Research Methods

Student learn how to design and execute research, as well as how to interpret and critically assess the outcomes of research. Both quantitative as qualitative research methods are taught. To do so, students learn the fundamentals of research design as well as quantitative and qualitative research methods.

This course is designed to help students develop and execute research steps from the initial research problem until drawing conclusions. These steps include conceptualization of research ideas/problems, development of a relevant theoretical framework and related hypotheses, defining and operationalizing core concepts, and developing an appropriate research design. Students learn how to scrutinize the findings and draw implications drawn from statistical analysis and qualitative analysis of data.

Topics that will be covered among others:

- define research problem, research objectives and questions

- conduct research process of scientific investigation

- develop a conceptual model

- formulation of hypotheses

- operationalize and develop measurement of concepts

- develop research design, as well as make motivated decisions on data collection and data analysis methods

- evaluate different types of quantitative techniques (hypothesis testing, non-parametrics, regression analysis, multivariate analyses)

- interpret and critically reflect upon findings from statistical analysis

- qualitative data analysis, based on coding principles

- interpretation and presentation of results

- reflection on reliability and validity of research results

- research ethics