EQ931-20 Advanced Research Methods 1: Nature and Ethics of Research Inquiry (PhD variant)
Introductory description
The module will be used as part of the PhD upgrade process from MPhil to PhD (along with an upgrade paper) a pass at Masters Level (50) will ensure that the student has understood the research requirements of the PhD. There will be three module assessments - students will be required to choose two (this being one of the three).
Module aims
Advanced Research Methods I, II and III are usually taken together. These three interrelated modules strengthen understanding of the interconnected layers of educational research. Each module progressively develops understanding within and between each stream of research training: the nature of research enquiry
encourages analysis of the epistemological and theoretical issuesunderlying enquiry and their relationship to problem formulation, researchdesign and strategy; qualitative research methods develops understanding of a range of subject-specific research strategies including discourse analysis, ethnography, action research and experimental methods; quantitative research methods develops knowledge of sampling, problems of error and bias, assessing the validity of data, as well as interpretation of results. Methodological issues and statistical techniques will be introduced through discussion of research papers and the statistical package SPSS. The importance of interconnecting qualitative and quantitative methods will be addressed in each module.
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
The Nature and Ethics of Research Inquiry module will develop understanding of the principles involved in research investigations, beginning with the epistemological pre-suppositions that provide the context for theory construction, research design and the selection of research methods. The work of theory in constructing and explaining the objects of research is discussed, and their role in shaping the questions, hypotheses and design of the research investigated. Understanding the ethical principles of constructing research will be a particular focus of study. Sessions on the strategies of data collection within case studies and then approaches to qualitative data analysis will follow:
- Epistemological debates in education research
- Theory construction and conceptual analysis
- The process of research design
- Role and context of ethical codes
- The interface of the ethics and politics of educational research
Data collection and data analysis
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- To develop understanding of the epistemological issues involved in constructing educational research.
- Develop understanding of the nature of theory and explanation in education.
- Support formulation of research problems and questions
- Appreciate the need to match research questions to appropriate research methods
- Develop understanding of the strengths of using ICT in educational research
- Understand the implications of relevant research methodologies and the ways they are shaped in computer mediated research.
- Explore the ethical principles on which research ethics arebased.
- - Provide detailed examination of the ethical and legal dimensions ofthe total research process, including the skill of writing ethics approval submissions
Indicative reading list
Benton, T., & Craib, I. (2001), Philosophy of Social Science (Palgrave)
Bourdieu, P., and Wacquant, L, (1992), An Invitation to Reflexive Sociology, Oxford, Polity
British Educational Research Association (2004), Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research
Revised 2004,
Delanty, G., (2005), Social Science, Philosophical and Methodological Foundations (Second
Edition), Buckingham, Open University Press.
Delanty, G., & Strydom, P., (Eds.) (2003), Philosophies of Social Science, Buckingham, Open
University Press
Fay, B., (1996), Contemporary Philosophy of Social Science, Oxford, Blackwell.
Flyvbjerg, B., (2001), Making Social Science Matter: Why social inquiry fails and how it can
succeed again, Cambridge.
Oliver, P., (2003), The Student's Guide to Research Ethics, (Maidenhead, OU Press)
Pring, R., (2004), Philosophy of Educational Research (Second Edition), London, Continuum.
Somekh, B., & Lewin, C., (2005), Research Methods in Social Sciences, London, Sage.
View reading list on Talis Aspire
Subject specific skills
- Methods of data analysis
- Clear report writing
- Gain familiarity with skills such as searching databases, accessing information electronically and web-based research techniques
Transferable skills
No transferable skills defined for this module.
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 10 sessions of 2 hours (10%) |
| Tutorials | 1 session of 2 hours (1%) |
| Private study | 178 hours (89%) |
| Total | 200 hours |
Private study description
Independent study hours include background reading, completing reading/other tasks in preparation for timetabled teaching sessions, undertaking research using the library resources, follow-up reading work, working on individual and group projects, the completion of formative and summative assignments, revision.
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You must pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A1
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
|||
| Essay | 100% | 65 hours | Yes (extension) |
|
3500-Word Assignment |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Feedback on assessment
Standard Feedback through Tabula.
Courses
This module is Core for:
- Year 1 of RIEA-X3X7 Postgraduate Research Education
This module is Core optional for:
- Year 1 of RIEA-X3X7 Postgraduate Research Education