Imagining Social Worlds
| Module title | Imagining Social Worlds |
|---|---|
| Module code | SPA1000 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Alex Hillman () |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 100 |
|---|
Module description
Sociologists and anthropologists are primarily concerned with understanding the human condition. To do this, they conduct research which enable them to explore the lives, experiences, and world views of their human subjects. In this module you will receive training in academic study skills. You will become familiar with a wide range of research methods used to imagine the social worlds of the 'others' they have studied. You will systematically study the texts which social researchers produce to learn about these methods. You will also learn practical skills in conducting qualitative research interviews and how to critically engage with quantitative research evidence. There are no pre-requisites to this module.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aim of this module is to introduce you to a range of theoretical and practical issues faced by sociologists and anthropologists as they attempt to engage with and understand their human research subjects. Training in core study skills is embedded in the module. Through a focus on a broad range of anthropological and sociological texts, the module aims to teach you how to research the social world. You will also develop a foundational understanding of qualitative research methodology which can be built upon during the following years of your degree. You will be introduced to core concepts and approaches taken by quantitative researchers. As a result, this module will equip you with a foundation of analytical skills required for developing your own anthropological and sociological imagination.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate a basic knowledge of a range of key methodological approaches and theoretical orientations in sociology and anthropology
- 2. evaluate the research strategies and theoretical approaches employed by a selection of established sociologists and anthropologists
- 3. demonstrate knowledge of qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. demonstrate an understanding of key strengths and weaknesses of qualitative and quantitative social research
- 5. evaluate at a basic level a range of social scientific arguments, methods of data collection and analysis of data
- 6. critically reflect on the application of research methods with an aim of improving future practice
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Understand and apply basic academic study skills
- 8. undertake independent study effectively
- 9. communicate effectively in written and verbal form
- 10. discuss ideas and interpretations with others in a clear and reasoned way
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
Introduction to core academic study skills
- Academic writing
- Referencing and academic honesty
- Submitting assessments
Overview of approaches to conducting research
- Material Objects and the Social
- Bodies and the Social
- Researching the Everyday
- Researching Work
- Researching Social Stratification
- Researching Crime
- Researching Technology
Introduction to Qualitative Research
- What is qualitative research?
- What does research interviewing look like?
- Asking and answering research questions with interviews
- Sampling and research ethics
- The interview in process – active listening, power relations and reflexivity
- Transcription
- Qualitative data analysis
- Interview design & development
Critically engaging with quantitative research approaches
- Measurement of social science concepts
- Samples and Populations
- Statistical summaries: averages and proportions
- Correlation and causation
- The challenges of visualising data
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 55 | 245 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 33 | 22 x 1.5-hour weekly lectures and seminars |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 22 | 22 x 1-hour weekly tutorial |
| Guided independent study | 123 | Preparatory reading in advance of lectures and tutorials |
| Guided independent study | 122 | Preparation of summative assignments |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summary of reading (demonstration of referencing) | 500 words | 1-9 | Written |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 50 | 2,500 words | 1-9 | Written |
| Research Report | 50 | 2,500 words | 1-9 | Written |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay (2,500 words) | Essay (2,500 words) | 1-9 | Referral/Deferral Period |
| Research report (2,500 words) | Research report (2,500 words) | 1-9 | Referral/Deferral Period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to redo the assessment(s) as defined above. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Sociology
- Abercrombie, Nicholas. 2004. Sociology: A Short Introduction. Oxford: Polity Press.
- Alexander, Jeffrey C., Kenneth Thompson, and Laura Desfor Edles (eds). 2012. A Contemporary Introduction to Sociology: Culture and Society in Transition (Second Edition). Boulder, London: Paradigm Publishers.
- Giddens, Anthony (ed.) 1992. Human societies: An Introductory Reader in Sociology. Cambridge: Polity Press.
- Lemert, C. (2012) Social Things: An Introduction to the Sociological life , 5th edition, London: Rowman & Littlefields
- Halsey, A. H. 2004. A History of Sociology in Britain: Science, Literature and Society. Oxford Scholarship Online. [ebook]
Anthropology
- Barnard, Alan and Jonathan Spencer (eds). 1996. Encyclopedia of Social and Cultural Anthropology. Routledge. [ebook]
- Eriksen, Thomas Hylland. 2001. Small Places, Large Issues. Pluto Press.
- Hendry, Joy. 2008. Sharing our Worlds: An Introduction to Anthropology (2nd revised edition). Palgrave Macmillan.
- Kuper, Adam. 1996. Anthropology and Anthropologists: The Modern British School (3rd edition). London and New York, Routledge.
- Moore, Henrietta and Todd Sanders (eds). 2006. Anthropology in Theory: Issues in Epistemology. Blackwell.
Qualitative Methods
Core Texts
- Brinkmann, S. (2013). Qualitative Interviewing. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Lune, H., & Berg, B. L. (2017). Qualitative research methods for the social sciences (9th ed). Harlow: Pearson
- Magnusson, E., & Marecek, J. (2015). Doing Interview-based Qualitative Research: A Learner's Guide. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Supplementary Texts
- Alvesson, M. (2010). Interpreting Interviews. London: SAGE Publications Ltd
- Boynton, P. (2016) The Research Companion: A practical guide for those in the social sciences, health and development (2nd Edition). Routledge.
- Gilbert, N. and Stoneman, P. 2016 Researching Social Life. 4th Edition. London: Sage
- Gibbs, G. (2007). Analyzing Qualitative Data.
- Guest, G., MacQueen, K., & Namey, E. (2018). Applied Thematic Analysis. Sage.
- Guthrie, G. (2010). Basic research methods: An entry to social science research. SAGE Publications’
- Robson, C., & McCartan, K. (2015). Real World Research (4th edition). Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.
- Skinner, J. 2012. The Interview: An Ethnographic Approach. London: Berg.
- Shon, P. C. (2015). How to read journal articles in the social sciences: A very practical guide for students (2nd edition). London: Sage.
Quantitative Methods
- De Vries, R. (2018). Critical statistics: Seeing beyond the headlines. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
- UK Data Archive: http://data-archive.ac.uk/
- National Centre for Research Methods: https://www.ncrm.ac.uk/
- The Research Companion: https://theresearchcompanion.com/resources/
- Sage Method Space: https://www.methodspace.com/
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| NQF level (module) | 4 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 07/02/2024 |
| Last revision date | 16/02/2024 |
