SOC560 Sociological Research

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2012
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 12 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. Martin Kreidl, Ph.D. (lecturer)
prof. PhDr. Petr Mareš, CSc. (lecturer)
Mgr. Jana Obrovská, Ph.D. (assistant)
Mgr. Michal Šindelář (assistant)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Petr Mareš, CSc.
Division of Sociology – Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Ing. Soňa Enenkelová
Supplier department: Division of Sociology – Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable of Seminar Groups
SOC560/01: Tue 10:00–11:40 U34, P. Mareš
SOC560/02: Thu 10:00–11:40 U35, M. Kreidl
Prerequisites
Předpoklady prof. P. Mareš
Knowledge of sociological research methods and methods of sociological data analysis corresponding to the undergraduate (BA) sociology program at the Faculty of social studies, Masaryk University and the State exam in sociology therein.

Předpoklady doc. M. Kreidl
Knowledge of sociological research methods and methods of sociological data analysis corresponding to the undergraduate (BA) sociology program at the Faculty of social studies, Masaryk University and the State exam in sociology therein.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 55 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/55, only registered: 0/55
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Cíle prof. P. Mareš
The course focuses on real applications of sociological methods in applied as well as academic research. It presents the variability of methodology (including methods not included in the undergraduate curriculum). It leads students to respect this variability, evaluate it critically and take advantage of it in order to make their own informed and educated decisions regarding the choice and use of methods within the research process.

Cíle doc. M. Kreidl
The course focuses on real applications of sociological methods in applied as well as academic research. It presents the variability of methodology (including methods not included in the undergraduate curriculum). It leads students to respect this variability, evaluate it critically and take advantage of it in order to make their own informed and educated decisions regarding the choice and use of methods within the research process.
Syllabus
  • Osnova prof. P. Mareš
    1. Ontology and epistemology - background of research;
  • 2. Topic and research questions;
  • 3. Sampling;
  • 4. Quantitative or qualitative approach;
  • 5. Concepts;
  • 6. Theories, schemes and models in research;
  • 7. The strengths and weaknesses of main research strategies;
  • 8. Research questions and data;
  • 9. Ethnography;
  • 10. Focus groups;
  • 11. Ethic of research;
  • 12. Limits of generalization.

    Osnova doc. M. Kreidl
    1. Variability of research methods
  • 2. The strengths and weaknesses of main research strategies
  • 3. Randomized experiments
  • 4. Natural experiments
  • 5. Quasi-experiments
  • 7. Comparative research
  • 8. Panel data
  • 9. Fixed-effect models
  • 10. Mixed-mode research
Literature
    required literature
  • CRESWELL, John W. and Vicki L. PLANO CLARK. Designing and conducting mixed methods research. 2nd ed. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2011, xxvi, 457. ISBN 9781412975179. info
  • BLAIKIE, Norman W. H. Designing social research : the logic of anticipation. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2010, ix, 298. ISBN 9780745643380. info
  • CRESWELL, John W. Research design : qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. 3rd ed. London: Sage, 2009, xxix, 260. ISBN 9781412965576. info
  • BRYMAN, Alan. Social research methods. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008, xiii, 748. ISBN 9780199202959. info
  • FLICK, Uwe. Designing qualitative research. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2007, xii, 130. ISBN 9780761949763. info
  • LAW, Stephen. Filozofická gymnastika : 25 krátkých myšlenkových dobrodružství. Translated by Petr Pálenský, Illustrated by Daniel Postgate. Vyd. 1. Praha: Argo, 2007, 342 s. ISBN 9788072038824. info
  • GOMM, Roger. Social research methodology :a critical introduction. 1st pub. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2004, xii, 350 s. ISBN 0-333-63728-3. info
  • VAUS, David A. de. Research design in social research. 1st pub. London: Sage Publications, 2001, xvii, 279. ISBN 0-7619-5347-7. info
Teaching methods
Výukové metody prof. P. Mareš
The course takes the form of lectures, seminar discussions, group projects, and presentations. The course furthermore includes readings, home exercises, and written papers.

Výukové metody doc. M. Kreidl
The course takes the form of lectures, seminar discussions, group projects, and presentations. The course furthermore includes readings, home exercises, and written papers.
Assessment methods
Grading differs according to the specific lecturer. It typically includes individual and/or group projects, presentations, literature reviews and papers.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Tento předmět nahrazuje povinný předmět SOC431. Student si zapíše buď SOC560a nebo SOC560b
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2013, Autumn 2013, Spring 2014, Autumn 2014, Spring 2015, Autumn 2015, Spring 2016, Autumn 2016, Spring 2017, Autumn 2017, Spring 2018, Autumn 2018, Spring 2019, Autumn 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2012, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2012/SOC560