IUF731 Research Methodology 2020
Abstract
The program prepares its participants for understanding research in social sciences, including research methodology, tools, logic, methods, design, validity, reliability and other aspects of qualitative and quantitative research. The participants are supposed to learn to conduct research by realizing a research project passing through all its stages starting from the creation of an interview/survey form and its piloting, qualitative and quantitative data collection till the data analysis, interpretation of the results and writing of a report. The programme provides also the analysis of the importance of understanding cultural peculiarities and differences while conducting research with the participation of people who represent different cultures. There is a special emphasis on the importance of the mixed methods research vs. only qualitative or quantitative research. Having passed the programme, the participants become able to understand the internal logical interconnection among the components of research via identifying the research problem, formulating appropriate research questions, setting research goals and corresponding research objectives. The participants learn, analyse and compare different research methods (survey, interview, focus group discussion, expert panel, Delphi, case study, etc.) systemize them, their advantages and disadvantages acquiring clear understanding in which cases they are applicable for conducting research and in which cases they are not appropriate. In the course of the programme the participants also get an insight into how thought is developed while conducting research starting with inductive reasoning for carrying out literature analysis and putting forward hypothesis and using deductive reasoning for validating the hypothesis in the empirical part of the research.
Goals and objectives of the course in terms of competences and skills :
To promote participants’: 1) understanding of the matter of research in social sciences, the main characteristics and components, and internal logic of connections among them, 2) understanding of the principles of the research, its organization and stages, the ability to process data and interpret the results, thus preparing students for the forthcoming elaboration of the Master's thesis, 3) ability to elaborate research methodology, identifying a research problem in different field of economics, formulating research questions, setting up the research goal and objectives, deciding which are the most appropriate research methods to be applied, putting forward hypothesis, 4) write a report of the work done and present the results, cultivare student’s mastery of analytical, logical, critical and creative thinking.
Evaluation criteria of study results:
Individual and group work in the classes - 20% Analysis of scientific literature and documents - 30% Research project - 55% Students' reflection - 5%
The program prepares its participants for understanding research in social sciences, including research methodology, tools, logic, methods, design, validity, reliability and other aspects of qualitative and quantitative research. The participants are supposed to learn to conduct research by realizing a research project passing through all its stages starting from the creation of an interview/survey form and its piloting, qualitative and quantitative data collection till the data analysis, interpretation of the results and writing of a report. The programme provides also the analysis of the importance of understanding cultural peculiarities and differences while conducting research with the participation of people who represent different cultures. There is a special emphasis on the importance of the mixed methods research vs. only qualitative or quantitative research. Having passed the programme, the participants become able to understand the internal logical interconnection among the components of research via identifying the research problem, formulating appropriate research questions, setting research goals and corresponding research objectives. The participants learn, analyse and compare different research methods (survey, interview, focus group discussion, expert panel, Delphi, case study, etc.) systemize them, their advantages and disadvantages acquiring clear understanding in which cases they are applicable for conducting research and in which cases they are not appropriate. In the course of the programme the participants also get an insight into how thought is developed while conducting research starting with inductive reasoning for carrying out literature analysis and putting forward hypothesis and using deductive reasoning for validating the hypothesis in the empirical part of the research.
Goals and objectives of the course in terms of competences and skills :
To promote participants’: 1) understanding of the matter of research in social sciences, the main characteristics and components, and internal logic of connections among them, 2) understanding of the principles of the research, its organization and stages, the ability to process data and interpret the results, thus preparing students for the forthcoming elaboration of the Master's thesis, 3) ability to elaborate research methodology, identifying a research problem in different field of economics, formulating research questions, setting up the research goal and objectives, deciding which are the most appropriate research methods to be applied, putting forward hypothesis, 4) write a report of the work done and present the results, cultivare student’s mastery of analytical, logical, critical and creative thinking.
Evaluation criteria of study results:
Individual and group work in the classes - 20% Analysis of scientific literature and documents - 30% Research project - 55% Students' reflection - 5%