Methods in social sciences
Information from the course leader
Welcome to the course Methods in social sciences
**Schedule **
The schedule for the course is preliminary and may be subject to change until the course begins. Mandatory sessions and examinations are typically not changed and will only be adjusted in exceptional cases.
It is important that you attend the course introduction to receive updated information about the course, schedule, objectives, examinations, and more. If you cannot attend, you need to carefully review information on the Canvas page to update yourself.
Below, you will find information that may already be useful:
**Course registration **
This course has self-registration. Self-registration opens one week before the course starts. Information on how to register can be found in the Ladok Student manual on the student web.
**Course Literature **
The course reading list is available on the course webpage. Please note that the list may be supplemented with articles and other materials until the course starts. Books and other materials not available digitally will always be listed on the reading list no later than eight weeks before the course begins. If you have special educational support and require literature in audio format, see the instructions on the student web on how to proceed.
**Educational Support **
If you are entitled to special educational support, please inform the course coordinator at the start of the course so that specific arrangements can be made, read more on the student web.
**Withdrawing from a Course **
If you wish to withdraw from the course within three weeks of the start date, you can do so yourself in Ladok. Instructions on how to proceed can be found in the Ladok Student manual. If the course has been running for more than three weeks, notify the course administrator, who will record your withdrawal in Ladok upon your approval. Failure to report withdrawal may affect your ability to take the course at a later time.
**Examinations **
You must register for examinations in Ladok. Registration closes 10 working days before the examination. It is not possible to register for the
Course evaluation
The course evaluation is now closed
ÖS0006-10220 - 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.
Syllabus and other information
Syllabus
ÖS0006 Methods in social sciences, 7.5 Credits
Metoder i samhällsvetenskaplig forskningSubjects
Other social studiesEducation cycle
Bachelor’s levelModules
| Title | Credits | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Reflections | 2.5 | 0001 |
| Course work | 5.0 | 0002 |
Advanced study in the main field
First cycle, in-depth level of the course cannot be classifiedBachelor’s level (GXX)
Grading scale
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.
Language
EnglishPrior knowledge
The course requires 60 credits and English 6.Objectives
The overall aim of the course is to provide basic knowledge of methodological aspects of projects and research in the social sciences, with a special focus on both inductive and deductive approaches. The methodological insight constitutes both competences to make methodological choices, conduct studies, evaluate research and research ethics and take the role of a constructive dialogue partner in multidisciplinary problem areas linked to social science issues, especially from a sustainability perspective.
After completing the course, students should be able to:
- explain the foundations of different research approaches,
- explain and discuss limitations of common approaches, including limitations of qualitative and quantitative methods for collecting and analysing data,
- analyse and discuss a research plan with a focus on methodological description, and
- discuss and interpret the impact of methodological choices on research results.
Content
The course begins with a review of various philosophical foundations that influence the choice of approaches in a research project and is followed by a review of common methods for collecting, analysing, presenting and quality assuring data in different approaches.
The course includes the following themes
- the role and responsibilities of a researcher,
- parts and presentation of academic studies (‘logical fit’ and rhetoric),
- relevance and the role of theory in research projects,
- methods for collecting data in different research approaches (e.g., interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, archival documents and experiments), and
- different methods for analysing data (e.g. content analysis, discourse analysis, regression analysis, factor analysis and meta-analysis).
Implementation
The course is based on literature studies, discussion seminars, and skills training. The course is skill-oriented, and aims to develop method-related project management insight.
The course focuses on the following general competencies:
- Critical thinking
- Problem solving
- Scientific methods
- Written communication
The following sections are mandatory:
The course contains mandatory elements in the form of seminars and workshops
Grading form
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.Formats and requirements for examination
Approved submissions and completed mandatory sections.
If a student has failed an examination, the examiner has the right to issue supplementary assignments. This applies if it is possible and there are grounds to do so.
The examiner can provide an adapted assessment to students entitled to study support for students with disabilities following a decision by the university. Examiners may also issue an adapted examination or provide an alternative way for the students to take the exam.
If this syllabus is withdrawn, SLU may introduce transitional provisions for examining students admitted based on this syllabus and who have not yet passed the course.
For the assessment of an independent project (degree project), the examiner may also allow a student to add supplemental information after the deadline for submission. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Other information
The right to participate in teaching and/or supervision only applies for the course instance the student was admitted to and registered on.
If there are special reasons, students are entitled to participate in components with compulsory attendance when the course is given again. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Additional information
SLU is environmentally certified according to ISO 14001. Many of our courses address knowledge and skills that contribute positively to the environment. To further strengthen this, we have specific environmental goals for education. Students are welcome to suggest measures in the course design and implementation that lead to environmental improvements. For more information, see SLU’s website, www.slu.se. SLU is also a PRME-certified university, Principles for Responsible Management Education (http://www.unprme.org/).Responsible department
Department of Forest Economics
Further information
Litterature list
Clark, T. et al. (2021) Bryman’s social research methods. Sixth edition / Tom Clark, Liam Foster, Luke Sloan, Alan Bryman ; editorial advisor, Elena Vacchelli. Oxford: Oxford University Press.