Department of Social & Policy Sciences, Unit Catalogue 2008/09 |
SP50147 Research issues |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Masters |
| Semester: 1 |
| Assessment: CW 100% |
| Requisites: |
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Aims:
* To introduce students to a range of research methods relevant to their field of study. * To enable students to recognise the specific contributions and limitations of various methodological approaches. * To enable students to apply research perspectives to their own practice and/or discipline. * To enable students to appreciate some of the sensitivities of researching in this field. Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to: * recognise the contributions and limitations of a range of approaches to research in their field. * apply appropriate criteria and theoretical concepts to an evaluation of research studies in their field. Skills: * Develop skills to reflect on the suitability of diverse approaches for investigating and analysing research problems. * Synthesise information from a variety of research perspectives for a relevant understanding of theoretical and practical approaches. * Identify and access relevant information sources. * Communicate complex issues and perspectives through written and oral media. * Develop skills of time management, workload prioritisation and related planning skills. * Develop good writing and presentation skills. Content: This unit will a) introduce the philosophy of social research, b) comprise presentations from researchers active in the specific fields relevant to the students. These may include: * Surveys * Ethnography * Interview-based studies * Observational studies * Organisational studies * Using secondary data * Content analysis * Using online sources as data Ethical implications will be prioritised throughout. |