Methodology of Writing and Managing a Research Project (in English)
- Credits: 8
- Ending: Examination
- Range: 2P + 4C
- Semester: summer
- Year: 2
- Faculty of International Relations
Teachers
Included in study programs
Teaching results
The goal of the course “Methodology of Writing and Managing a Research Project” is to prepare students for independent research work. By completing the course, the students will gain knowledge, competencies and skills necessary for writing and implementing a research project in the extent of a bachelor and master´s thesis and understanding and critical evaluation of more complex research projects. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to apply knowledge gained during their studies in the course of writing their bachelor thesis, or other research projects.
Knowledge: Adopting the logic of scientific research within the standard model. Understanding the basic concepts of the process of writing and implementation of a research project. Mastering the selected research methods.
Competencies: Completing the course will lead to development of following competencies: critical thinking in relation to the logic of scientific research, problem solving in relation to preparation and implementation of research projects, teamwork.
Skills: Upon completion of the course, students will be able to independently write a simple research proposal and implement it. This key skill consists of setting a relevant and achievable research goal, literature review, deciding on research question/formulating a hypothesis, identification of suitable methodology and the implementation of the project. Students will also be able to critically evaluate a proposal and implementation of a research project.
Indicative content
Scientific Research – Philosophical basis of scientific work. Scientific Research – standard model of scientific research. Research Project – function, purpose and types. Research Project – research goal. Research Project – working with literature. Research Methods – basic division of research projects. Research Methods – methods of data collection. Research Methods – methods of data analysis. Research Methods – methods of data analysis. Practical Aspects of Writing a Research Project. Practical Aspects of Writing a Research Project. Practical Aspects of Implementation of a Research Project. Critical Analysis of a Research Project.
Support literature
BRYMAN, A. The Research Question in Social Research: What is its Role? International Journal of Social Research Methodology, Vol. 10, No. 1, 5-20, 2020.
CRESWELL, J. W., AND CRESWELL, J. D. Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (Fifth edition). Los Angeles: SAGE, 2018.
LAKATOS, I. Falsification and the Methodology of Scientific Research Programs, in Lakatos and Musgrave (eds.) Criticism and the Growth of Knowledge (Cambridge University Press), pp. 91-138; 173-180, 1970.
NEUMAN, W.L., Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches, Allyn and Bacon, Boston, 2011.
PUNCH, Keith F. Developing Effective Research Proposals, SAGE Publications, 3rd ed. 2016, 192 s. ISBN-13: 978-1473916371,
SHARP, J. A. – PETERS J. – HOWARD, K., The Management of a Student Research Project, Third Edition, Gower, 2002.
YIN, R. K., Case Study Research: design and methods (fourth edition). Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA., 2009.
Syllabus
1. Scientific Research – Philosophical basis of scientific work, positivism vs. post-positivism vs. anti-positivism. 2. Scientific Research – standard model of scientific research and its limits, role of variables and causality in scientific research. 3. Research Project – function, purpose and types of research projects, research scheme, hierarchy of concepts. 4. Research Project – research goal, role of theory, description vs. explanation, research questions vs. hypotheses. 5. Research Project – working with literature – writing up literature review for a research project. 6. Research Methods – basic division of research projects on the continuum between qualitative and quantitative research, types of data. 7. Research Methods – methods of data collection – questionnaire, interview, experiment. 8. Research Methods – methods of data analysis – case study, qualitative comparative analysis, comparative method. 9. Research Methods – methods of data analysis – content analysis, statistical analysis. 10. Practical Aspects of Writing a Research Project – tactical questions, final thesis vs. grant projects, ethics in science. 11. Practical Aspects of Writing a Research Project – formal requirements of a final thesis, structure of the thesis, writing an abstract for a final thesis and a research paper. 12. Practical Aspects of Implementation of a Research Project – working with a supervisor, time management, academic writing. 13. Critical Analysis of a Research Project – development of skills to identify shortcomings of a research project based on the acquired knowledge.
Requirements to complete the course
With the desired learning outcomes in mind, the assessment of the course is based on the concept of formative assessment. The final grade represents a combination of assessment of the work of student in the form of two seminar papers and a final project in the form of a research proposal. These are weighted in the following manner: 40% (20+20) of the grade is derived from assessment of seminar papers and 60% of the grade is derived from assessment of the final project.
Student workload
Lecture attendance 26 h, seminar attendance 52 h, preparation for seminars 26 h, writing of seminar papers 52 h, writing of the final project 52 h.
Language whose command is required to complete the course
English
Date of approval: 14.01.2022
Date of the latest change: 12.01.2022