Научно-исследовательский семинар "Научные методы в социальных науках и международных отношениях"

Бакалавриат 2022/2023

Статус: Курс обязательный (Международная программа по мировой политике)

Направление: 41.03.05. Международные отношения

Кто читает: Факультет мировой экономики и мировой политики

Где читается: Факультет мировой экономики и мировой политики

Когда читается: 3-й курс, 2, 3 модуль

Формат изучения: без онлайн-курса

Охват аудитории: для своего кампуса

Преподаватели: Руднева Татьяна Сергеевна

Язык: английский

Кредиты: 3

Контактные часы: 32

Full Syllabus

Abstract

Research Seminar “Research methods in social sciences and international relations” is a seminar-based practical course for 3rd-year World Politics students. The course introduces students to the core applied research approaches in social sciences. It starts the discussion and practice of qualitative, quantitative and mixed techniques with the topic of case selection, drawing attention to interconnectedness between the goal of the study, research problem and data sample. The bulk of the course covers widely-applied case study methodology, qualitative discourse, content analyses, qualitative comparative analysis as well as tools for large-scale data analysis, particularly regressions, and social network analysis. Practical exercises and scientific papers’ review activities aim to equip students with research skills and develop an ability to critically assess the validity of both their own term paper and future thesis projects and published scholarly research.

Learning Objectives

Understand how goal of the study and research question inform case selection.
Learn how to operationalize concepts and use existing tools in both quantitative and qualitative designs.
Being able to suggest multiple methodological options for the same research goal and research question.
Being able to critically assess both own studies and existing literature, identifying their errors and shortcomings.

Expected Learning Outcomes

Being able to use quantitative methods in research paper and work with large chunks of data.
Being able to conduct a thorough qualitative study by selecting appropriate tools.
Knowing how to use existing data and collect new information.
Understanding how research goal informs the scope of the study and choice of the case or sample.
Learning how to identify research question or other rationale for doing a case study.
Being able to identify the challenges of quantitative and qualitative techniques and to provide a solution using mixed methods approach.

Course Contents

How research problem defines case selection: single, medium- and large-N studies
Case study approach
Qualitative methods
Quantitative methods
Methods of collecting data
Mixed methods approach

Assessment Elements

Research prospectus
In the research prospectus, students should show deep understanding of their chosen topic, its background and ongoing scholarly debate, applied theoretical framework and their own argumentation (research question and hypothesis(es)). The paper should have the following elements: 1) introduction (background/context of the topic, its relevance and current agenda - why is it important for studying); 2) literature review highlighting the flow of the debate on the topic and potentially existing research gap (not less than 8-10 references); 3) methodology (core applied theoretical paradigm, how the chosen theory forms the research problem (research question and preliminary hypotheses or expectations), methods/tools to test the hypotheses, and how, data and/or resources; 4) expected results and conclusion. Part 3) methodology is required to contain the following: a) narrow research question, b) working hypothesis(es) or assumptions, c) methods for hypothesis testing and required data, d) possible challenges, e) alternative option. It should give an extensive overview on the research algorithm: what kind of research question the study poses, what are the preliminary hypotheses, and what is the major chosen method of hypothesis testing. This part should clearly state what the author plans to do to prove the argument (what data will be analyzed, which technique and/or software will be applied). After that, the author should assess possible challenges of the chosen approach (what errors and/or problems may occur, how it will affect the results and their validity) and suggest at least 1 alternative methodological option to answer the research question. The student should demonstrate the grasp of different research techniques which were discussed during the course and show an ability to apply different tools approaching the same research problem. The required volume of the paper is around 2500 words. If the volume will be considerably smaller (i.e. less than 2000 words) and the paper will not be sufficiently elaborate, it will affect the grade. Technical requirements are: 1) cover page highlighting author’s first and last name, group, and title of the term paper, 2) 12 TNR, 1.5 spacing, text aligned with both margins, 3) reference list in APA.
Participation
Article review
The scholarly paper review aims to develop an ability to critically assess not only the theoretical argument of the published research but analyze the research design and validity of the findings. The paper should start with a brief summary of the 1) motivation (why scholar chose the respective research problem), 2) argument (research question and hypotheses), 3) applied methods, 4) findings. After that, the author of the review should critically assess the design, highlighting its advantages and shortcomings, elaborating on at least 2 points for criticism (why, what is possibly wrong/unconvincing, how to improve). The concluding part of the review is the student's personal judgment on the validity of the results and credibility of the article, based on the highlighted critique. The required size of the paper is around 600-700 words (12 TNR, 1.5 spacing, text aligned with both margins).
Presentation
In-class presentation of the scholarly paper review. Students will be asked to first give a brief summary of the research design: research problem, hypothesis(es), applied methods, results. Secondly, they will need to elaborate extensively on the strong and weak sides of the chosen methodology, highlight a few (2-3) critical points and suggest an option on how to solve the issues or enhance the approach. Taking the criticism into account, the concluding part should present a judgement on the validity of the research results - whether the outcome of the study and the paper itself are credible.
Oral exam
The exam tests the command of the theoretical material and practical skills studied and developed throughout the course. Each student will be invited to randomly pick an examination card containing 2 questions on the course materials. The student will have time for preparation before answering the questions.

Interim Assessment

2022/2023 3rd module
0.2 * Research prospectus + 0.3 * Oral exam + 0.15 * Presentation + 0.15 * Article review + 0.2 * Participation

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Handbook of Research Methods and Applications in Political Science. (2016). Edward Elgar. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsnar&AN=edsnar.oai.research.vu.nl.publications.79adffd0.782e.411f.b258.53afc56be456
King, G., Verba, S., & Keohane, R. O. (1994). Designing Social Inquiry : Scientific Inference in Qualitative Research. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=329740
McNabb, D. E. . V. (DE-588)128628677, (DE-627)376934980, (DE-576)185381413, aut. (2021). Research methods for political science quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods approaches David E. McNabb.
Political science research methods, Johnson, J. B., 2016
Qualitative methods in international relations a pluralist guide ed. by Audie Klotz and Deepa Prakash. (2008).
Research design : qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches, Creswell, J. W., 2018

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Research methods in political science : an introduction using microCase, Le Roy, M. K., 2013
Research methods in politics, Burnham, P., 2008
Understanding case study research : small-scale research with meaning, Tight, M., 2017

Course Syllabus