University of Essex

GV914-7-AU-CO:
Research Design

The details

Year: 2023/24

Department: Government

Campus: Colchester Campus

Term: Autumn

Level: Postgraduate: Level 7

Status: Current

Start date: Thursday 05 October 2023

End date: Friday 15 December 2023

Credits: 15

Last updated: 13 October 2023

Requisites for this module

Pre-requisites: (none)

Co-requisites: (none)

Pre and / or co-requisites: (none)

Prohibited modules: (none)

Key module (requisite for): GV915

Key module for

MA L25212 Conflict Resolution,
MA L252EB Conflict Resolution,
MA L252EK Conflict Resolution,
MSC L25212 Conflict Resolution,
MSC L252EB Conflict Resolution,
MSC L252EK Conflict Resolution,
MA L24012 Global and Comparative Politics,
MA L240EB Global and Comparative Politics,
MA L240EK Global and Comparative Politics,
MSC L24012 Global and Comparative Politics,
MSC L240EB Global and Comparative Politics,
MSC L240EK Global and Comparative Politics,
MA L25012 International Relations,
MA L250EB International Relations,
MA L250EK International Relations,
MRESL25024 International Relations,
MSC L25012 International Relations,
MSC L250EB International Relations,
MSC L250EK International Relations,
MA L20612 Political Economy,
MA L206EB Political Economy,
MA L206EK Political Economy,
MRESL20624 Political Economy,
MSC L20612 Political Economy,
MSC L206EB Political Economy,
MSC L206EK Political Economy,
MA L20012 Political Science,
MA L200EB Political Science,
MSC L20012 Political Science,
MSC L200EB Political Science,
MA L205EB Political Theory,
MA L20112 Politics,
MA L20124 Politics,
MA L201EB Politics,
MA L201EK Politics,
MA L201MI Politics (With English for Academic Purposes),
MA L20712 Public Opinion and Political Behaviour,
MA L207EB Public Opinion and Political Behaviour,
MA L207EK Public Opinion and Political Behaviour,
MSC L20712 Public Opinion and Political Behaviour,
MSC L207EB Public Opinion and Political Behaviour,
MSC L207EK Public Opinion and Political Behaviour,
MRESL20024 Political Science,
MSC L2I112 Social Data Science,
MPP L43012 The Essex MPP,
MPP L43024 The Essex MPP,
MPP L430EB The Essex MPP,
MA F7D412 Environmental Futures with Climate Change,
MSC F7D412 Environmental Futures with Climate Change,
MSC L2P312 Politics, Communications and Data Analytics,
MA L20812 Political Psychology,
MA L20824 Political Psychology,
MSC L20812 Political Psychology,
MSC L20824 Political Psychology,
MSC L20912 Quantitative Political Science,
MSC L209EB Quantitative Political Science,
MPHDL20148 Government,
MPHDL20K48 Government,
PHD L20148 Government,
PHD L20K48 Government,
MPOLL234 Politics and International Relations,
MPOLL235 Politics and International Relations (Including Placement Year),
MPOLL236 Politics and International Relations (Including Year Abroad)

Module description

This module familiarises students with the scientific method in the social sciences. It introduces students to different ways to model social phenomenon, the assumptions that political scientists make when analysing politics, and different topics that contemporary political science addresses. Students will learn how to pose meaningful research questions, define concepts and formulate hypothesis. They will also learn how to empirically measure concepts and select the appropriate research approaches and environments.

Module aims

The aims of this module are:

To introduce students to the principles of scientific method in social sciences and politics

To provide students with an overview of specific research designs and their applications in the study of politics

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module students will be expected to:

Read, understand, and evaluate empirical analyses and scholarly work published in the leading journals;

Understand evaluation methods for particular research questions, research designs, and variables;

Articulate research questions and apply a coherent research strategy to answer them

Key Skills:

Learn to read core political science texts quickly and extract key points of information from them.

Learn to concisely summarize and write about key concepts in political science

Learn to develop questions of interest to modern political science

Learn to structure a political science research paper

Matching appropriate designs to research questions

Develop a coherent research project in Political Science

Module information

No additional information available.

Learning and teaching methods

This module will be delivered with a weekly two-hour interactive seminar. Each session will consist of a blend of lecturing, Q&A, group and whole-class discussion – the precise blend to depend in part on student numbers.

Bibliography

Clark, T. et al. (2021f) Bryman’s social research methods. Sixth edition. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/974675.
Johnson, J.B., Reynolds, H.T. and Mycoff, J.D. (2019e) Political Science Research Methods. 9th Revised edition. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications Inc. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/650865.
Kellstedt, P.M. and Whitten, G.D. (2018a) Fundamentals of Political Science Research. 3rd Revised edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (Virtual Publishing). Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/294544.
Angrist, J.D. and Pischke, J.-S. (2009) Mostly harmless econometrics: an empiricist’s companion. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/168906.
Kellstedt, P.M. and Whitten, G.D. (2018b) Fundamentals of Political Science Research. 3rd Revised edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (Virtual Publishing). Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/294544.
Adcock, R. and Collier, D. (2001) ‘Measurement Validity: A Shared Standard for Qualitative and Quantitative Research’, American Political Science Review, 95(3), pp. 529–546. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003055401003100.
Bourke, B. (2014) ‘Positionality: Reflecting on the Research Process’, The Qualitative Report [Preprint]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2014.1026.
Pillow, W. (2003) ‘Confession, catharsis, or cure? Rethinking the uses of reflexivity as methodological power in qualitative research’, International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 16(2), pp. 175–196. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/0951839032000060635.
Glynos, J. and Howarth, D. (2008) ‘Critical Explanation in Social Science: A Logics Approach’, 34(1). Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328145174_Critical_Explanation_in_Social_Science_a_Logics_Approach.
Howarth, D. and Roussos, K. (2023) ‘Radical democracy, the commons and everyday struggles during the Greek crisis’, The British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 25(2), pp. 311–327. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/13691481211067147.
Johnson, J.B., Reynolds, H.T. and Mycoff, J.D. (2020b) Political Science Research Methods. 9th Edition. CQ Press. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/650865.
Kern, F. (2011) ‘Ideas, Institutions, and Interests: Explaining Policy Divergence in Fostering “System Innovations” towards Sustainability’, Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 29(6), pp. 1116–1134. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1068/c1142.
Malik, R. (2023) ‘Lesser of Two Evils: Allocating Resources to Opposition Districts in Pakistan’, 48(2). Available at: https://repository.essex.ac.uk/33311/.

The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam	Description	Coursework weighting
Coursework	Moodle Test	20%
Coursework	Research Outline	30%
Coursework	Final Research Proposal	50%

Exam format definitions

Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework	Exam
100%	0%

Reassessment

Coursework	Exam
100%	0%

Module supervisor and teaching staff

Supervisor: Dr Ireen Litvak-Zur, email: i.litvak-zur@essex.ac.uk.

Teaching staff: Faten Ghosn

Contact details: Module Supervisor: Ireen Litvak-Zur, i.litvak-zur@essex.ac.uk / Student Administrator Jamie Seakens govpgquery@essex.ac.uk

Availability

Available to incoming Essex Abroad / Exchange students: No

Available to Outside Option: No

Available to Audit: Yes

External examiner

Name: Dr Damien Bol

Institution: King's College London

Academic role: Senior Lecturer

Resources

Teaching materials: Available via Moodle

Lecture recording: Of 20 hours, 20 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.

Further information

Department website: Government

Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements, industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.

Module Directory

GV914-7-AU-CO:Research Design