Admission Requirements
This course is open to the following categories of students:
Bachelor’s CADS
Bachelor Heritage and Society (Archaeology)
Premaster’s CADS admitted to this specific course during the application procedure
Language of Instruction
The language of instruction of the lectures is English for all participants. The language of instruction of the tutorials for all minor and premaster students is English. First year bachelor’s students CADS have chosen their preferred language of instruction for tutorials during their application. Student exam(s) and assignments are in the same language as tutorials.
Course Description
This course familiarizes students with anthropological research methods by offering (a) an introduction to debates about methodology, and (b) experience with techniques of anthropological research. The course focuses on acquiring practical knowledge of data collection procedures in social science research and on contextualising scientific research within certain knowledge paradigms. Students will learn how to formulate research questions, collect data, apply specific methods and techniques of research and to look critically at the relationship between data and knowledge.
Course Objectives
During this course, students will:
Become acquainted with basic knowledge about the philosophy of science and learn to apply scientific-philosophical critique.
Acquire skills to write an anthropological research proposal
Prepare and use the main methods in social scientific research (participant observation, qualitative interviews, questionnaires).
Understand, apply and critically reflect on the relationship between research questions, methods, analysis and knowledge production.
Schedule
See our website
Mode of Instruction
This is a 10 ECTS course, which means 280 hours of study (1 ECTS is equivalent to 28 study hours or sbu's). These 280 study hours are composed from the following components:
Lectures: 15 x 2 hours = 30 hours x 1,5 = 45 sbu
Tutorials: 7 x 2 hours = 14 hours x 2 = 28 sbu
Practical assignments= 87 sbu
Literature: ca. 840 pages = 120 sbu
Assessment Method
Participation in tutorials is mandatory. Absence is permissible only with the explicit permission of the lecturer.
Assignments (50%): students will work in tutorials to execute practical assignments.
Final individual exam (50%): Written examination on lecture material and literature, with closed and open questions.
Both the practical assignments and the exam should receive a pass mark. Only if the final exam receives a fail mark, may the exam be re-taken. Only the final mark is registered in uSis. The final pass mark is 6,0 or higher; a final mark of 5,0 or lower is deemed inadequate.
Registration in uSis
All students will be registered for the lecture and the exam by the Student Services Centre (SSC).
Division and enrolment in the mandatory tutorials will also be done by the SSC and announced via uSis in the first week of lectures.
Archaeology students (specialization Heritage & Society) will also be enrolled via the SSC. Please contact your studieadvisor for more information.
Brightspace
Brightspace is the digital learning environment of Leiden University. Brightspace gives access to course announcements and electronic study material. Assignments will also be submitted in Brightspace.
Announcements about and changes to courses are given in Brightspace. Students are advised to check Brightspace daily to remain informed about rooms, schedules, deadlines, and details of assignments. Lecturers assume that all students read information posted on Brightspace.
- How to login
The homepage for Brightspace is: Brightspace
Please log in with your ULCN-account and personal password. On the left you will see an overview of My Courses.
For access to your courses in Brightspace you need to be registered in uSis for those courses.
Course Literature
Bryman, Alan 2018 Social Research Methods, 5th edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Cramer, Katherine J. 2016 The Politics of Resentment: Rural Consciousness in Wisconsin and the Rise of Scott Walker. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Articles from electronic journals and encyclopaedias are available through Leiden University’s digital library.