GV914-7-SU-CO:
Research Design
2023/24
Government
Colchester Campus
Summer
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Monday 22 April 2024
Friday 07 June 2024
15
06 June 2023
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
GV915
MA L201JS Politics,
MPP L430JS The Essex MPP,
MPHDL20KJS Government,
PHD L20KJS Government
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.
The aims of this module are:
- To introduce students to the principles of the scientific method in the social sciences
- To provide students with an overview of specific research designs and their applications in the study of politics
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able 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 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.
- Matching appropriate designs to research questions.
- Develop a coherent research project in Political Science.
No additional information available.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Bourke, B. (2014) ‘Positionality: Reflecting on the Research Process’,
The Qualitative Report [Preprint]. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2014.1026.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Moodle Test |
|
20% |
| Coursework |
Research Outline |
|
30% |
| Coursework |
Complete 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
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
No
No
Yes
Dr Damien Bol
King's College London
Senior Lecturer
Available via Moodle
Of 2 hours, 2 (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.
Government
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