GV5X1
Research Design in the Social Sciences
This information is for the 2024/25 session.
Teacher responsible
Dr Omar McDoom
Availability
This course is compulsory on the MRes/PhD in Political Science. This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.
Course content
The aim of this course is to help MRes/PhD students develop a research design. Students will learn how to find their research questions, choose a feasible data collection or modelling strategy, and match data collection and analytic methods to the aims of the PhD project. We also consider the relation of political theory and political science. This course is therefore designed to be a primer in asking the right questions, exploring the options available to us and understanding the consequences of the design decisions that we make. Accordingly, this course is ultimately about turning good research questions into systematic projects that deliver interesting and worthwhile results. We also debate issues in research ethics and provide advice on publication strategies, peer review and academic careers. Students will have opportunities to present their own research designs and get feedback from peers and teachers.
Teaching
This course is delivered through seminars (20 hours in Autumn Term and 20 hours in Winter Term), and includes reading weeks in Week 6 of AT and WT.
Formative coursework
This is a PhD level Research Design course. Students submit two summative pieces of work: a referee report as well as their research design. They will also give presentations and receive extensive feedback on their work in progress. These are part of formative rather than summative assessment and are an important part of professional development. The main learning outcomes are to help the MRes/PhD students develop professional research designs.
Indicative reading
King, G., R. Keohane & S. Verba (1994) Designing Social Inquiry. Princeton UP.
Box-Steffensmeier, J., H. Brady & D. Collier (eds) (2008) The Oxford Handbook of Political Methodology. OUP.
Dunning, T. (2012) Natural Experiments in the Social Sciences: A Design-Based Approach. CUP.
Dryzek, J., B. Honig & A. Phillips (eds.) (2008) The Oxford Handbook of Political Theory. OUP.
Assessment
Essay (25%, 2500 words) in the AT.
Research project (75%) in the ST.
Key facts
Department: Government
Total students 2023/24: 7
Average class size 2023/24: 7
Value: One Unit
Course selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
Personal development skills
- Self-management
- Problem solving
- Communication