Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

1.       To enable students to further develop and practice qualitative and quantitative research skills by using those skills to conduct an original research project in Politics of the student’s choice.
2.       To develop an advanced understanding of the different stages of the research process from formulating a research question through research design, data collection and data analysis to writing up a research paper.
3.       To examine how a range of qualitative and quantitative methods can be used to answer research questions in political science.
4.       To critically evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of different research methods.

The MA Politics (Research) is designed to produce high quality researchers with generic social science skills and specific political science skills. This module gives students the opportunity to develop and apply their research skills to a particular topic in political science.

Outline Of Syllabus

1.       Formulating a research question and developing a hypothesis
2.       Research design: theories, approaches and methods
3.       Data collection
4.       Statistical inference
5.       Data analysis: univariate, bivariate, multivariate
6.       Structuring and writing an academic paper

Under the guidance of the module leader, students will formulate a research question, critically evaluate alternative research methods that might be used to answer their question, design their research project, collect and analyse data, and write their paper. Students will be encouraged throughout the module to reflect critically on their own skills as researchers.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

At the end of the module students will have an in-depth understanding of:
1.       The research process in political science
2.       How to formulate research questions
3.       The principles and practice of research design
4.       Qualitative and quantitative research methods and their use in political science, including how to select appropriate methods for particular research projects
5.       Challenges and issues in data collection
6.       Alternative methods of data analysis
7.       How to structure and write a short academic journal article.

Intended Skill Outcomes

Intended Skill Outcomes

At the end of the module students will have practised and developed:
1.       Research skills, including formulating a research question, evaluating alternative research methods, research design, collecting data, analysing data, structuring and writing an academic paper for submission to an academic journal.
2.       Generic skills, especially argumentation, written communication, interpersonal communication, planning and organising, problem solving and initiative.
3.       The capacity for critical self-reflection on their own research practices, including the ability to assess their own research skills and generic skills, identify their strengths and weaknesses and consider ways of improving their overall performance as researchers.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The lectures will introduce concepts before each seminar. The seminars will then be used to discuss the application of the concepts to research in politics, and to discuss each stage of the research process with the module leader and with the other members of the class. This will enable the module leader to support students through the development of an independent, collaborative research project.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The assessment tests the ability of the students to conduct an independent research project: formulating a question, collecting data, generating original statistical analysis, and drawing conclusions.

General Notes

N/A