| CODE | MCS1311 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Introduction to Research Methods | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Media and Communications | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Students become familiar with differences between qualitative and quantitative research methods as responses to different questions that scholars have about various aspects of communications phenomena. The chain of reasoning underlying every research questions is discussed in detail to reveal potential uses for different research designs. This overview of method is followed by a discussion of operationalisation of concepts, data gathering and data analysis techniques, sampling methods, survey designs and an introduction to inference. The first part of the course is dedicated to qualitative research designs. The second part focuses on quantitative techniques such as correlation, regression and means testing for significant effects. Study-Unit Aims: The study-unit aims: - To introduce students to different research methodologies; - To prepare the way for good practice in the primary and secondary reasearch students need to carry out during their B.Communications (Hons) course; - To distinguish between quantitative and qualitative modes of research and introduce a number of instruments in both modes. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Differentiate between qualitative and quantitative means of research; - Know how to determine which research methodologies need be applied to a variety of research questions; - Define operationalisation of concepts, descriptive data aggregates, sampling methods, survey designs and inference; - Conceptualise statistical procedures. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Design empirical research projects; - Use both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies in primary research; - Apply statistical procedures to research. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Wimmer, R. D., & Dominic, J. R. (2015 ). Mass media research: An introduction. (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Supplementary Readings: - Field, A. (2024). Discovering Statistics using IBM SPSS Statistics. London: Sage. - Flick, U. (2022). An introduction to qualitative research. London: Sage. - Creswell, J. W., & Cresweel, J. D. (2023). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches. London: Sage. - American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. (7th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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