Understanding Research Methods

About the Course This course is about demystifying research and research methods. It will outline the fundamentals of doing research, aimed primarily, but not exclusively, at the postgraduate level. It places the student experience at the centre of our endeavours by engaging learners in a range of robust and challenging discussions and exercises befitting SOAS, University of London's status as a research-intensive university and its rich research heritage. This course will appeal to those of you who require an understanding of research approaches and skills, and importantly an ability to deploy them in your studies or in your professional lives. In particular, this course will aid those of you who have to conduct research as part of your postgraduate studies but do not perhaps have access to research methods courses, or for those of you who feel you would like additional support for self-improvement. Course Syllabus Week 1 & 2 – What is research? E-tivity 1: Asking the right question

Questionnaire Design for Social Surveys About the Course This online course is called “Questionnaire Design for Social Surveys” and is based on a course created as part of the Joint Program in Survey Methodology and the Michigan Program in Survey Methodology at ISR. The original course - a core course in our MS program - is one of our most popular courses. Why does the course have such broad appeal? But designing questions that get good answers is harder than it looks. The target audiences for this course are students and professionals from all fields of social science that are involved in primary data collection. Course Syllabus Click here to view the course syllabus. Recommended Background Students should have familiarity with use of surveys for conducting substantive research, enough familiarity with statistics to interpret results of empirical studies (an undergraduate course or experience reading these articles). Course Format The class will consist of lecture videos, which average roughly 10 minutes in length.

Solid Science: Research Methods About the Course Can we still put our trust in the social and behavioural sciences? Cases of social scientists exposed as frauds keep turning up and many disciplines are under fire for their failure to replicate key results. No wonder the integrity of our field is being questioned; sloppy science is starting to seem the norm rather than the exception! As social scientist Daniel Kahneman suggests, it is time for the social sciences to clean house. This first course, Solid Science: Research Methods (in the Social and Behavioral Sciences), will cover the fundamental principles of science, some history and philosophy of science, research designs, measurement, sampling and ethics. Please note that this course will focus on quantitative methods, qualitative methods will be treated in a separate course. Course Syllabus Week 1: Origins of the scientific method Week 8: Exam weekpaper on week 5 & 6 due (graded), final exam (graded) and course evaluation Recommended Background Suggested Readings

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