Introductory description

Is the gender wage gap caused by discrimination? What explains differences in voter turnout? Which form of education and development aid is effective? What affects the movement of visitors in an art gallery? Experiments are the “gold standard” for uncovering causal effect and they were rediscovered in social science research and the humanities in the last decades. The results of experimental research give valuable insights for theory testing and programme evaluation.

Module web page

Module aims

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.

Week 1: Why do we need experimental research?

• This session will introduce experimental methods and refer to many applications in social
  science research and the humanities.
  Week 2: What makes a study an experiment?
• This session will review key concepts of experimental research such as causal inference
  and randomization.
  Week 3: Why are there so many types of experiments?
• This session will introduce laboratory experiments and field experiments and reflect on
  their advantages, pitfalls, and problems.
  Week 4: Why are there even more types of experiments?
• This session will introduce natural experiments as well as related types and reflect on their
  advantages, pitfalls, and problems.
  Week 5: How can experiments be integrated into surveys?
• This session will introduce different types of survey experiments and reflect on their
  advantages, pitfalls, and problems. Further, students will present their own ideas about
  conducting an experiment.
  Week 6: Reading Week
  Week 7: How can we ‘walk the experiment talk’?
• Students will conduct fieldwork by carrying out their own experimental research. They will
  be supervised by the lecturer.
  Week 8: What does my experimental data tell me?
• Students will continue with the fieldwork and analyse the data. They will be supervised by the lecturer.
  Week 9: What can I tell you about my experiment?
• In this session students will present their experimental studies.
  Week 10: What did we learn?
• In this session students will reflect on the overall course content.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• (1) to familiarise students with different types of experiments;
• (2) to raise students’ awareness of the advantages, pitfalls, and problems of experimental methods used in social science and humanities research;
• (3) to equip students with the skills to understand and undertake experimental research.

Indicative reading list

Reading lists can be found in Talis

Research element

Some fieldwork required in teaching

Interdisciplinary

Interdisciplinary module for students in the social sciences and humanities

Opportunities for interdisciplinary learning are communicated to students

Subject specific skills

Systematic understanding, coherent and detailed knowledge of key concepts of experimental research in the social sciences and humanities

Ability to describe and comment on the advantages and pitfalls of experimental methods

Ability to manage and conduct experimental research

Communication of research findings and limitations related to experiments in social science research and the humanities

Transferable skills

By developing and conducting own projects ...

the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility,

decision-making in complex and unpredictable contexts in field settings.