Important notice
The course guide is provisional.
The PDF version of the course guide may take a few days to become available in the DDD.
Introduction to Research
Code: 42437Credits: 9
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Audiovisual Communication and Advertising Contents | OP | 1 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Matilde Delgado Reina
- Email :
- matilde.delgado@uab.cat
Teaching staff
- Belen Monclus Blanco
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
...
Objectives
This course attends to provide the particular tools for the approach of a scientific research project, to define its aims, to identify the appropriate methods and resources to cover them and to establish a work plan.
The general objective is to know, learn and practice the concepts and necessary procedures for the design of a scientific investigation.
Learning outcomes
- CA09 (Design innovative research projects that include the development of empirical work, based on primary and/or secondary sources.) Design innovative research projects that include the development of empirical work, based on primary and/or secondary sources.
- CA10 (Outline subjects of interest which trigger questions and hypotheses, the answers to which ensure progress in knowledge.) Outline subjects of interest which trigger questions and hypotheses, the answers to which ensure progress in knowledge.
- KA18 (Master the knowledge and use of research techniques to design empirical studies in the area of audiovisual communication and advertising.) Master the knowledge and use of research techniques to design empirical studies in the area of audiovisual communication and advertising.
- KA19 (Recognise research techniques and methods that are used in the academic field to prepare innovative scientific studies in the area of communication and advertising.) Recognise research techniques and methods that are used in the academic field to prepare innovative scientific studies in the area of communication and advertising.
- KA20 (Identify the sources of documentation that are used in the academic environment.) Identify the sources of documentation that are used in the academic environment.
- KA21 (Identify how to include strategies to directly transfer the knowledge resulting from research to society.) Identify how to include strategies to directly transfer the knowledge resulting from research to society.
- SA15 (Develop basic or applied research projects that facilitate the implementation and evaluation of communication projects that meet the needs of the content industry sector and citizens.) Develop basic or applied research projects that facilitate the implementation and evaluation of communication projects that meet the needs of the content industry sector and citizens.
- SA16 (Develop empirical work for the study of the content industry sector using methodologies appropriate to the proposed subject.) Develop empirical work for the study of the content industry sector using methodologies appropriate to the proposed subject.
- SA17 (Publicly defend their own scientifically accurate research proposals.) Publicly defend their own scientifically accurate research proposals.
Contents
In this course, we examine the key factors involved in developing a scientific research project, along with the research process itself.
Topics covered include the purpose of research, types of research, epistemological approaches, methodology, phases of the research process (conceptualization, planning, research, and dissemination), project feasibility, funding, and ethical considerations.
These elements are explored both theoretically and in relation to students' own Master's Thesis projects. Additionally, the course introduces various approaches to enrich debate and knowledge acquisition, inspired by proposals for new study projects and corresponding new methodological approaches.
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theoric Sessions | 12 | 0.48 | |
| Readings, development of projects, preparation of the presentations | 110 | 4.4 | |
| Seminars | 44 | 1.76 | |
| Development of projects and presentation and debating them | 55 | 2.2 |
The curriculum of this course (9 ECTS credits) involves a total of 221 hours of work for the students, distributed as follows: 110 hours of autonomous work, 56 directed hours and 55 supervised hours. The teaching methodologies include master classes, case studies, seminars, readings of bibliography material, tutorships, executing and presenting written and oral papers, and the student's active work of analysis and debate.
A detailed schedule outlining the content of each session will be presented on the first day of the course and will be available on the course's Virtual Campus, where students will find all teaching materials and necessary information for effective course monitoring. Should the teaching modality change for reasons of force majeure according to the competent authorities, the teaching staff will inform students of any modifications to the course schedule and teaching methodologies.
The content of the subject will be sensitive to aspects related to the gender perspective and the use of inclusive language.
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral presentation of a project | 20% | 4 | 0.16 | SA17 |
| Attendance and participation | 10% | 0 | 0 | CA10, KA19, KA20, KA21, SA17 |
| Reading and assessment of another students paper | 20% | 0 | 0 | KA18, KA19, KA20, KA21, SA15, SA16 |
| Development of the project | 50 % | 0 | 0 | CA09, CA10, SA15 |
The evaluation system comprises the completion of a module project, its oral defense, the review and assessment of another student's work, and active attendance and participation in classes.
The project topic is flexible, within the confines of the master's syllabus, and will align with the theme selected for the Master's Thesis.
CONTINUOUS EVALUATION This method mandates attendance at theoretical sessions and the completion of the following assessment activities:
1. Preparation of a research project and gradual incorporation of improvement suggestions from analysis sessions (50%)
2. Review and assessment of another student's project (20%)
3. Oral defense of the project (20%)
4. Active participation in sessions (10%)
In the case of continuous assessment, only Activity 1 (Deveopment of a research project) may be retaken, and only if the final document does not reach the minimum grade of 5, despite being continuously assessed.
SINGLE EVALUATION Students can choose the single evaluation option. This method requires attendance at the first two sessions and the completion of the following assessment activities:
1. Preparation of a research project (30%)
2. Critical and reasoned evaluation of the research options of the project itself (20%)
3. Review and assessment of another student's project (30%)
4. Oral defense of the project (20%)
Activities 1, 2, and 3 must be submitted on the same day as activity 4, which will be conducted in person. The date for this evaluation will be announced at the beginning of the module.
In the case of a single evaluation, activities 1, 2, and 3 may be retaken if they don’t reach the minimum grade of 5.
PLAGIARISM
Suppose a student engages in any form of misconduct that could significantly affect the outcome of an assessment. In that case, they will receive a grade of zero for that particular assessment, regardless of any disciplinary actions that may follow. If multiple instances of misconduct are detected across different assessment components of the same course, the student will receive a final grade of zero for the entire subject.
AI
For this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted exclusively for support tasks, such as bibliographic or information searches, text correction, or translations. Students must clearly identify any parts generated with these technologies, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how AI has influenced the process and final outcome of the assignment. Failure to disclose the use of AI in this assessed activity will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in a partial or total penalty to the assignment grade, or more serious sanctions in severe cases.
Any student suspected of submitting assignments that have been generated by AI, written by others or copied; include unattributed AI-generated content, or fall outside the permitted scope, may be asked to provide the preliminary work or other materials that can demonstrate it is original work and the result of their own authorship. They may also be asked to separately explain or justify their work.Teachers may also use AI detection systems or carry out any verification tasks they deem appropriate. If, after review, the instructor detects irregularities, the assignment may be graded zero, and the student may be subject to further disciplinary action.
Non-Assessable
Following point 9 of Article 266 of the UAB Academic Regulations, if it is determined that the student has not provided sufficient evidence to be evaluated, the subject will be classified as non-assessable.
Bibliography
Al llarg del curs, es podrán proporcionar altres materials bibliogràfics, referències o links.
Denscombe, Martyn (2010) Ground Rules for Social Research. Guidelines for good practice. New York: McGraw Hill,
Deroncele, Angel I altres (2024), “Qualitative Research From Grounded Theory to Build a Scientific Framework on the Researcher’s Epistemic Competence”, International Journal of Qualitative Methods Vol.23 https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406924128
Hackley, Chris (2003) Doing Research Projects in Marketing, Management and Consumer Research. London: Routledge.
Herrera, Francisco (2019), Epistemología y metodología de la ciencia: la investigación científica, Granada: Universidad de Granada.
Lynch, Patrick (2004), \"Choosing the Appropriate Methodology: Understanting Research Philosophy\", The Marketing Review, 4. pp. 397-409.
Murray, Neil & Hughes, Geraldine (2008) Writing up your University Assignments and Research Projects. New York: McGraw Hill.
Nogueira, Ana Thereza (2018), “Epistemology, methods and theories of communication in the Big Data Era: a critical panorama of social media research”, Comunicaçao e Sociedades, nu. 33, http://journals.openedition.org/cs/330
Punch, Keith (2014), Introduction to Social Reseach. Quantitave and Qualitative Approaches, Melbourne: Sage.
Treadwell, Donald (2013) Introducing Communication Research: Paths of Inquiry . Thousand Oaks, Calif: SAGE.
Vilches, Lorenzo (coord..)(2024), La investigación en comunicación: métodos y técnicas en la era digital, Barcelona: Gedisa
Software
None.
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TEm) Theory (master) | 10 | Spanish | second semester | morning-mixed |