General description

Advanced basis and applied research in welfare state systems and concepts of social policy.

Learning outcomes

The aims of this course is to perfect general principles and tools in relation with research design and realization of the research project leading to the master‘s thesis.
The aim of the joint master’s degree program is to make students capable of doing research based on holistic thinking and acting according to their own. Equally it enables them to have initiative, show social competence and be ready to assume responsibility as well as develop free judgement and a critical mind. The basis for this is provided by cognitive and applied research. The research oriented, scientifically founded teaching provides the instrumental and methodological basis for a successful professional career and ensures a high degree of competence.

Contents

At the beginning of the course, students will be introduced to the methodology of research in order to develop their individual research project leading to a master’s thesis. This procedure includes support in clarifying concepts and the use of inductive/deductive approaches, qualitative/quantitative research, how research design is influencing further methodological choices, report writing, etc.
Students will apply theory to a real piece of research. In this course students will be prepared for working on their own research projects and the use of general principles of comparisons.
During this course group discussions will be used in order to get familiar with research methodology topics through recent research reports (e.g. main research question and sub-questions, operationalization, population, sample, data analysis, interpretation of graphs and tables, etc)

Teaching methods

Introduction course at the beginning of the semester, than the use of methods of distance learning: discussion boards and individual tutoring, supported by Moodle.
Attendance obligatory.

Teaching language

English

Evaluation and evaluation criteria

Numeric 1-5.
Active participation: participation of the students in the discussions and debate during seminar and the distance learning; write a master’s thesis.

Study materials

Reading list:

- Bailey, Stephen: Academic writing. London, Routledge, 2006.

- Greetham, Bryan: How to write better essays. Basingstoke, Palgrave, 2003.

- Leenders, Michiel et al.: Writing cases. London: Ivey, 2001.

- Swales, John: English in today’s research word. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Univ. of Michigan Press, 2000.

- Woods, Peter: Successful writing for qualitative researchers. London: Routledge, 2006.

- Anfara, Vincent: Theoretical frameworks in qualitative research. Thousand, Oaks: Sage, 2006.

- Banks, Marcus; Visual methods in social research. London: Sage, 2005.

- Denzin, Norman, The Sage handbook of qualitative research. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 2005.

- Gibaldi, Joseph: MLA handbook of writers of research papers. New York; Modern Language Association of America, 2000.

- Glaser, Barney: The discovery of grounded theory. New Brunswick, Aldine Transaction, 2006.

- Moed, Henk: Citations analysis in research evaluation. Dordrecht, Springer, 2005.

- Yin, Robert: Applications of case study research. Thousand Oaks, Sage, 2006.

- Reason, Peter, Handbook of action research. London, Sage, 2005.

Belongs to following study modules