Project Seminar

2025/2026

Учебный год

ENG

Обучение ведется на английском языке

Кто читает:

Департамент социологии

Статус:

Курс обязательный

Когда читается:

1-й курс, 3, 4 модуль

Преподаватель

Черных Екатерина Юрьевна

Course Syllabus

Abstract

The project seminar aims to develop students 'abilities for critical assessment of their own and others' research, reflection by students of participation in research and applied projects, assessment of their own achievements and mistakes, acquired competencies and development. The main provisions of the discipline should be used in the future in the preparation of term paper and master's thesis.

Learning Objectives

• This course aims at developing students’ ability to critically evaluate academic and applied research in the field of social and political studies. Students will learn to reflect on their own project experience, assess achievements and mistakes, provide constructive feedback to peers, and integrate project outcomes into the preparation of term papers and the master’s thesis.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Able to critically assess the quality, structure and outcomes of academic and applied research projects, identifying their strengths and limitations.
• Able to reflect on their own research and project experience, evaluate achievements and mistakes, and formulate strategies for further academic and professional development.
• Able to apply peer review and constructive feedback techniques in order to improve both individual and team research results.
• Able to design the trajectory of their research work, from project stage to master’s thesis, ensuring consistency between applied tasks and academic goals.
• Able to identify and formulate research problems relevant to social and data-driven analysis, and justify their significance in academic and applied contexts.

Course Contents

• Project work and academic reflection
• Critical assessment of research and applied projects
• Competence development and self-evaluation
• Mistakes and challenges
• From project to thesis: research integration

Assessment Elements

• Activity
  Activity in the class during seminars: students are expected to ask meaningful questions and participate in group discussions. Attendance of classes as such doesn't count as activity.
• Proposal presentation
  Students need to present their master’s thesis proposal and share two articles with peers in advance (one that uses a similar theoretical framework and one that applies a similar methodology) to ensure a meaningful discussion of the proposal.
• Peer review
  Students are required to write a structured and critical review of a peer’s master’s thesis proposal. The review should assess the clarity and relevance of the research question, the soundness of the theoretical framework, the appropriateness of the chosen methodology, and the overall feasibility of the project. Particular attention should be paid to constructive feedback — highlighting strengths, identifying possible weaknesses, and suggesting ways to improve the proposal.

Interim Assessment

• 2025/2026 4th module
  0.25 * Activity + 0.25 * Activity + 0.25 * Peer review + 0.25 * Proposal presentation
• 2026/2027 2nd module
  0.25 * Activity + 0.25 * Activity + 0.25 * Peer review + 0.25 * Proposal presentation

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Babbie, E. R. (2016). The Practice of Social Research: Vol. Fourteenth editon. Cengage Learning.
• Theory construction and model-building skills : a practical guide for social scientists, Jaccard, J., 2020

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Alan Bryman, & The Programme Aims. (2001). Social research methods. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.151A861A

Authors

• Скрынник Елизавета Сергеевна
• CHERNYKH EKATERINA YUREVNA