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Research Methodologies I

Code 11314
Year 1
Semester S1
ECTS Credits 10
Workload TP(45H)
Scientific area Ciência Política
Entry requirements n.a.
Mode of delivery Face to face and videoconferencing.
Work placements UBI and UA.
Learning outcomes The aim of this curricular unit is to supply students with a thorough understanding of the scientific area of Political Science, familiarizing them with the relevant epistemology. This goal is achieved by the enunciation of research questions through appropriate conceptual tools and by the presentation of the variety of methodological approaches accessible and their theoretical and practical implications. The aim is thus to enable students to make appropriate methodological choices supported on a consolidated background, and capacitate them to initiate, carry out and, finally, evaluate, with high degree of autonomy, methodological operations in the context of scientific research.
Syllabus MODULE I - Epistemology
1. What is political science?
2. Political science and social sciences
3. Differences of object and method in face of related disciplines
4. Disciplinarity and interdisciplinarity in political science
5. Ethical issues in research

MODULE II - Research
1. Research questions and theory
2. Theory and literature review
3. Hypotheses
4. Conceptualisation
5.Research design
Main Bibliography Cohen, R. S. & Wartofsky, M. W., eds. (1983). Epistemology, Methodology, and the Social Sciences. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Ethridge, M. E., ed. (2002). The Political Research Experience: Readings and Analysis. New York: M.E. Sharpe.
Gerring, J. (2012). Social Science Methodology: A Unified Framework (2nd edition). New York: Cambridge University Press.
King, G; Keohane, R; & Verba, S. (1994). Designing Social Inquiry: Scientific Inference in Qualitative Research. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Malici, A. & Smith, E., eds. (2012). Political Science Research In Practice. London/NY: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
Olivier, L.; Bédard, G; & Thibault, J.-F., eds. (1998), Épistémologie de la science politique. Québec: Presses de l’Université du Québec.
Shapiro, I.; Smith, R. M.; & Masoud, T. E., eds. (2004), Problems and Methods in the Study of Politics, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Teaching Methodologies and Assessment Criteria The curricular unit is organized in two modules with specific themes that vary methodologically, in spite of a common assumption of active participation of students. Without dismissing a comprehensive framework, the central issues and methods to the practice of research in Political Science will be addressed with their own specificity.

a) A Traditional Literature Review on the research proposal, with the following steps:

• Definition and reflection on three central concepts of the research proposal. Between 1000 and 1500 words. Submission date: 17th November 2023 (30%).
• Proposal of a list of 20 bibliographical references for the thesis. Submission date: 15th December (20%).
• Traditional literature review on the research proposal. Submission date: 12th January 2024. Between 2500 and 3000 words (25%)

b) Discussion of texts in Perusall, based on readings to be distributed (25%). Perusall access code: COSTA-ZX2BV
Language Portuguese. Tutorial support is available in English.
Last updated on: 2023-10-13

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