Week 1: Introduction to the module - Basic Contours of Social Research


Introduction to the module - Basic contours of social research
Introduction to the module - Basic contours of social research

The introductory session is about a general understanding of why we do research and

situate it within existing philosophical traditions and foundations. We will examine some
basic contours of social research, its practical relevance and what a scientific approach
involves as well as errors research process tries to reduce. We will identify the basic 7 steps
for conducting research and will reflect on the UWL expectations of your research.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the week, you should be able to:
1. understand where you are in relation to research methodologies 
2. understand why we do research and why we situate it in existing
philosophical traditions 
3. identify the seven-step cycle for a single research study
4. have a basic understanding of what to include when presenting your research
upon completion
By engaging with the assigned lecture material in Investigate, online session, face-to-face/
webinar (Apply) sessions and Consolidate activities you should be able to achieve this
week's learning objectives. 
Recommended Reading:
Chapter 1  in -  Bryman's Social Research Methods (6th ed.) by Tom Clark, Liam Foster, Luke
Sloan, and Alan Bryman 
All reading material, including this week's, can be found in the Reading List via the link in the
left-hand pane. 


Apply
Apply
Attached Files:
o  Week 1 - Introduction to the Module.pptx Week 1 - Introduction to the
Module.pptx - Alternative Formats (11.832 MB) 

Please see Week1-slides attached

KEY TERMS/ TERMINOLOGIES TO FAMILIARISE WITH 
 data overgeneralisation Ontology
empirical premature closure Epistemolo
false halo effect gy
consensus   Paradigm
junk science scientific community Sociologica
scientific scientific literacy l
community selective observationimaginatio
pseudoscienc social theory n
e blind review Methodolo
scholarly gy
journal article Method
Theoretica
l
perspectiv
e
 /
Conceptua
l
framework


Consolidate
Consolidate

In the concluding part of this week you should be able to:

ACTIVITY 1: Answer the following questions about the basic understanding of why we do
research.
1. What sources of knowledge are alternatives to social research?
2. Why is social research usually better than the alternatives?
3. Is social research always, right? Can it answer any question? 
4. What is the scientific community? What is its role?
5. What are the norms of the scientific community? What are their effects?
6. What is the process to have a study published in a scholarly social science journal?
7. What steps are involved in conducting a research project?
8. What does it mean to say that research steps are not rigidly fixed?
9. What are the main research paradigms that are significant for policing research? For what
reasons? - [ Your subject lecturers can help answering this question]

ACTIVITY 2: Understand the UWL expectations of the research process and dissertation
Watch clip • https://eu-lti.bbcollab.com/collab/ui/session/playback


Consolidate - assumptions of researchers
 Watch Video 
assumptions of researchers 
Duration: 9:23 
User: n/a - Added: 17/11/14