2023

Research Laboratory - Project Execution

Name: Research Laboratory - Project Execution
Code: SOC02421L
12 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/312 hours
Scientific Area: Sociology

Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese
Regime de Frequência: Presencial

Sustainable Development Goals

Learning Goals

This CU is organized in small form-focused seminars, and aims to promote reflective skills, analytical and methodological regarding the components and stages of an investigation process. It is expected that students should be able to:
1- Design a methodology appropriate to the problem of theoretical research
2- Define a population and construct a sample
3- Select the data collection techniques and build their devices
4- Apply the system to gather information- Organize and exploit the information collected, analyze and interpret this information according to the problem and the analysis model
5- Produce a final research report

Contents

1. The Observation Process
1.1. Observe what?
1.2. Observe who?: Population and sample
1.3. Observe how?: the instruments of observation – design, testing and data collection
1.4. key information gathering methods: questionnaire, interviews, direct observation and pre-existing data collection and secondary data
1.5. The fieldwork
2. The ANALYSIS of the INFORMATION
2.1. Three operations: data preparation: describe and aggregate; Analysis of the relationship between variables; Comparison of the observed results with the expected results and interpretation of the differences;
2.2. The main methods of analysis of information: statistical analysis of data; Content analysis;
3. The CONCLUSIONS
3.1. the broad Retrospective of the procedure
3.2. New contributions to the knowledge of the object of study
3.3. Practical considerations
4. The wording of the REPORT
4.1 specific procedures for the drafting of the report

Teaching Methods

This course proposes to hold small seminars around problems and components of a process of sociological research. The evaluation process focuses on the active participation of students in the various seminars and more particularly in the development of a research project and presentation of their project report.

Teaching Staff