2025
Methods and Techniques of Research I
Name: Methods and Techniques of Research I
Code: GES12423D
9 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/243 hours
Scientific Area:
Social Sciences
Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese
Sustainable Development Goals
Learning Goals
1. Transmit the skills necessary to identify and select methods and techniques according to the needs of
specific research problems relevant to the field of agribusiness and sustainability;
2. Transmit the skills necessary for a greater understanding of and capacity to mobilize and integrate
technical and methodological frameworks, including the use of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary
approaches in a business context;
3. Develop skills for designing and implementing quantitative methodologies and techniques associated
with different research strategies in particular when applied in a business context;
4. Develop skills to validate, interpret and integrate data obtained by different strategies, methods and
techniques of research relevant to the research themes in question;
5. Transmit the skills necessary for the critical discussion of application limits and integration strategies,
of methods and research techniques based on different paradigms, and of the respective data.
specific research problems relevant to the field of agribusiness and sustainability;
2. Transmit the skills necessary for a greater understanding of and capacity to mobilize and integrate
technical and methodological frameworks, including the use of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary
approaches in a business context;
3. Develop skills for designing and implementing quantitative methodologies and techniques associated
with different research strategies in particular when applied in a business context;
4. Develop skills to validate, interpret and integrate data obtained by different strategies, methods and
techniques of research relevant to the research themes in question;
5. Transmit the skills necessary for the critical discussion of application limits and integration strategies,
of methods and research techniques based on different paradigms, and of the respective data.
Contents
1. Overview of methods and techniques of data collection and analysis
Type of data and information in relation to the object of study and methodological approach. Scale and
units of analysis. Methodological approaches and options for data collection and analysis.
2. Collection, modeling and data analysis
Different approaches to data collection. Data bases. Questionnaire surveys. Research hypotheses,
construction of variables, indicators and indices. Delimiting populations and selection of samples.
Techniques of descriptive and multivariate statistics. Data mining. Multivariate regression analysis models
(continuous and discrete dependent variables). Models with panel data. Inference and prediction.
Decomposition of time series to distinguish conjuncture and trend. Data validation and data collection
tools.
3. Interpretation, integration and communication of data and information
Meta-data. Mobilisation and interpretation of data obtained by different approaches.
Type of data and information in relation to the object of study and methodological approach. Scale and
units of analysis. Methodological approaches and options for data collection and analysis.
2. Collection, modeling and data analysis
Different approaches to data collection. Data bases. Questionnaire surveys. Research hypotheses,
construction of variables, indicators and indices. Delimiting populations and selection of samples.
Techniques of descriptive and multivariate statistics. Data mining. Multivariate regression analysis models
(continuous and discrete dependent variables). Models with panel data. Inference and prediction.
Decomposition of time series to distinguish conjuncture and trend. Data validation and data collection
tools.
3. Interpretation, integration and communication of data and information
Meta-data. Mobilisation and interpretation of data obtained by different approaches.
Teaching Methods
Consistent with the objectives and content of the CU, methodologies include:
- Lectures to present basic knowledge regarding the themes under scrutiny, including research strategies
and methods related to specific techniques from data collection, through data analysis to interpetation of
the results.
- Prior reading of bibliographical references and discussion of examples of how methods and techniques
of data collection and analysis are applied.
- Learning by doing, through data collection, modeling, analysis and interpretation in a practical context
(e.g. via work in the computer lab or by conducting interviews on campus). This methodology will include a
strong tutorial component, in part based on e-learning.
Evaluation focuses on different ways of learning, including:
a) Critical and reflexive reviewing of methods and techniques used in selected research problems (35%);
b) 1 or 2 projects with presentation/discussion and/or written test (65%).
- Lectures to present basic knowledge regarding the themes under scrutiny, including research strategies
and methods related to specific techniques from data collection, through data analysis to interpetation of
the results.
- Prior reading of bibliographical references and discussion of examples of how methods and techniques
of data collection and analysis are applied.
- Learning by doing, through data collection, modeling, analysis and interpretation in a practical context
(e.g. via work in the computer lab or by conducting interviews on campus). This methodology will include a
strong tutorial component, in part based on e-learning.
Evaluation focuses on different ways of learning, including:
a) Critical and reflexive reviewing of methods and techniques used in selected research problems (35%);
b) 1 or 2 projects with presentation/discussion and/or written test (65%).
Certificações
