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PL12007: Solving puzzles about politics

[Page last updated: 09 August 2024]

Academic Year: 2024/25
Owning Department/School: Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
Credits: 5 [equivalent to 10 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 100
Level: Certificate (FHEQ level 4)
Period:
Semester 2
Assessment Summary: CWSI 60%, EXIC 40%
Assessment Detail:
  • In-class test (EXIC 40%)
  • Set exercises Individual (CWSI 60%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Learning Outcomes: Students who have successfully completed this unit will be able to demonstrate:
* understanding of the different kinds of observations we can make about politics;
* understanding of how to construct effective research questions about politics;
* knowledge of how research questions may be addressed by researchers.


Synopsis: How do we construct good questions to ask about politics? And how do we provide good answers to those questions? With a focus on how to integrate theory and empirics when solving these puzzles, we will use real-world examples to understand the basic elements of research design in the study of politics. You'll do so by exploring theory and assumptions, measurement, identification, and how to build an argument about something that is happening in the political world.

Content: Lectures and seminars will cover observation; measurement; research design; theory and empirics; how to make effective arguments about political phenomena.

Course availability:

PL12007 is Compulsory on the following courses:

Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
  • UHPL-AFB53 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations (Year 1)
  • UHPL-AKB53 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations with professional placement (Year 1)
  • UHPL-AKB53 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations with professional placement and study abroad (Year 1)
  • UHPL-AKB53 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations with study abroad (Year 1)
  • UHPL-AFB54 : BSc(Hons) Politics with Economics (Year 1)
  • UHPL-AKB54 : BSc(Hons) Politics with Economics with professional placement (Year 1)
  • UHPL-AKB54 : BSc(Hons) Politics with Economics with professional placement and study abroad (Year 1)
  • UHPL-AKB54 : BSc(Hons) Politics with Economics with study abroad (Year 1)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2024/25 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2025/26 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2024/25.
  • Courses and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.