Politics
Research Skills and Methods in Political Science
Module code: M1045
Level 4
15 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Seminar, Workshop, Lecture
Assessment modes: Essay, Coursework
On this module, you’ll explore the fundamental issues scholars face when analysing the political world. You’ll examine how different approaches influence the conclusions scholars reach and learn to identify and measure important relationships between political phenomena.
Key areas of focus include:
- an introduction to political science and its key concepts, such as epistemology, behaviouralism, and quantitative methods
- building knowledge and evidence through quantitative methods, including surveys and data analysis, while assessing their strengths and limitations
- interpretive approaches, such as interviews and focus groups, and how they compare with quantitative methods
By the end of the module, you’ll understand how political scholars conduct research and critically evaluate claims and data in political debates. Practical exercises in seminars and workshops will help you apply the concepts and methods discussed in lectures.
Module learning outcomes
- To provide an effective introduction to the concepts and principles that underpin the discipline of political science.
- To enable students to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of particular forms of research design in the study of political affairs.
- To understand basic theories of qualitative research and to interpret their value in understanding political behaviour.
- To provide an effective introduction to some of the basic techniques of quantitative analysis.