The course is structured around weekly two-and-a-half-hour sessions, each divided into two parts. The first half consists of a lecture introducing the key concepts and analytical tools of the session. The second half is typically devoted to a practical in-class exercise or participatory activity — such as analysing a research design, discussing a methodological problem, or applying concepts from the lecture to a concrete case. These in-class activities are not graded. When a reading is listed as required in the syllabus, students are expected to come to that session having read it; these are exemplary published articles chosen to illustrate how methodological choices play out in actual research, rather than to provide substantive coverage of a topic.

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.

Continuous assessment

Students must attend at least 80% of sessions to be eligible for continuous assessment. With ten sessions in total, this means that up to two absences are permitted without justification. Medically certified absences do not count toward this limit, provided appropriate documentation is submitted to the instructor in a timely manner.

The course is assessed through three graded activities:

• Assignment 1: Research proposal outline (research question, hypotheses, and research gap). Individual written assignment. 25% of the final grade.
• Assignment 2: Essay on qualitative methodology (~2,000 words). Individual written assignment. 25% of the final grade.
• Timed Written Proof (2 hours, in-person). Students receive a research question at the start of the session and must produce a complete original research design from memory. Choice of one among four examples provided. Graded on internal coherence and methodological adequacy. Individual. 40% of the final grade.
• Active participation in class discussions and in-class activities. Individual. 10% of the final grade.

Individual assessment accounts for 100% of the final grade. No single activity exceeds 50% of the final grade. Grades will be returned within 20 working days of submission or completion.

Use of AI tools

The use of Generative AI tools is permitted only for support tasks such as brainstorming, text editing, grammar correction, and translation. The core intellectual work — formulating research questions, deriving hypotheses, selecting and justifying a research design — must be the student's own. Where AI tools have been used, students must clearly identify which parts were assisted, specify the tools used, and include a brief critical reflection on how these influenced the final output. Lack of transparency regarding AI use will be considered academic dishonesty and may result in a partial or total penalty on the activity grade, or more serious sanctions in severe cases. The use of any AI tools or electronic devices during the Timed Written Proof is strictly prohibited.

Recovery

Students who have failed the course (grade<5) but have been assessed on activities totalling at least two-thirds of the final grade are entitled to a recovery process, provided they have obtained a minimum average grade of 3.5. The recovery process will consist of a written in-person exam (2 hours). The maximum grade obtainable through recovery is 5.

Non-assessable grade

A student will be graded as Non-Assessable (NA) if they have not submitted assessable work totalling more than 50% of the final grade.

Single assessment

This course does not offer single assessment (avaluació única).

Repeat students

From the second enrolment, students may request a final synthesis exam (prova de síntesi), in accordance with UAB academic regulations (Art. 267).