Student Research, Part 2

Academic year: 2007-2008 Course code module 3BPSW-020 Semester: 1st semester Credits: 6 Study load (hours) 168 Theory (hours): Practice/Exercises(hours): 45,00 Other (hours): Part-time program: 1 Instructor(s) Dimitri Mortelmans Language of instruction: Dutch Semester exam information: semester exam in January Contract restriction information: exam and credit contract not possible 1. Prerequisites *Algemene competenties Students have insight in the Empirical research cycle. Students know the content and form of a scientific problem definition Students have the theoretical background on composing quantitative questionnaires and they know the basics of interviewing (face-to-face and in group). Students can look up scientific literature, perform a literature review and refer to literature correctly in a scientific text. Students have gained basic skills in using SPSS Students have a basic knowledge of statistics Students have a basic knowledge in qualitative coding and analysis. *Sequentiality Students taking this course should have completed (obtained credits for):   Student Research, Part I (2Ba) 2. Objectives (expected learning outcomes) General: Students can prepare and perform a scientific research within the political sciences. In this research, they show their ability to apply the knowledge and skills from the methodological and statistics courses in the curriculum. Detailed: Students broaden and deepen their insight in both statistics and quantitative or qualitative research methodology. Students can prepare a scientific research. Students can set up a scientific research. Students can carry out a scientific research. Students can report on a scientific research. 3. Course content The student research is a practical course in which students learn to perform a scientific research. The specific subject can vary but the complete research cycle is passed through: from the construction of a theoretical framework to the research report. During the first phase students in most researches perform the following tasks: Data analysis: This can either be the quantitative analysis of survey data, the analysis of qualitative data (interview transcripts, field notes) or the analysis of images. Report: In group, students write the research report with special attention to the research question, the setup of the research, the data collection and the analysis. They also come to conclusions. When the student research is financed externally, students also take care of the external communication of the results (eg. organizing a press conference). 4. Teaching method Direct contact: Tutorials Practical sessions Skills training Personal work: Assignments - individual Assignments - in group Case studies - in group Project-based work - individual Project-based work - in group 5. Assessment method Exam: Practical exam Continuous assessment: Assignments Case studies 6. Compulsory reading – study material Specific documentation from every supervisor Mortelmans, D. (2002) Een beknopte handleiding leeronderzoek (SPSS versie). Universiteit Antwerpen: MTSO-INFO 25. (see: http://www.ua.ac.be/mtso/ ). 7. Recommended reading - study material Courses of Research methodology: SWO 1, SWO 2 and SWO 3 Courses of Statistics 1, 2 and 3. Huizingh, E. (1999) Inleiding SPSS 9.0 voor Windows en data entry. Schoonhoven: Academic Press. Salkind, N.J. (2000) Statistics for people who (think they) hate statistics. Thousand Oaks: Sage. 8. Tutoring laatste aanpassing: last update: 19/03/2007 16:33 ann.aerts