, ontological, and methodological perspectives may be broadened or challenged through engaging in diverse conversations. This unit is mandatory for all South West Doctoral Training Partnership students, unless covered through recognised prior learning.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit is part of the core South West Doctoral Training Partnership training and Faculty-level training in research methods for postgraduate research students. This research methods training is designed to develop students’ research skills, so that they can design and conduct high-quality research in their area of interest. The core understanding developed in this unit will underpin and support learning across advanced elements of the methods training (Advanced Qualitative Methods and Advanced Quantitative Methods), and relate to more specific elements (Digital Methods and Data Skills, and School-level units where relevant).
An overview of content
Topics covered in the unit include development of feasible and methodologically appropriate research questions, philosophical paradigms in social research and their influence on research design, typical research logics of qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods designs, core data collection techniques for empirical research in the social sciences (qualitative interviews, focus groups, survey questionnaire design, sampling methodologies), and key considerations in research ethics.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
By taking this unit, students will develop an appreciation of the breadth of research traditions and associated philosophical perspectives in the social sciences. This will support students in developing the crucial ability to understand, consider and critique a wide range of existing and current research in topic areas relevant to their PhD projects. Students will also develop practical skills in the design and implementation of research in the social sciences, including core areas such as developing research questions, designing sampling methodology, implementing data collection techniques and reflecting on research ethics. These are all key foundational research skills.
This unit is hosted by the Faculty of Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences, meaning that students will engage with interdisciplinary conversations involving peers from across the Faculty. As a result, students’ epistemological, ontological, and methodological perspectives may be broadened or challenged through engaging in diverse conversations with colleagues in cognate disciplines.
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:
Learning will take place through a mixture of lectures and seminars with discussions and practical group tasks. This suits the subject material by developing conceptual understanding during the lectures and considering practical application through seminar activities.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Formative assessment will be carried out through seminar activities with peer and tutor feedback, to enable students to develop their ideas for their summative assessment (research proposal), and develop skills in critical reflection.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Research Proposal (max 4,000 words), 100%
When assessment does not go to plan
Where students have failed the unit and are eligible to resubmit, the resubmission will be a revised version of the original 4,000 word research proposal and critical reflection.
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. SSLFM0001).
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.
