Class Research Design

The Research Design course unit aims to provide master’s level students with the fundamental methodological skills and conceptual and operational tools needed to move from theoretical knowledge about a phenomenon to the development of a social science research project. This project should encompass all phases of empirical research and serve as the foundation for a master’s thesis in Political Communication.

Not applicable

Stages of Scientific Research What Makes a Good Research Topic? How to Formulate a Good Research Question? Scientific and Social Relevance How to Conduct a Literature Review? Challenges and How to Overcome Them Research Objectives and Working Hypotheses: How to Write and Present Them Conceptualisation and Operationalisation of Concepts How to Choose Methodology, Research Techniques, and Types of Data to Collect Development of Data Collection Instruments and Selection of Data Sources How to Write a Research Proposal

The teaching-learning process combines theoretical-practical knowledge transmission sessions, project presentation and discussion sessions (which are prioritised), tutorial sessions fostering interaction between students and the lecturer, and autonomous student work.

Box-Steffensmeier, J. M. (ed.) (2010).The Oxford Handbook of Political Methodology. Oxford,OUP. - Clark, T., Foster, L. e Bryman, A. (2019). How to do your Social Research Project or Dissertation, Oxford,OUP. - Della Porta, D. e Keating, M. (eds.) (2008). Approaches and Methodologies in the Social Sciences. A Pluralist Perspective, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. - -Johnson, J. B. e Reynolds. H. T. (2020). Political Science Research Methods, 9ªed., Los Angeles, Sage