Research Seminar "Methodology and Research Design"

2024/2025

Учебный год

ENG

Обучение ведется на английском языке

3

Кредиты

Кто читает:

Департамент политологии и международных отношений

Статус:

Курс обязательный

Когда читается:

2-й курс, 1, 2 модуль

Преподаватель

Гал Андраш

Course Syllabus

Abstract

The course offers an introduction to the practice of social scientific research on a graduate level. Considering the interdisciplinary character of the MA program and the diverse background of the student body, the course aims to familiarize students with international standards of linking empirical and conceptual approaches, data-collection, academic writing, and communicating research results.2nd year: The core objective of the course is to facilitate the thesis writing of second-year MA students, building on the skills and knowledge acquired in the first year of their program. The first two sessions offer a practical orientation on the fine-tuning of research questions and the logistics of MA thesis research (writing process, data-collection, etc.). Second stage of the course (sessions 4-6), students will present their MA thesis research, and discuss the projects in a workshop format.

Learning Objectives

• to familiarize students with international standards of linking empirical and conceptual approaches, data-collection, academic writing, and communicating research results

Expected Learning Outcomes

• will be able to confidently mobilize external sources in their research, fully aware of the boundaries between sound academic writing and plagiarism or academic dishonesty
• will have a firm grasp on the essential practical guidelines of research design and planning.
• grasps the essential genres of academic writing
• will be able to effectively communicate their research results
• becomes familiar with the essential steps of academic publishing procedures
• applies research skills outside academia will be introduced

Course Contents

• The fundamental features of academic research and genres of academic writing; research ethics and the use of supporting tools.
• From literature review to research question
• From research question to research design
• Conceptualization and measurement; constructing case studies
• Critical junctures in research design; trade-offs and pitfalls
• Data collection
• Presentation workshop (4 sessions)
• Position paper
• Literature review
• Presentation
• Written exercises
• Thesis writing: formal and substantive planning (2nd year)
• Working with academic literature and theories (2nd year)
• Data-collection (workshop, 2nd year)
• Presentation workshops (3 sessions, 2nd year)
• Reaction paper (2 y.)
• Thesis presentation
• Discussing other thesis project
• Short exercises

Assessment Elements

• position paper
  The position paper shall be a problem-based, argumentative text demonstrating the student’s capacity to identify academically relevant problems, finding avenues to tackle it, and communicating her/his arguments in a persuasive, transparent, and succinct manner. The position paper should also demonstrate the student’s firm understanding on the differences between epistemic and methodological traditions. The position paper’s extent shall not exceed 1,000 words, including foot/endnotes, excluding the bibliography.
• literature review
  The literature review should be a narrative text demonstrating the student’s ability to identify the relevant sources for her/his research, to identify various positions and debates in the relevant literature, and to situate her/his own research within these debates. The literature review’s extent shall not exceed 600 words, including foot/endnotes, excluding the bibliography.
• presentation
  The presentation should be a preliminary proposal on the student’s major research project in the first year, the term paper. Beyond presenting their works, students will also have to comment on other research proposals in a constructive fashion. The oral presentation shall be max. 10 minutes long.
• written exercise
  The written tasks are short exercises, following up on specific aspects of a given class, e.g. discerning cases of academic dishonesty and plagiarism, transgressing boundaries in academic genres, etc. Depending on the discussions within the class sessions, 2-4 of these will be assigned throughout the semester, always touching upon specific practical matters.
• class participation
  In the class participation component, the following qualities can result in a maximal grade: • frequency and concision of class participations • originality of class contribution • connection between preparation materials and class contributions • contribution to class discussion dynamics • participation in maintaining an inspiring class environment
• reaction paper
  The reaction paper has to explicate how the methodological considerations introduced in one of the recommended readings contributes to her/his MA thesis. The reactions paper should be 700-1,000 words-long, including foot/endnotes, excluding bibliography.
• presentation
  The presentation should be a preliminary proposal on the student’s major research project within the program, the MA thesis. Beyond presenting their works, students will also have to comment on other research proposals in a constructive fashion.
• short exercises
  For certain seminar sessions, short written exercises will be assigned, focusing on the mandatory readings and/or specific elements of the thesis research. The length of each exercise varies between 300-600 words.
• discussing other research project
  In one of the seminars, every student should discuss the research project of a fellow student, offering constructive and collegial questions and criticism, and suggestions. For every seminar where a student is neither a presenter nor a discussant, short written assignments are due, either in the form of assigned tasks or as forum comments on posted presentation slides or handouts.
• class participation
  In class participation, the following qualities can result in a maximal grade: • frequency and concision of class participations • originality of class contribution • connection between preparation materials and class contributions • contribution to class discussion dynamics • participation in maintaining an inspiring class environment

Interim Assessment

• 2023/2024 2nd module
  0.1 * class participation + 0.1 * class participation + 0.2 * literature review + 0.2 * literature review + 0.2 * position paper + 0.2 * position paper + 0.3 * presentation + 0.3 * presentation + 0.2 * written exercise + 0.2 * written exercise
• 2024/2025 2nd module
  0.1 * class participation + 0.1 * class participation + 0.1 * discussing other research project + 0.1 * discussing other research project + 0.3 * presentation + 0.3 * presentation + 0.3 * reaction paper + 0.3 * reaction paper + 0.2 * short exercises + 0.2 * short exercises

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Hancké, B. (2009). Intelligent Research Design : A Guide for Beginning Researchers in the Social Sciences. Oxford: OUP Oxford. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=299002
• King, G., Verba, S., & Keohane, R. O. (1994). Designing Social Inquiry : Scientific Inference in Qualitative Research. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=329740

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Eco, U., Farina, G., & Mongiat Farina, C. (2015). How to Write a Thesis. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=963778
• Henry E. Brady, & David Collier. (2010). Rethinking Social Inquiry : Diverse Tools, Shared Standards: Vol. 2nd ed. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
• Janet M. Box-Steffensmeier, Henry E. Brady, & David Collier. (2008). The Oxford Handbook of Political Methodology. OUP Oxford.
• Todd Landman. (2003). Issues and Methods in Comparative Politics : An Introduction: Vol. 2nd ed. Routledge.

Authors

• GAL ANDRASH