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Social Research Methods

Study Course Description

Course Description Statuss:Approved
Course Description Version:9.00
Study Course Accepted:02.02.2024 12:25:26
Study Course Information
Course Code:KSK_063LQF level:Level 6
Credit Points:2.00ECTS:3.00
Branch of Science:Communication SciencesTarget Audience:Information and Communication Science; Communication Science
Study Course Supervisor
Course Supervisor:Alnis Stakle
Study Course Implementer
Structural Unit:Faculty of Social Sciences
The Head of Structural Unit:
Contacts:Dzirciema street 16, Rīga, szfatrsu[pnkts]lv
Study Course Planning
Full-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)6Lecture Length (academic hours)2Total Contact Hours of Lectures12
Classes (count)6Class Length (academic hours)2Total Contact Hours of Classes12
Total Contact Hours24
Part-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)4Lecture Length (academic hours)2Total Contact Hours of Lectures8
Classes (count)4Class Length (academic hours)2Total Contact Hours of Classes8
Total Contact Hours16
Study course description
Preliminary Knowledge:
Basic computer skills.
Objective:
To acquaint students with the logic of social research process, design of quantitative and qualitative methodologies and methods of data collection. To enable students to read and understand scientific literature in the field of social studies. To provide the necessary basic knowledge and skills for students to independently develop their own research projects and course papers: choose appropriate research methods, perform data processing and analysis.
Topic Layout (Full-Time)
No.TopicType of ImplementationNumberVenue
1Social research process. Qualitative and quantitative research strategy. Research strategy and research design. Quantitative research designsLectures1.00auditorium
2Research ethics. Scientific strength of the researchLectures1.00auditorium
3Creating a research concept. The issue of the research. Question of research. Research's hypothesis. Concepts and VariablesLectures1.00auditorium
4Population, target population and sample. Sampling types and sampling principlesLectures1.00auditorium
5Data acquisition methods. Primary, secondary and tertiary data. Data acquisition methods in quantitative research.Lectures1.00computer room
6Formation of a questionnaire for data collection of quantitative surveys, basic questions formulation. Scales.Lectures1.00computer room
7Qualitative and quantitative research strategy. Research strategy and research design. Quantitative research designsClasses0.50auditorium
8Research ethicsClasses0.50auditorium
9Development of research concept. Research problem. Research question. Research hypothesis. Concepts and variables.Classes2.00auditorium
10Formation of a questionnaire for data collection of quantitative surveys, basic questions formulation. Scales.Classes0.50auditorium
11Statistical analysis programs. Working with SPSS. Creating a data file. Descriptive statistics. Differences between groups. Correlation analysisClasses2.50auditorium
Topic Layout (Part-Time)
No.TopicType of ImplementationNumberVenue
1Social research process. Qualitative and quantitative research strategy. Research strategy and research design. Quantitative research designsLectures0.50auditorium
2Research ethics. Scientific strength of the researchLectures1.00auditorium
3Creating a research concept. The issue of the research. Question of research. Research's hypothesis. Concepts and VariablesLectures1.00auditorium
5Data acquisition methods. Primary, secondary and tertiary data. Data acquisition methods in quantitative research.Lectures1.00computer room
6Formation of a questionnaire for data collection of quantitative surveys, basic questions formulation. Scales.Lectures0.50computer room
7Qualitative and quantitative research strategy. Research strategy and research design. Quantitative research designsClasses0.50auditorium
8Research ethicsClasses0.50auditorium
9Development of research concept. Research problem. Research question. Research hypothesis. Concepts and variables.Classes1.00auditorium
10Formation of a questionnaire for data collection of quantitative surveys, basic questions formulation. Scales.Classes0.50
11Statistical analysis programs. Working with SPSS. Creating a data file. Descriptive statistics. Differences between groups. Correlation analysisClasses1.50auditorium
Assessment
Unaided Work:
Students work in groups carrying out the full cycle of a pilot study using quantitative research methods.
Assessment Criteria:
Attendance – 15%, tests – 25% (10% sample calculation, 15% work with SPSS), exam/ independent research – 60% (20% preparation of the questionnaire, 40% summary, interpretation and presentation).
Final Examination (Full-Time):Exam (Written)
Final Examination (Part-Time):Exam (Written)
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge:Students will gain knowledge of the importance of research in the social sciences; on the various strategies for conducting social research, their benefits and limitations. Gain an understanding of the criteria for qualitative conducted research.
Skills:Students will acquire the skills to choose the research method appropriate to the needs of the research, to define the target group and to draw the sample according to the research task. During the course students will learn how to create a questionnaire, formulate and compose questions of different structure. They will learn how to process quantitative research data independently, to analyze statistical indicators and to draw correct conclusions. Students will acquire the skills to work with the statistical program SPSS and will appreciate the accuracy and reliability of quantitative research results available in the public domain.
Competencies:During the course students will get an insight into different research methodologies and their application in sociological research. They will learn to critically evaluate the reliability of information available in the public space on data collected in various surveys.
Bibliography
No.Reference
Required Reading
1Pētniecība: Teorija un Prakse / Kristīnes Mārtinsones, Anitas Piperes, Daigas Kamerādes Zinātniskajā Redakcijā. Rīga: RaKa, 2016.
2Methodological Thinking: Basic Principles of Social Research Design / Donileen R. Loseke. Los Angeles: Sage, 2013.
3Statistika: Mācību Grāmāmata Augstskolām / Oļģerts Krastiņš, Inta Ciemiņa; Latvijas Republikas Centrālā Statistikas Pārvalde. Rīga: Latvijas Republikas Centrālā Statistikas Pārvalde, 2003.
4Discovering Statistics Using IBM SPSS Statistics: And Sex and Drugs and Rock'n'roll / Andy Field. 4th ed. Los Angeles [etc.]: Sage, 2013.
5Zinātniskā Rakstīšana un Pētījumu Rezultātu Izplatīšana / Kristīnes Mārtinsones un Anitas Piperes Zinātniskajā Redakcijā; 2018.
Additional Reading
1Long, A. (n. d.) Evaluation Tool for Quantitative Research Studies.
2University of the West of England. Data Analysis: Critical appraisal. 2019.
3Raff, J. How to read and understand a scientific paper: a guide for non-scientists. 2013.
4Vasermanis, E., Šķiltere, D. Varbūtību teorija un matemātiskā statistika. Rīga, LU. 2003.
5Нименья, И.Н. Статистика. Санкт-Петербург, Издательский дом «Нева». 2004.
6The Sage Handbook of Innovation in Social Research Methods / Edited by Malcolm Williams, W. Paul Vogt. 1st ed. Los Angeles: Sage Publications, 2011.
7Real World Research: A Resource for Users of Social Research Methods in Applied Settings / Colin Robson. 3rd ed. Chichester, West Sussex; Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley-Blackwel, 2011.
8The SAGE Handbook of Social Media Research Methods / Edited by Luke Sloan, Anabel Quan-Haase. 2017.
9Sage Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social & Behavioral Research / Edited by Abbas Tashakkori, Charles Teddlie. 2nd ed. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications, 2010.
10Ruane, Janet M. Introducing Social Research Methods. Wiley-Blackwell, 2016.
Other Information Sources
1Latvijas Statistikas gadagrāmata, 2017. Rīga: Centrālā statistikas pārvalde, 2018.
2Izlases lieluma aprēķināšanas programma
3LR CSP mājas lapa
4Pētījumu un publikāciju datu bāze
5WVS mājas lapa
6EVS mājas lapa
7https://www.rsu.lv/petnieciba
8https://www.rsu.lv/biblioteka
9https://www.openintro.org/stat/textbook.php