University of Essex

GV110-4-SP-CO:
Thinking Like a Social Scientist

The details

Year: 2024/25

Department: Government

Campus: Colchester Campus

Term: Spring

Level: Undergraduate: Level 4

Status: Current

Start date: Monday 13 January 2025

End date: Friday 21 March 2025

Credits: 15

Last updated: 06 August 2024

Requisites for this module

Pre-requisites: (none)

Co-requisites: (none)

Pre and / or co-requisites: (none)

Prohibited modules: (none)

Key module (requisite for): (none)

Key module for

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 LL20 Politics with Data Science

Module description

This module provides an introduction into the basics of the philosophy and theory of (empirical social) science, its structure, and procedures/techniques. It tackles questions such as "what is a research design?" and "how is scientific progress made?"

This module thus seeks to introduce students to the basics of scientific work and procedures in the social sciences, which in turn shall allow them to conduct work that fulfills satisfactory standards of research quality. This not only pertains in particular to students' classes during the third academic year, but also in light of potential postgraduate studies.

Module aims

The aim of this module is:

To enable students to assess scientific logics and assumptions, evaluate scientific theories and empirical evidence, and build intuition for good research designs.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:

Gained an understanding of the basic issues in research design and philosophy of science.

Learnt how to construct a scientific explanation (research question, theory-building, hypotheses).

Understood how to empirically evaluate scientific theories.

Module information

No additional information available.

Learning and teaching methods

This module will be delivered via:

1 x 1 hour lecture per week.
1 x 1 hour class per week.

Bibliography

Johnson, J.B., Reynolds, H.T. and Mycoff, J.D. (2019a) 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.
Cartwright, N., Montuschi, Eleanora and Montuschi, Eleonora (eds) (2014b) Philosophy of Social Science: A New Introduction. Oxford University Press, USA. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/167278.
Okasha, S. (2016b) Philosophy of science: a very short introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Available at: https://academic.oup.com/book/486?login=true.
'Naomi Oreskes: Why we should trust scientists | TED Talk' (no date). Available at: https://www.ted.com/talks/naomi_oreskes_why_we_should_trust_scientists.
Knopf, J.W. (2006) 'Doing a Literature Review', PS: Political Science & Politics, 39(1), pp. 127–132. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049096506060264.
Johnson, J.B., Reynolds, H.T. and Mycoff, J.D. (2019d) 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.
Johnson, J.B., Reynolds, H.T. and Mycoff, J.D. (2020) 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.
Kellstedt, P.M. and Whitten, G.D. (2018b) The fundamentals of political science research. Third edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/294544.
Kellstedt, P.M. and Whitten, G.D. (2018a) Fundamentals of Political Science Research. Third Edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/294544.
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.
Clark, T. et al. (2021b) 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.
Reade, J. (2021) 'Keeping it raw on the 'gram: Authenticity, relatability and digital intimacy in fitness cultures on Instagram', New Media & Society, 23(3), pp. 535–553. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444819891699.
Malik, R. (2023) 'Lesser of Two Evils: Allocating Resources to Opposition Districts in Pakistan', 48(2). Available at: https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1111/lsq.12398.
Brown, W. (no date) 'At the Edge', Political Theory, 30(4), pp. 556–576. Available at: https://journals-sagepub-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/doi/abs/10.1177/0090591702030004006.
Montanaro, L. (no date) 'Discursive Exit', American Journal of Political Science, 63(4), pp. 875–887. Available at: https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/doi/10.1111/ajps.12463.

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	Online Quiz 3		20%
Coursework	Research Proposal	04/04/2025	40%

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 Jimena Vazquez Garcia, email: j.vazquezgarcia@essex.ac.uk.

Teaching staff: Dr Jimena Vazquez Garcia

Contact details: Module Supervisor: j.vazquez@essex.ac.uk Module Administrator: Nicole Hicks govquery@essex.ac.uk

Availability

Available to incoming Essex Abroad / Exchange students: Yes

Available to Outside Option: Yes

Available to Audit: No

External examiner

Name: Dr Max Gallop

Institution: University of Strathclyde

Academic role: Senior Lecturer

Resources

Teaching materials: Available via Moodle

Lecture recording: Of 8 hours, 8 (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

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Module Directory

GV110-4-SP-CO:Thinking Like a Social Scientist