YRM-21306 Research Methodology for Human Environment Interactions

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

Dutch and/or English

Assumed knowledge on:

BIL: LDD-11806, IWE-21312;
BLP: LAR Design studio 3 & 4 or LUP-20306 and LUP-33306

Continuation courses:

BBN: NCP 80812: BSc Thesis Forest and Nature Conservation;
BIL: BSc Internship; BSc Thesis International Land and Water Management;
BLP: BSc Thesis Landscape Architecture or BSc Thesis Spatial Planning

Contents:

The objective of the course is that students learn to develop a research proposal for a theory oriented or practice oriented scientific research project. Starting from a knowledge gap or practical problem that needs to be solved, the student first learns to design an appropriate research objective and appropriate research questions. Then students learn to set up the research project using an appropriate research strategy: eg the experiment, the survey and the case study. Finally, different generic sampling strategies are being addressed. The course consists of two parts.
Part one provides generic research methodology and introduces the building blocks of a research proposal.
Part two is more domain specific and depends for its contents on the study programme. E.g. workshops and individual feedback on the research proposals is provided by staff familiar with the domain of the specific study programme. By the end of the course students will hand in a complete, detailed and feasible research project plan.

Learning outcomes:

At the end of the course students are expected to be able to:
- develop a conceptual research design; including an adequate research objective, a research issue and an operationalization for abstract concepts;
- develop a technical research design; including an adequate argumentation for a chosen research strategy and drafting a plan for data generation and data analysis including a planning;
- critically assess research proposals made by themselves or by others.

Activities:

- lectures;
- workshops;
- home assignments;
- studying literature.

Examination:

The course will be examined by both a written exam and the developed research proposal. The final mark for this course will be based on the written examination score (50%) and the score for the research proposal (50%). Both the written exam and the research proposal will have to be valued at least a 5.5.

Literature:

To be announced.