Behörighetskrav

Statskunskap C, Utvecklingsstudier C eller motsvarande kunskap.

Mål

After having completed this course, students will be able to:

• Evaluate the validity of qualitative and quantitative research
• Assess the relative merits of qualitative and quantitative approaches to a given research problem
• Perform own research of both the descriptive and explanatory kind
• Use Stata to perform descriptive, explanatory and visual analyses of quantitative data

Innehåll

The most exciting part of social science is new research. Fresh ideas can breathe new life into old debates. New findings can confirm, or overturn,

existing views of society. Surprising results can generate novel insights into the workings of the world. However, any new empirical research will have to describe and, in many cases, explain certain aspects of the world. With this in mind, this course will introduce the tools of modern social science to help you accomplish this.

The objective is to strengthen the students’ ability to apply various methods in practical research but also to improve the understanding of the

strengths and weaknesses of different methodological techniques. The course covers both quantitative and qualitative techniques. It emphasizes the common principles on which intensive small-n studies as well as extensive large-n investigations are based but also highlights relevant differences between the two as regards inferential logic and techniques. The course discusses the different stages of the research process and the critical choices that a researcher is confronted with.

Undervisning

The course consists of a number of weeklong segments involving lectures, mandatory seminars, and weekly homework. Some of the homework will involve using statistical software.

Examination

Grading is based on participation in seminars, completion of the problem sets that are handed in at seminars and written exams.

The grades are VG (Pass with distinction), G (Pass) or U (Failed).