Dates for obligatory online meetings spring 2023

23 January - 25 January

15 March - 17 March

12 April - 14 April

22 May - 24 May

The course evaluation is now closed

MP0003-30013 - Course evaluation report

Once the evaluation is closed, the course coordinator and student representative have 1 month to draft their comments. The comments will be published in the evaluation report.

Additional course evaluations for MP0003

Academic year 2021/2022

Research Methods for People and Environment Studies (MP0003-30238)

2022-01-17 - 2022-06-05

Academic year 2020/2021

Research Methods for People and Environment Studies (MP0003-30169)

2021-01-18 - 2021-06-06

Print Syllabus

Syllabus

MP0003 Research Methods for People and Environment Studies, 15.0 Credits

Forskningsmetoder i studier av människa och miljö

Subjects

Landscape Architecture Environmental Psychology

Education cycle

Master’s level

Modules

Title	Credits	Code
Qualitative inquiry	7.5	0102
Quantitative inquiry	7.5	0103

Advanced study in the main field

Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirementsMaster’s level (A1N)

Grading scale

Language

English

Prior knowledge

Knowledge equivalent to 120 credits and English 6

Objectives

The course aims to give an overview over current research methods and techniques that are used to investigate the interactions between people and environment. The course serves as an introduction to the methods of Master- and PhD-studies in the field.



After completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• report on the various techniques and methods that are used in people and environment studies

• identify possible research questions and/or hypotheses concerning the interaction between people and environment

• exemplify, describe, and motivate the choice of method for specific research questions in the area

• design qualitative and quantitative studies

• select and conduct basic qualitative and statistical analyses

• write a scientific report, including references and critical analysis of sources and literature

• identify and explain ethical issues in research studies.

Content

Based on theory and research on people and environment interactions various study approaches to specific research questions will be presented. Principles for defining research questions and suggestions for the design of investigation will be outlined, demonstrated and discussed. This will provide the foundations for explaining how different methods provide different types of knowledge. Alternatives in designing studies will be demonstrated and practiced. The strategies presented belong to a broad field of people–environment studies including methods typical for experiments in lab, surveys as well as fieldwork with participant observation. Scientific writing will be practiced, including management of literature references and source criticism, resulting in a number of short papers where different methods are tested, and a final complete scientific paper. Compulsory seminars where the different methods are discussed are also included. Examples of ethical issues that may arise in studies including human beings will be illustrated and discussed.

The course combines mandatory online meetings with tasks carried out independently.

Formats and requirements for examination

Participation in compulsory elements. Approved participation in seminars. Successful completion of exercises. Passed scientific paper. If a student fails a test, the examiner may give the student a supplementary assignment, provided this is possible and there is reason to do so.

If a student has been granted targeted study support because of a disability, the examiner has the right to offer the student an adapted test, or provide an alternative form of assessment.

If this course is discontinued, SLU will decide on transitional provisions for the examination of students admitted under this syllabus who have not yet been awarded a Pass grade.

For the assessment an independent project (degree project), the examiner may also allow a student to add supplemental information after  the deadline for submission.  For more information, please refer to the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.

• If the student fails a test, the examiner may give the student a supplementary assignment, provided this is possible and there is reason to do so.
• If the student has been granted special educational support because of a disability, the examiner has the right to offer the student an adapted test, or provide an alternative assessment.
• If changes are made to this course syllabus, or if the course is closed, SLU shall decide on transitional rules for examination of students admitted under this syllabus but who have not yet passed the course.
• For the examination of a degree project (independent project), the examiner may also allow the student to add supplemental information after the deadline. For more information on this, please refer to the regulations for education at Bachelor's and Master's level.

Other information

The right to take part in teaching and/or supervision only applies to the course instance which the student has been admitted to and registered on.

If there are special reasons, the student may take part in course components that require compulsory attendance at a later date. For more information, please refer to the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.

Additional information

The course is given as a distance course, with mandatory online meetings, at 50% speed.

Responsible department

Department of People and Society

Essential literature for MP0003 ”Research Methods for People and Environment Studies”

Additional, optional literature will be introduced when needed.

General literature

• De Poy, E., & Gitlin, L. N. (2015). Introduction to research: Understanding and applying multiple strategies. Available at the Alnarp Library and in bookstores.
• Gifford, R. (Ed.). (2016). Research Methods for Environmental Psychology. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Chapters 2 and 3. Will be available as pdf.
• Hansson, S.-O. (2017). Science and Pseudo-Science. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy (Summer 201). Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University. Available online: https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2017/entries/pseudo-science/
• Vetenskapsrådet. (2017). Good Research Practice. Stockholm: Vetenskapsrådet. Available online: https://www.vr.se/download/18.5639980c162791bbfe697882/1555334908942/Good-Research-Practice_VR_2017.pdf

Qualitative

• Anderson, H. (2020). Nature, nationalism and neoliberalism on food packaging: The case of Sweden. Discourse, Context and Media, 34, 1-9. Available online: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211695819301394
• Bednarek, M. & Caple, H. (2014). Why do news values matter? Towards a new methodological framework for analyzing news discourse in Critical Discourse Analysis and beyond. Discourse & Society, 25(2), 135-158. Available online: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/0957926513516041
• Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. Available online: https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
• DeWalt, K.M. & DeWalt, B.R. (2011). Participant observation a guide for fieldworkers. 2nd ed. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield. Available online through the SLU Library
• Englander, M. (2012). The interview: Data collection in descriptive phenomenological human scientific research. Journal of Phenomenological Psychology, 43(1), 13-35. Available online: https://brill.com/view/journals/jpp/43/1/article-p13_3.xml
• Frost, N. (2011). Qualitative research methods in psychology: combining core approaches. Open University Press. Part I: Some core approaches. Accessible as an e-book at the SLU Library.
• Giorgi, A. (2009). The descriptive phenomenological method in psychology: a modified Husserlian approach. Duquesne. University Press. Parts of the book. Will be available as pdf.
• Jaworski, A. (2015) Globalese: a new visual-linguistic register, Social Semiotics, 25:2, 217-235, DOI: 10.1080/10350330.2015.1010317 -Available through the library website
• Johansson, R. (2003). Case Study Methodology. Available online: http://www.psyking.net/htmlobj-3839/case_study_methodology-_rolf_johansson_ver_2.pdf
• Kvale, S., & Brinkmann, S. (2015). InterViews: learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing. London. SAGE Publications. You need to buy or borrow this one.
• Riessman, C. K. (2007). Narrative Analysis Narrative methods for the human sciencesLondon: Sage publication. pp. 1-7. Will be available as pdf.
• Smith, J. A., & Osborn, M. (2007). Interpretative phenomenological analysis. Qualitative psychology: a practical guide to research methods. London: SAGE Publications. pp. 53-80. Will be available as pdf.
• von Essen, E. & Englander, M. (2013). Organic food as a healthy lifestyle: a phenomenological psychological analysis. International Journal of Qualitative Studies
  on Health and Well-Being, 8, 20559. Available online: https://doi.org/10.3402/qhw.v8i0.20559

Quantitative

• Bryman, A. (2012). Social research methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Chapters 10–12. Will be available as pdf.
• Chambliss, D. F., & Schutt, R. K. (2015). Making sense of the social world : methods of investigation. Chapter 8. Will be available as pdf.
• McCormick, K. (Consultant), Salcedo, J., & Poh, A. (2015). SPSS statistics for dummies (3rd edition.). Available as an e-book through the SLU library.
• SCB. (2004). Design your questions right. Available online: http://share.scb.se/ov9993/data/publikationer/statistik/_publikationer/ov9999_2004a01_ br_x97op0402.pdf