PIA5026 - Research Design for the Social Sciences

Offering Academic Unit
Department of Public and International Affairs
Credit Units
3
Course Duration
One Semester
Equivalent Course(s)
AIS5026 Research Design for the Social Sciences
Exclusive Courses:
AIS5022 Theory and Methodology in Asian and International Relations
Course Offering Term*:
Semester A 2024/25

* The offering term is subject to change without prior notice
 
Course Aims

This course offers an introduction to key methodological approaches required to understand, critically analyse and explain problems in social sciences. It first covers philosophical, ethical and practical issues regarding systematic *social inquiry*. It then provides students with specific tools and techniques for empirical research in social sciences, including literature review, case studies, qualitative interviews, focus groups and participant observation, quantitative surveys and questionnaires, archival research and e-research. Students will learn the necessary skills for conducting and evaluating social inquiry as well as crafting an independent research project upholding the highest standards of academic integrity. The core assignment is a research *proposal* (not a *paper*) in which students wishing to write an individual Mastera??s thesis across Semester B and the Summer Term (course code: PIA6015/6021) must design an original *project* (successful completion of the course with a grade of A or above is required to do so). The course is thus primarily designed for students who wish to develop an individual thesis and, perhaps, lay the groundwork for a PhD in the near future. It will be an opportunity for students to bring their own research questions into the class, on a topic of their choice, and discuss their research design and methodology. Alternatively this course can prepare for the (team-based) capstone course (PIA6018/6019).?

Course Aims:?
This course aims to provide students with the ability to: (1) design, plan, write and disseminate a polished research project, (2) identify a research problem in social sciences and develop hypotheses or propositions to effectively describe, examine, critique, and solve that problem, (3) build arguments that are coherent, empirically supported, and theoretically grounded, as well as evaluate arguments made by others, (4) understand the values and limitations of different methodological approaches and evaluate scholarly work based on the merits of research design and instruments, (5) review a literature, and evaluate the reliability and validity of selected references and sources, and (6) identify, and comply with, ethical issues related to social inquiry and academic integrity.


Assessment (Indicative only, please check the detailed course information)
Continuous Assessment: 100%

Attendance and active participation in class discussion is expected. Discussions are based on weekly required readings as well as on oral presentations of individual research projects. Several skills exercises will be carried out, and evaluated, weekly; they can include mock exercises, data search, literature reviews, focus groups, interviews and questionnaire preparation. Students will start thinking about a research problem of their choice (related to International Studies for MAIS students and Development Studies for MSSDS students) early on in Semester A, discuss it with the course instructor, present their draft project in class, and write and submit a full research proposal at the end of the semester.

 
Detailed Course Information
PIA5026.pdf