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Regular version of the site

Research Seminar

2022/2023
Academic Year
ENG
Instruction in English
2
ECTS credits
Course type:
Compulsory course
When:
3 year, 3 module

Instructors

Course Syllabus

Abstract

The research seminar aims at helping students in their scientific and research activities, by mastering their knowledge in research design formulation, as well as new research methods application. During the course students will practice one of the methods (Discourse Analysis or Text – as – Data techniques) by discussing their peculiarities and developing their own projects.
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

  • 1. Develop students' skills in formulating and justifying their research designs
  • 2. Master students' capabilities to develop and implement various research strategies
  • 3. Acquaint students with the selected method of research (Discourse Analysis, Text-as-Data) and their applications
Expected Learning Outcomes

Expected Learning Outcomes

  • finds, defines and uses the information from different sources which required for solving of research and professional problems (including the system approach)
  • retrieves, collects, processes and analyzes information relevant for achieving goals in the professional field.
  • outlines the need for resources and plan its using for solving professional problems
  • chooses research methods appropriate for resolving the professional tasks.
  • executes applied analysis of the political phenomena and political processes: by using political science methods and in support of practical decision making process.
  • forms a research design in social sciences, with all its elements and with all its parts, by looking into specific examples
  • knows what kind of research questions can be formulated and what kind of research problems there are
Course Contents

Course Contents

  • Topic 1. (3rd Year)
  • Topic 2. (3rd Year)
  • Topic 3. (3rd Year)
  • Topic 4. (3rd Year)
  • Topic 5. (3rd Year)
  • Topic 6. (3rd Year)
  • Topic 7. (3rd Year)
  • Topic 8. (3rd Year)
  • Topic 9. (3rd Year)
  • Topic 10. (3rd Year)
  • Ontology and epistemology of political research
  • Research questions
  • Literature review
  • Theory
  • Designing empirical research
  • Peer-review discussion
Assessment Elements

Assessment Elements

  • non-blocking IN-CLASS DISCUSSION
    Students are to present their critical analysis of the provided mandatory readings. Students are to discuss any in-class additional materials (speeches, texts, videos).
  • non-blocking HOMEWORK
    Discourse Analysis: A written individual assignment, evaluating students’ progress in Research proposal in Discourse analysis. Students are to present orally a part of their research proposal (RQ, discourse approach, research procedures, etc) Text-as-Data: A written individual assignment, evaluating students’ progress in text analysis in R. Students will be provided with the task they need to perform on the provided data base. Students are to submit an R script and a short docx/pdf report on the results obtained.
  • non-blocking QUIZ
    The quiz is held in-class. The quiz consists of 10 questions and lasts for 20 minutes.
  • non-blocking FINAL PAPER
    Discourse Analysis: Written research proposal in political discourse analysis. Text-as-Data: A written group assignment (can be done individually upon request from a student), evaluating students’ progress during the second part of the course. The goal is to collect data, choose relevant methodological approach, analyze data, interpret, and present the results. Students are to submit R script, collected data base, written report. Students are to present the results of their work in class.
  • non-blocking EXAM
    Discourse Analysis: Exam is oral. It lasts for 1 hour 20 minutes. It contains 2 random question that correspond to the themes list. Text-as-Data: The exam is held in a written (test) format in the LMS (https://lms.hse.ru/) and Google Meet. The exam last for 1 hour 20 minutes. Students should log in to the Google Meet and the LMS 5 minutes before the start of the exam, using the computer that has a web-camera and a microphone. To participate in the exam, a student must: (1) switch on a web-camera and a microphone in the Google Meet and keep them on during the entire exam; (2) follow the lecturer’s instructions to open the test in the LMS; (3) start doing the test in the LMS. During the exam students are not allowed to (1) switch off a web-camera or a microphone in the Zoom; (2) open pages in a web-browser other that the test in the LMS; (3) use any additional printed and / or electronic materials and devices (e.g. smartphones). A short-term connection problem can last no more than 5 minutes and can occur not more than 2 times during the exam. A long-term connection problem is more than 5 minutes, or more than two short-term connection problems. In case of long-term connection problems students cannot proceed with the exam and must retake it in the same format.
  • non-blocking In-class participation
    Students are expected to attend each seminar and regularly participate in discussions. The instructor grades the participation during the seminars based on the quality of answers, demonstration of engagement with the assigned readings and home tasks, and overall quantitative involvement in the in-class activities.
  • non-blocking Home assignments
    Students are expected to submit regular home assignments (announced in advance) based on the discussed topics and aimed at helping them to grasp the main concepts and apply them to their research designs.
  • non-blocking Revision test
    The revision test will consist of multiple-choice an dopen questions covering the content of the first 5 seminars.
  • non-blocking Research proposal
    This is an individual written assignment and the main outcome of the research seminar. Students are expected to describe the research design of their future bachelor theses. The expected volume of the paper is 1500 words (+/- 10%).
Interim Assessment

Interim Assessment

  • 2020/2021 3rd module
    The formula for 2020-21 academic year was: In-class participation*0,25 + Assignment: Team Literature Review*0,4 + Exam test*0,35
  • 2021/2022 3rd module
    The formula for 2021-22 academic year was: In-Class Participation*0,25 + Group Project*0,25 + Essay*0,25 + Exam*0,25
  • 2022/2023 3rd module
    0.2 * HOMEWORK + 0.2 * FINAL PAPER + 0.2 * EXAM + 0.2 * QUIZ + 0.2 * IN-CLASS DISCUSSION
  • 2023/2024 2nd module
    0.25 * In-class participation + 0.25 * Revision test + 0.3 * Research proposal + 0.2 * Home assignments
Bibliography

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

  • Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., & Williams, J. M. (2003). The Craft of Research (Vol. 2nd ed). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=228256
  • Keating, M., & Della Porta, D. (2008). Approaches and Methodologies in the Social Sciences : A Pluralist Perspective. Cambridge , New York: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=304674

Recommended Additional Bibliography

  • Ralph Berry. The Research Project. How to Write It (5th ed.). London: Routledge, 2004