School of Sociology and Criminology  
 
 
SOC-20046 Research Methods  
Co-ordinator: Dr James Hardie-Bick    Room: CBC0.027, Tel:37038  
Teaching Team: Ms Deborah  Tagg, Dr Emma  Head, Dr Andy  Zieleniec, Miss Jo-Anne  Watts, Miss Amy  Jones,  Garry  Crawford  
Lecture Time: See Timetable...  
Level: 2 Credits: 15 Study Hours: 150  
School Office:
 
 
 
Programme/Approved Electives for
None
Available as a Free Standing Elective
Yes
Barred Combinations
None

Prerequisites
None
Description

This module aims to introduce you to both the principles of developing research strategies and to the strengths and weaknesses of different data collection methods used within sociology. The lectures will be concerned with examining the criteria that can be used to judge the advantages of different research approaches, as well as introducing you to the assumptions that underpin different modes of data collection. There will also be a focus on the ethics of social research.

The workshops will help develop further the understanding gained through the lectures. They will be more practically focused. Workshops will entail you demonstrating skills in the use of bibliographic data bases, evaluating existing research and exploring alternative methodologies for collecting relevant data within the constraints of specified research resources.

The module will consist of lectures and workshops. The workshops will based and concerned with applying the concerns of the lectures to specific research problems, the discussion of specific methodological issues or the development of research skills.

Lectures will focus on:
What is social research?
Interviewing
Ethnography
Ethics
Analysing qualitative data
Official statistics and surveys
Using quantitative methods in social research and mixing methods
Internet, social media and social research
Using documents in research
Writing social research

The workshop activities will include:
- Undertaking search strategies and developing bibliographies
- Discussions of the processes involved in operationalising specific research issues
- Using research methods: interview techniques
- Discussion of ethical dilemmas
- Analysing qualitative data




Talis Aspire Reading List
Any reading lists will be provided by the start of the course.

http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/modules/soc-20046/lists
Aims
To enable students to:
  • appreciate the range of different research methods used in sociology and assess their strengths and weaknesses
  • know how to formulate a research question, building on existing sociological literature and research
  • understand criteria for evaluating the adequacy of different data for sociological explanation
  • understand the construction of research strategies and be able to identify the different elements of the process
  • appreciate ethical guidelines in the conduct of research
Intended Learning Outcomes
analyse the strengths and weaknesses of different data collection procedures in sociology for different research problems will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2,
evaluate the research strategies used by sociologists will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2,
create critical methodological reviews of published research will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2,
review major ethical dilemmas of social research and have knowledge of relevant professional codes of ethics will be achieved by assessments: 2
explain the relationship between empirical data and theory production and testing within sociology will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2
Study hours
12 lecture contact hours
12 workshop contact hours
72 hours tutorial preparation
54 hours assessment preparation
Description of Module Assessment
01: Critique weighted 40%
A 1500 word critical methodological review of a published empirical article
A critical methodological review demonstrating your ability to appreciate the appropriateness, strengths and limitations of a given piece of empirical research.
02: Essay weighted 60%
A 2500 word research proposal
In this assignment you will be required to design a research project, based around a given research problem, alternatively you may negotiate a topic with the module tutor. Students will define a research question, outline and evaluate a research method, and consider the ethical implications of their proposed project. You will draw on information provided in the lectures, discussions from the seminars, and your wider reading and literature searches.
Version: (1.06B) Updated: 03/Mar/2013

This document is the definitive current source of information about this module and supersedes any other information.