XTO-12306 Research Methods 1

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Contents:

The final goal of this course is that students learn to develop a research proposal for a research project. The course takes off with a proper discussion on the essence of doing scientific research. What is scientific research and what is not? Using a practical sociological problem related to tourism that needs to be solved the students first learns to formulate a research objective and appropriate research questions. Then they learn to set up the research project. At the end of the course the students have to submit a complete research proposal. Students will be asked to critically assess each others research proposal. The course will not only focus on the research design, but will also address different basic data collection techniques. One of them, in-depth interviewing, will be trained more extensively. Each student will conduct several in-depth interviews in the field, related to a given research design and interview protocol.

Learning outcomes:

After the course the student is able to:
- explain the essence of doing scientific research explain the importance of formulating a conceptual research design: that is formulating a research issue, a research objective and a conceptual model;
- explain the importance of formulating a technical research design: that is delivering an adequate argumentation for a research strategy and drafting a plan for data generation and data analysis;
- compare three fundamental alternatives for a research design: experiment, survey and case study;
- compare different basic data collection techniques, such as interviews, questionnaires, observation and secondary data analysis;
- construct a conceptual and technical research design for a simple sociological research problem related to tourism;
- critically assess research designs made by others;
- construct and conduct an adequate in-depth interview.

Activities:

- lectures;
- tutorials (research proposal);
- workshops (interview training).

Examination:

- written examination with open questions (50%);
- assignments (50%).

Literature:

- Singleton, R.A. & B.C. Straits (2005), Approaches tot social research, 4th edition, New York, Oxford University Press.