Research Methodology Applied to the Social Sciences
Code: 101614 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2501002 Geography and Spatial Planning | OB | 3 | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Antonio Miguel Solana Solana
- Email:
- AntonioMiguel.Solana@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- catalan (cat)
- Some groups entirely in English:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Catalan:
- Yes
- Some groups entirely in Spanish:
- No
Prerequisites
There is no specific requirement to take this subject
Objectives and Contextualisation
The objective of the course is that students systematically reason about the procedures involved in the development of a research work in social sciences, emphasizing the elements of epistemology, methodology of the research process and the study of the main quantitative and qualitative methods.
Competences
- Analysing and explaining today's world events from a geographical point of view.
- Mastering the necessary theoretical knowledge in order to pose geographical problems in an integrated way and combining a generalist approach with a specialised analysis.
- Respecting the diversity and plurality of ideas, people and situations.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
Learning Outcomes
- Contrasting and comparing relevant geographical data.
- Engaging in geographical debates respecting the other participants' opinions.
- Interpreting today's main events from the knowledge of the geographical thought.
- Posing problems about physical, economic, social and cultural diversity of territories applying knowledge of regional geography.
- Producing an individual work that specifies the work plan and timing of activities.
- Solving problems autonomously.
Content
1. Research in Social Sciences
1.1.Epistemological considerations (theory)
Positivism, Hermeneutics / Phenomenology
Paradigms
Scientific debates and geography
1.2. Methodological considerations (method)
Inductivism-deductivism
Quantitative-qualitative debate
Methodological triangulation
Structuring the research: conceptualization and measurement, operationalization, index and typologies
1.3. Ethical issues
2. Research process
Approach to the investigation. Initial questions
Objectives / Hypothesis / Research questions
Methodological design of the research
Analysis of the information
Dissemination of results
3. Methods
Quantitative methods: interview with questionnaire. sampling
Qualitative methods: observation
Qualitative methods: the interview
Qualitative methods: walking interviews and colective mapping
Analysis of documents and other methods
Methodology
Theoretical classes on concepts and theoretical elements will be complemented by work on real research projects, which will allow students to reflect on the problems and difficulties of social science research.
Students must build, in parallel with the lessons, an original research project (thematic dimension, objectives, state-of-the-art and methods) as part of the training process in this course. It will be mandatory to read a series of basic texts on epistemological reflection, research design and methods.
The process of learning and acquisition of skills will be supervised by the teacher through individual and/or group tutorials. The teaching staff of the course will be available to the students to solve the doubts and follow the evolution of this learning process and acquisition of student competencies.
All the graphic information used by the lecturer in the theoretical classes and seminars as well as the different materials prepared by the students will be available in the Virtual Campus. In addition, the virtual campus will be the space that will convey the information related to the organization of the course.
The modality of virtual geography will follow the same index and the same contents will be worked on as in the presential modality.
The activities that could not be done onsite will be adapted to an online format made available through the UAB’s virtual tools. Exercises, projects and lectures will be carried out using virtual tools such as tutorials, videos, Teams sessions, etc. Lecturers will ensure that students are able to access these virtual tools, or will offer them feasible alternatives.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Lessons | 45 | 1.8 | 1, 5, 3, 2, 4, 6 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Tutories | 15 | 0.6 | 1, 5, 3, 2, 4, 6 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Personal work and completion of reviews and the course project | 52 | 2.08 | 1, 5, 3, 2, 4, 6 |
Assessment
The evaluation of the course will be based on the continuous evaluation of the process of acquisition of knowledge and competences by the student and will consist of:
Exam (40% note)
Course project (40%)
Complementary exercises, participation in class / forums (20%)
To pass the course, each of the different parts that are include in the evaluation must be exceeded (minimum of 5). Students will be suspended when, presenting the set of practices, the project course and the exam, will not arrive to a minimum of 5. Students who has delivered just a part of the materials will be considered as "not evaluable".
This course aims to follow a continuous assessment method. This course involves following the delivery schedule marked by the lecturer. It will be mandatory the strict compliance with delivery dates set in the calendar of practices and works. Late delivery will be penalized with a 20% each day of reduction of the grade.
There is a call for final re-evaluation for those students who have followed the course and have submitted to the final exam.
All evaluable tasks (including the exam) will have a maximum grade of 5.
Students who do not submit to the final exam and do not provide medical proof will be considered "not evaluable". Students will receive the grade ‘Not assessable’ instead of ‘Fail’ if they had only submitted part of the course exercises.
The copy or plagiarism of material, both in the case of works and in the case of exams, constitute a crime that will be sanctioned with a zero to the activity. In case of recidivism the entire subject will be suspended. Assessment acitivities with a zero grade because of irregularities can not be reassessed. We remind you that a copy of a work that reproduces all or a large part of a fellow's work is considered a "copy". "Plagiarism" is the fact of presenting all or part of a text by an author as his own, without citing the sources, whether on paper or in digital format. See the UAB's documentation on "plagiarism" at: http://wuster.uab.es/web_argumenta_obert/unit_20/sot_2_01.html.
At the time of completion of each evaluation activity, the lecturer will inform the students via moodle of the procedure and date of review of the grades.
In the event that assessment activities cannot be taken onsite, they will be adapted to an online format made available through the UAB’s virtual tools (original weighting will be maintained). Homework, activities and class participation will be carried out through forums, wikis and/or discussion on Teams, etc. Lecturers will ensure that students are able to access these virtual tools, or will offer them feasible alternatives.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complementary exercices | 20% | 15 | 0.6 | 1, 5, 3, 2, 4, 6 |
| Course project | 40% | 20 | 0.8 | 1, 5, 3, 2, 4, 6 |
| Exams | 40% | 3 | 0.12 | 1, 5, 3, 2, 4, 6 |
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