GV110-4-SP-CO:
Thinking Like a Social Scientist
2024/25
Government
Colchester Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 4
Current
Monday 13 January 2025
Friday 21 March 2025
15
18 May 2022
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BA MT26 Criminology and American Studies (UK Study),
BA MT27 Criminology and American Studies (Including Year Abroad),
BA MT28 Criminology and American Studies (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA MT2R Criminology and American Studies,
BA MT3R Criminology and American Studies (Including Placement Year),
BA MT62 Criminology and American Studies (UK Study) (Including Placement Year),
BA L250 International Relations (Including Foundation Year),
BA L258 International Relations,
BA L259 International Relations (Including Year Abroad),
BA L260 International Relations (Including Placement Year),
MPOLL268 International Relations,
MPOLL269 International Relations (Including Placement Year),
MPOLL370 International Relations (Including Year Abroad),
BSC L222 Politics and International Relations,
BSC L223 Politics and International Relations (Including Year Abroad),
BSC L224 Politics and International Relations (Including Placement Year),
BSC LL25 Politics with Business,
BSC LL26 Politics with Business (Including Placement Year),
BSC LL27 Politics with Business (including Year Abroad),
BSC LL20 Politics with Data Science,
BSC LL21 Politics with Data Science,
BSC LL22 Politics with Data Science
The module provides an introduction to the philosophy and theory of (empirical social) science, its structure, and methods.
It asks questions such as "What is science?", "What is the scientific method?", "How is knowledge generated?", "How is scientific progress made?", or "How to do science?"
Introducing students to the basics of the scientific methods in the social sciences, allows them to understand better how to formulate research problems independently, identify and acquire the necessary additional methods skills within their degree program, and to conduct work that fulfills satisfactory standards of research quality.
This not only pertains to students' classes during the second and third academic year or their capstone dissertation but also provides them with a solid foundation for potential postgraduate studies or employment in research-related jobs.
This module seeks to enable students to assess scientific logic and assumptions, evaluate scientific theories and empirical evidence, and build intuition for good research designs.
By the end of the module the students will have achieved the following:
1. Gained an understanding of the basic issues in research design and philosophy of science.
2. Learnt how to construct a scientific explanation (research question, theory-building, hypotheses).
3. Understood how to empirically evaluate scientific theories.
No additional information available.
This module will be taught over 2 hours per week
- Kellstedt, Paul M.; Whitten, Guy D. (2013) The fundamentals of political science research, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Okasha, Samir. (no date) 6£ Ebook: Philosophy of Science: Very Short Introduction (2nd ed.).
- Popper, Karl R. (2002) The logic of scientific discovery, London: Routledge. vol. Routledge classics
- Kellstedt, Paul; Whitten, Guy. (2013) The Fundamentals of Political Science Research, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Clarke, Kevin A; Primo, David M. (2012) A model discipline: political science and the logic of representations, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Kuhn, Thomas S. (1970) The structure of scientific revolutions, Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
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 |
Online Quiz 1 |
|
20% |
| Coursework |
Online Quiz 2 |
|
20% |
| Coursework |
Quiz 3 |
|
|
| Coursework |
Final Paper |
|
60% |
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
Miss Lydia Karga
Student Administrator: govquery@essex.ac.uk
Yes
Yes
No
Dr Mohammed Rodwan Abouharb
University College London
Available via Moodle
Of 558 hours, 10 (1.8%) hours available to students:
548 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
Government
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