Practice-oriented research methods in the social sciences

The course provides in-depth knowledge and practical training of different social scientific techniques of primary and secondary data collection as well as quality criteria for their evaluation. This includes both qualitative (e.g., semi-structured interview, qualitative content analysis, document analysis) and quantitative techniques of data collection (e.g., survey, quantitative content analysis, social scientific experiments), and utilization of secondary data (e.g., register data). The students will also learn how to code, analyze, and visualize qualitative data (using an analysis software, e.g. NVivo) while the analysis and visualization of quantitative data will be taught in SOS3005. The students are required to develop and pretest an own research design which can be used to collect data empirically. In particular, the course will cover topics and examples relevant to the master programs in "Media, Communication and Information Technology" and "Organization, Digitalization, Administration and Work". This practical training is both a necessary precondition for the students’ further research activities during the master studies and an important qualification for the students’ later working life.

Knowledge - the student shall:

• have in-depth insight into ethical issues related to empirical research
• have in-depth insight into and practical experience with planning and carrying out the research process
• have in-depth insight into and practical experience with different social scientific techniques of data collection (including their strengths and weaknesses)
• be familiar with challenges linked to the use of different methods and techniques of data collection
• have practical experience with developing a research design and collecting data as well as the analysis and visualization of qualitative data.

Skills - the student shall demonstrate the ability to:

• make a conscious choice for suitable quantitative and qualitative methods to answer specific research questions
• develop a social scientific research design
• use different techniques of data collection
• use software to analyse and visualize qualitative data
• assess the quality of empirical studies
• carry out an independent research project

Lectures and seminars corresponding to 4 hours per week, according to the specified lecture schedule.