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Political Research Methods

Code: 101104 ECTS Credits: 12
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2500259 Political Science and Public Management OB 2
2503778 International Relations OB 2

Contact

Name:
Agustí Bosch Gardella
Email:
agusti.bosch@uab.cat

Teachers

Agustí Bosch Gardella
Josep Maria Comellas Bonsfills
Carolina Galais Gonzalez
Roberto Pannico
Albert Valls Garcia
Gabriela de Carvalho

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

No necessary prerequesite required.


Objectives and Contextualisation

This subject is taught differently in the two degrees. You may find more information on this issue in the following links:


Competences

    Political Science and Public Management
  • Applying the different behaviour analysis techniques and political actors to real cases from the internal and international political arena.
  • Applying the discipline's main theories and different fields to real practical and professional problems.
  • Arguing from different theoretical perspectives.
  • Demonstrating the comprehension of the logic behind the scientific analysis of political sciences.
  • Managing the available time in order to accomplish the established objectives and fulfil the intended task.
  • Managing the methodological foundations of politic sciences.
  • Realising effective oral presentations that are suited to the audience.
  • Synthesizing and critically analysing information.
  • Using the main information and documentation techniques (ICT) as an essential tool for the analysis.
  • Working autonomously.
    International Relations
  • Design, plan and carry out projects and studies for analysis and/or intervention in different areas of international relations.
  • Recognise the methodological foundations of social science with special emphasis on international relations.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply the methodology of political analysis to specific real or simulated case studies for international relations and design a complete research strategy.
  2. Arguing from different theoretical perspectives.
  3. Be familiar with basic methodology in political science.
  4. Critically assessing the usage of inductive, deductive and comparative methods.
  5. Critically assessing the use of analytical instruments to validate the hypothesis raised.
  6. Critically evaluate the use of analytical instruments for the validation of the proposed hypotheses.
  7. Critically evaluate the use of methods of induction, deduction and comparison.
  8. Demonstrate an understanding of the logic of scientific analysis applied to political science.
  9. Demonstrating the comprehension of the logic behind the scientific analysis of political sciences.
  10. Designing and planning an investigation in the field of political sciences.
  11. Managing the available time in order to accomplish the established objectives and fulfil the intended task.
  12. Managing the methodological foundations of politic sciences.
  13. Realising effective oral presentations that are suited to the audience.
  14. Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
  15. Synthesizing and critically analysing information.
  16. Use a data political data base and for each case use the appropriate basic techniques of descriptive statistics.
  17. Using the main information and documentation techniques (ICT) as an essential tool for the analysis.
  18. Working autonomously.

Content

 The main contents of the subject are the following:

 

Research Design:          

Social Research Fundamentals. Epistemologies and Methodologies

The Research Question. Theory and Hypotheses  

Data Generation

Data Sources and Collection       

Research Design

Concept Measurement

Control and Causality    

 

Quantitative Research:

Univariate Descriptive Analysis

Sampling and Inference

Contingency Tables

Correlation and Difference of Means

Simple Linear Regression

Introduction to Multivariate Analysis

 

 Given that this subject is taught differently in the two degrees, you may find more detailed information on the subject contents in the following links:

 

 


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Exercises presentation 15 0.6 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 18
Practical lessons with computer 30 1.2 2, 5, 9, 11, 12, 15, 17, 18
Theoretical lessons 60 2.4 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 12
Type: Supervised      
Tutorials to support exercises elaboration 30 1.2 4, 5, 9, 10, 12
Type: Autonomous      
Exercices 60 2.4 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
Readings 30 1.2 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 15, 17, 18
Study 60 2.4 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 15, 18

This subject is taught differently in the two degrees. You may find more information on this issue in the following links:

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Continuous evaluation and participation 40% 12 0.48 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18
Exams 60% 3 0.12 9, 11, 15, 17, 18

The final grade for the whole subject will be the weighted average of the following blocks:

  • January exam: 30% of the final grade
  • May exam: 30% of the final grade
  • Continuous assessment activities and class participation: 40% of the final grade.

To pass the course you must:

  • Obtain a minimum of 5 in the mean of the whole subject and, in addition:
  • Obtain a minimum of 4 in the January exam and, in addition:
  • Obtain a minimum of 4 in the May exam.

There will be a re-take exam for students who failed the subject. The teaching staff will indicate whether the student must re-take only the January exam, only the May exam, both exams, or the whole course. In the first three cases, the maximum grade for the re-take will be a 5, the average of the course will be recalculated, and this will be the final grade for the subject. In the last case, the maximum grade in the re-take will be a 5 and this will be the final grade of the course.

No exams will be held outside the dates set by the Faculty. No continuous assessment tests will be taken outside the dates set by the lecturer. The detection of a copied test or exam will lead directly to a failure in the subject’s final grade.

The Faculty Board decided that this subject is not subject to the single evaluation procedure. Repeating students can have access to a synthesis assessment, but they must contact the teaching staff at the beginning of the academic year.

This subject is taught differently in the two degrees. More detailed information on the assessment for this subject can be found in the following links:

 


Bibliography

This subject is taught differently in the two degrees. You may find more information on this issue in the following links:


Software

This subject is taught differently in the two degrees. You may find more information on this issue in the following links:


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(SEM) Seminars 1 Spanish annual morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 51 Catalan annual afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 52 English annual afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 520 English annual morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 1 Spanish annual morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 51 Catalan annual afternoon
(TE) Theory 52 English annual afternoon