Research Design in the Social Sciences

Module title	Research Design in the Social Sciences
Module code	SSI2004
Academic year	2024/5
Credits	15
Module staff	Dr Simge Andi (Convenor)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks		11

Number students taking module (anticipated)	100

Module description

Both in academic and applied social research it is crucial to examine empirical evidence in order to test ideas and hypotheses. For example, in market research it is necessary to examine data on sales and customer satisfaction to make decisions about a future marketing strategy. In political research you may want to collect and analyse data from polls. To obtain valid conclusions from the data you need to understand the principles of research design and data collection. In this module you will learn how to design social experiments and surveys and make sure your research design allows you to answer your research questions. This module prepares you for conducting research for your dissertation. The pre-requisites for this module are SSI1005 (Introduction to Social Data) and SSI1006 (Data Analysis in Social Science 1).

Module aims - intentions of the module

The aim of this module is to introduce you to the principles of research design in the social sciences so that you are able to assess the research of others (e.g. in the media, in research articles) and use quantitative skills in your own research projects. This module covers the basics of research design and the scientific method, explaining how measuring variables allows us to test theories and hypotheses. It guides you in how to collect and manage social data, using surveys and experiments. It also discusses the concept of causality and introduces various research designs that can be used for causal inference with social data.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of research design in the social sciences.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of different types of empirical research and data collection techniques.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

3. Apply knowledge of the principles of research design to social science problems.
4. Critically evaluate empirical research in the social sciences.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

5. Write reports to a deadline.
6. Evaluate the quality of empirical evidence in the public debate on social and political matters.

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content will vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover the following themes:

- Descriptive and causal logic in social science research.

- The problem of causal inference.

- Experiments: field, laboratory, and survey.

- Survey research.

- Natural experiments and instrumental variables.

- Longitudinal research and difference-in-differences estimation.

- Computational social science.

- Mixed methods for social science research.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
22	128	0

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled learning and teaching activity	22	11 x 2 hour lectures/workshops
Guided independent study	78	Reading and preparation for classes
Guided independent study	50	Reading, preparation and writing of the assignments

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Plan for research design assessment	500 words	1-4, 6	Written and oral feedback

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
Critical review of a research paper	50	1,500 words	1-6	Written feedback
Research design	50	1,750 words	1-6	Written feedback
	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
Critical review of a research paper	Critical review of a research paper (1,500 words)	1-6	August/September reassessment period
Research design	Research design (1,750 words)	1-6	August/September reassessment period

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

R.A.Singleton & B.C.Straits. Approaches to Social Research. Oxford University Press (2017).

M.Salganik, Bit by Bit: Social Research in the Digital Age. Princeton University Press (2017).

F.J.Fowler, Survey Research Methods, 5^th ed., Sage (2013).

J.D.Angrist and J.-S.Pischke, Mastering ‘Metrics: The Path from Cause to Effect. Princeton University Press (2014).

K.Imai, Quantitative Social Science: An Introduction. Princeton University Press (2017).

T.Dunning, Natural Experiments in the Social Sciences: A Design-Based Approach. Cambridge University Press (2012).

A.S.Gerber and D.P.Green, Field Experiments: Design, Analysis, and Interpretation. W.W.Norton (2012).

R.Glennerster and K.Takavarasha, Running Randomized Evaluations: A Practical Guide. Princeton University Press (2013).

G.King, R.O.Keohane & S.Verba. Designing Social Inquiry: Scientific Inference in Qualitative Research. Princeton University Press (1994).

R.B.Morton & K.C.Williams, Experimental Political Science and the Study of Causality: From Nature to the Lab. Cambridge University Press (2010).

D.C.Mutz, Population-Based Survey Experiments, Princeton University Press (2011).

Key words search

Social sciences; research design; methodology

Credit value	15
Module ECTS	7.5
Module pre-requisites	SSI1005, SSI1006
NQF level (module)	5
Available as distance learning?	No
Origin date	17/10/2019
Last revision date	19/02/2021