MVZb1013 Methodology of politics and international relations research

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2024
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Zuzana Ringlerová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Marek Bičan (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Zuzana Ringlerová, 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
Prerequisites (in Czech)
! MVZ174 Method. of pol. end IR reserch && ! NOW ( MVZ174 Method. of pol. end IR reserch )
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of this course is to provide learners with the basic tools to give them an idea of how our understanding of international relations is developed. And not just international relations - science and scientific knowledge are all around us and enter into our everyday decisions, big and small. How do I know if this is quality research? Where are the pitfalls of research practices that can potentially undermine the validity of reported results? This course will help learners better understand the literature and other materials they read or watch about international relations (and indeed about anything). In addition, they will learn about the types of final undergraduate papers in this field and how to process each of these types of papers. Overall, then, the goal of the course is to equip learners for coursework, for processing their undergraduate thesis, and for life.
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, students will
- be able to define what scientific knowledge of politics is and explain the basic concepts associated with it
- be able to describe the barriers to causal inference and explain the advantages and disadvantages of different research designs
- understand the role of theory in research, understand the issues of conceptualisation and measurement of variables
- be able to identify the different genres of undergraduate theses and have a basic understanding of how to handle them
- have a basic understanding of research tools (e.g. quantitative methods, working with textual data, etc.)
Syllabus
  • 1) Science and scientific research
  • 2) A more detailed look at the scientific investigation of politics
  • 3) Research design: experiment and observational studies
  • 4) Qualitative and Quantitative Research. The importance of theory.
  • 5) Measurement of variables. How to prepare a bachelor thesis?
  • 6) Working with literature. Literature review
  • 7) Policy paper
  • 8-13) Selected social science methods (content analysis, quantitative methods,..)
  • ¨
Literature
    required literature
  • KELLSTEDT, Paul M. and Guy D. WHITTEN. The fundamentals of political science research. [Brno]: [Masarykova univerzita. Středisko pro pomoc studentům se specifickými nároky], 2020, 1 online. URL info
  • BELCHER, Wendy Laura. Writing your journal article in twelve weeks : a guide to academic publishing success. Second edition. London: The University of Chicago Press, 2019, xi, 430. ISBN 9780226499918. info
  • BABBIE, Earl R. The practice of social research. 9th ed. Belmont: Wadsworth, 2001, 1 sv. (rů. ISBN 0-534-57474-2. info
  • Jak se vyrábí sociologická znalost :příručka pro uživatele. Edited by Miroslav Disman. 3. vyd. Praha: Karolinum, 2000, 374 s. ISBN 80-246-0139-7. info
Teaching methods
The course takes the form of interactive lectures, in which students participate extensively. Students read readings, including model articles, work on homework assignments and prepare answers to study questions.
Assessment methods
The course assessment includes participation in class, weekly quizzes, homework assignments, an online midterm test and a final in-person test.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every other week.
Teacher's information
Zuzana Ringlerová Ph.D. ringler@fss.muni.cz
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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