Admission requirements
Required course(s):
- Academic Writing, or an equivalent course.
Description
This course aims to help those pursuing a research project (whether a course paper or capstone) weave together the philosophy, concepts, theoretical contribution, and methods used in social science research into a coherent whole they need at the outset – a detailed outline referred to as a research design.
Designing a strong research project involves finding an appropriate match between (1) the research question, (2) the project’s position in the academic literature, and (3) the empirical data, and (4) the methods applied to process empirical data. In this course, participants learn the key steps to designing a strong research project and practice matching these elements through in-class exercises and in their own research project as they write up a research proposal.
We explore the diversity of approaches and methods within social science research to understand the range of possibilities available, which is meant to lay the foundation for further study and practice of specific methods (comprehensive training in the methods is outside the scope of the course). By exploring examples from the literature, designing research in groups in class, engaging in workshops, and developing a detailed proposal for their own research projects, participants gain skills, awareness, and confidence to ‘think like a researcher’.
Course Objectives
After successful completion of this course, students are able to:
Knowledge:
Describe the range of epistemological and methodological approaches in social science research
Understand the crucial steps of the research process in social science
Skills:
Formulate research questions that relate to existing literature
Effectively select methods that match the research aim of a project
Critically evaluate the research design of existing research
Write a clear, concise research proposal
Timetable
Timetables for courses offered at Leiden University College in 2024-2025 will be published on this page of the e-Prospectus.
Mode of instruction
This course is a highly interactive course. It will be taught through a mix of educational tools: 1. Self-study with video lectures and reading 2. mini-lectures in class and 3. interactive discussions and workshops. You will follow the research process with a project on any topic your choose related to your major, starting in week 1. There will be regular in-class activities that provide space to workshop your project and get feedback from peers and the instructor throughout the course.
Assessment Method
Participation and engagement in class and research log – 15%, Weeks 1-7
Annotated bibliography and systematic literature review assignment – 20%, Week 4
Peer feedback on research proposal outline – 5%, Week 6
Final research proposal – 60%, Week 8
Reading list
- Zina O’Leary, The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project, 4th edition (London: SAGE Publications, 2021).
Additional readings and videos will be posted on the Brightspace page
Registration
Courses offered at Leiden University College (LUC) are usually only open to LUC students and LUC exchange students. Leiden University students who participate in one of the university’s Honours tracks or programmes may register for one LUC course, if availability permits. Registration is coordinated by the Education Coordinator, course.administration@luc.leidenuniv.nl.
Contact
Dr. Kristin Makszin, k.m.makszin@luc.leidenuniv.nl
Remarks
Preparation before the first class: Please read chapter 1 of textbook and the syllabus. In addition, please come with a topic in mind that you want to explore for your research project throughout this class.