IRE111 Research Methods and Tools

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2018
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 8 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Filip Černoch, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. et Mgr. Oldřich Krpec, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Lukáš Lehotský, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Jan Osička, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Nikita Minin, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Martin Chovančík, Ph.D. (assistant)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Zdeněk Kříž, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Supplier department: Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Mon 8:00–9:40 U43
Prerequisites (in Czech)
IRE103 Academic Skills
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 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course introduces students to procedures which social scientists engage as they attempt to systematically understand social phenomena. It provides a general overview of processes through which social science knowledge is developed. The course introduces framework of social science research providing the students with knowledge of the necessary questions and dilemmas that need to be tackled during the course of preparation and conducting a research. The course emphasizes general procedures such as discriminating between theories, posing proper research questions, operationalizing concepts, or collecting data.
Learning outcomes
The course cultivate analytical thinking and the ability to outline and conduct a valid research project.
Syllabus
  • Course Structure (1) Methodology in political science (2) The „science“ in political science (3) Science and scientific inquiry (4) What to research, what not to research and how to tell the difference (5) Designing a research (6) Literature review (7) Case selection (8) The role of theory (9) The use of theory: conceptualization, operationalization, variables (10) Data: measuring concepts (11) Research logic (12) Overview of essential methods (13) Discussion
Literature
  • BABBIE, Earl R. The practice of social research. Fourteenth edition. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2016, xxiv, 566. ISBN 9781305104945. info
  • KELLSTEDT, Paul M. and Guy D. WHITTEN. The fundamentals of political science research. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013, xxiv, 316. ISBN 9781107621664. info
  • BLAIKIE, Norman W. H. Designing social research : the logic of anticipation. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2010, ix, 298. ISBN 9780745643380. info
Teaching methods
Lectures and seminars
Assessment methods
Final project, test.
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2018, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2018/IRE111