Moscow School for Social and Economic Sciences
| Вид материала | Документы |
- Berlin Graduate School of Social Sciences (bgss) сообщает о приеме заявок для обучения, 17.64kb.
- United Nations Economic Commission for Europe unescap united Nations Economic and Social, 48.57kb.
- Despite it, does not lose the urgency and now, at the expense of political, social,, 117.74kb.
- Шановні колеги, 183.01kb.
- The article describes the social and economic role of small business, its impact, 525.28kb.
- British Higher School of Art and Design, Moscow, Russia Представлена Британская высшая, 505.97kb.
- Dual networks and network model of social-economic system, 158.14kb.
- Досвід впровадження реформи монетизації соціальної грошової допомоги в Росії Підготовано, 1283.94kb.
- Методичний бюлетень: Програмний комплекс NetOp School, 118.18kb.
- Презентация сочинений на английском языке на тему «School life in school №64», «My, 8.23kb.
PS002. Methodology of Sociological Research
- GENERAL INFORMATION
| Title | Methodology of Sociological Research |
| Unit code | PS002 |
| Credit rating | 30 |
| Level | MA |
| Contact hours | 63 |
| Pre-requisite units | - |
| Co-requisite units | History of political thought |
| School responsible | Moscow School of Social & Economic Science (Department of Political Science) |
| Member of staff responsible | Dr. Victor Vakhshtayn, Dr. Olesia Kirchic, Dmitriy Kurakin |
- AIMS
The overall aim of this course is to provide understanding of both epistemological and methodological issues in research process. In accordance with this core aim, course is divided into two basic parts. Within first module fundamental questions of social and political sciences epistemology will be considered: i.e., connection between theoretical framework and empirical data, consistency of different stages of research process, demarcation between scientific and ordinary knowledge. Within second one different methods, used in sociological research process, along with possibilities and ways of their application will be examined.
With regard of the core aim some special objectives were formulated:
- To promote a reflection on fundamental questions on epistemology of social and political sciences;
- To introduce basic epistemological concepts and approaches to research process and its stages;
- To introduce basic research methods and to develop ability to analyze advantages and disadvantages of them in regard to researcher aims.
- To form an ability to develop research design (from constructing theoretical framework to interpretation of empirical data).
- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE UNIT
Content
1. Description of basic epistemological problems within social and political sciences. Correspondence between theory and practice within sociological research.
2. The problem of demarcation between scientific and ordinary knowledge.
3.The place and function of metaphor in epistemology of social sciences.
4. Opposition between apriorism and empiricism.
5. Anatomy of research model: concept, operational definition, data, interpretation.
6. Definition of method. Different types of methods’ classification.
7. Ethnographic method. Participant / non-participant observation, ethnographic interview. Limitations of ethnographic methodes.
8. Classical causal analyses. Variables types. Different understandings of correlation. Sample types and sample design.
9. Historical method.
10. Relational method (social topology).
11. Discourse analyses.
12. From concepts to operational definitions.
13. Methodological architecture: from data gathering to data processing.
14. The art and science of interpretation
15. Writing Conclusions.
Core Reading
Bryman, Alan. Social research methods. 3rd ed. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2008, (p. 181-200: content-analysis; p. 521-537: doing a research project).
Current Debates in Epistemology (eds. Matthias Steup, Ernest Sosa). (2005). Blackwell Publishing.
Goldthorpe, John H. (2000). Numbers, narratives, and the integration of research and theory. Oxford University Press.
Le Roux, Brigitte & Rouanet, Henry. (2004). Geometric Data Analysis. Dordrecht: Kluwer.
Strauss, Anselm & Corbin, Juliet. (1990). Basics of qualitative research. Sage Publications.
What is a case? Exploring the foundations of social inquiry (Howard S. Becker, Charles Ragin eds.). (1992). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Батыгин Г.С. Лекции по методологии социологических исследований. М., 2000. (Batygin G. Lectures in methodology of sociological research.)
Константиновский Д.Л., Вахштайн В.С., Куракин Д.Ю. Реальность образования и исследовательские реальности. М., 2010. (Konstantinovskiy D., Vakhshtayn V., Kurakin D. Reality of education and research realties. Sociological research from metaphor to narrative.)
- INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
| Category of outcome | Students should be able to: |
| Knowledge and understanding | - understand main epistemological and methodological issues of sociological research; - know fundamental concepts and approaches to research process and its stages; - know basic sociological research methods, its advantages and disadvantages, possibilities and ways of their application. |
| Intellectual skills | - develop the ability to analyze different research projects; - develop the ability to describe and analyze different approaches to research process; - promote a reflection on epistemological and methodological issues of sociological research. |
| Practical skills | - resolve problems: identify the features of problem, including aspects of risk and select approaches and solutions; - identify desired communication outcomes; enhance understanding and engagement by academic and professional audiences; - research independently, by identifying and managing library and information resources including online, correctly citing, acknowledging and referencing sources; - undertake effectively independent and self-managed learning; |
| Transferable skills and personal qualities | - effective written and oral communication; - read, write and communicate in English on academic topics; - reflect and write analytically; - engage in scientific discussion and deliver creative and original thought; - find information and use information technology (including e-library resources) - exercise self-reliance skills and develop independent learning ability; - manage time and work to deadlines. |
- LEARNING AND TEACHING PROCESSES (INCLUDING THE USE OF E-LEARNING)
- Contact hours: lections (70%) and tutorials (30%).
- Private assignment preparation
- Directed reading (paper and electronic texts)
- Essay writing
- ASSESSMENT (INCLUDING THE USE OF E-LEARNING)
| Assessment task | Length | Weighting within unit (if relevant) |
| 2 Essays | 1st – 3000 words 2nd - 5000 words | 30% 70% |
| Date of current version | 12 March 2010 |
| Approved by Deans’ meeting | 23 March 2010 |