Admission requirements
This course is only available for students in the BA Urban Studies programme.
Starting the academic year 2023-2024, the Methodological Seminar replaces the courses ‘Introduction to Methodology’ and ‘Data Collection Management’. Students who started their studies before September 2023 and who still need to complete one or both of these courses are referred to the transitional arrangements.
Description
This course consists of two modules: 1. Introduction to Methodology; 2. Data Collection Methods
Module 1. Introduction to Methodology
In this course students will get familiar with basic concepts in methodology and descriptive statistics necessary to conduct research in Urban Studies such as the empirical cycle, research designs, spatial analysis with use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), central tendency and variability, the normal distribution, relationsips between variables and describing and explaining variance.
Students will acquire practical skills of data analysis through several assignments that are imbedded in urban research.
Together with the course Data Collection, the course will form the compulsory basis for methodology courses in the second year.
Course objectives
General learning outcomes
See tab Additional information for the overview of the programme's general learning outcomes. In the assessment methods below is outlined which general learning outcome will be tested through which method.
Course objectives, pertaining to this course
The student is able to:
1) Describe core concepts of methods and techniques in Urban Studies such as the emprirical cycle, variables, measurement level, central tendency and variability, distributions, association, experimental design.
2) Describe basic concepts in desciptive statistics such as measures of central tendency and variability, measures of association, and elementary geospatial data concepts (data formats, vector/raster, projections, and spatial tools).
3) Use SPSS for descriptive statistics and will have elementary skills in using ArcGIS for spatial analysis.
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
Lecture (compulsory attendance)
Tutorial (compulsory attendance)
This means that students have to attend every tutorial session of the course. If a student is unable to attend a tutorial or lecture, they should inform the lecturer in advance, providing a valid reason for absence. The teacher will determine if and how the missed session can be compensated by an additional assignment. If they are absent from a tutorial without a valid reason, they can be excluded from the final exam in the course.
Assessment method
Assessment
Tutorial assignments (covering SPSS and ArcGIS).
-measured programme's general learning outcomes: 4, 7, 11, 16, 19, 21, 23, 25
-measured course specific objectives: 1-3Final exam (organized in the midterm for the Methodological Seminar)
Written examination with closed questions (multiple choice)
-measured programme's general learning outcomes: 7, 16-17
-measured course specific objectives: 1-2
Weighing
| Partial grade | Weighing |
|---|---|
| Final exam (organized in the midterm for the Methodological Seminar) | 100% |
End grade
To successfully complete the module, please take note of the following:
All assignments need to be evaluated as ‘sufficient’ in order to obtain an end grade
If any of these assignments is insufficient, the student will get an obligatory extra assignment that needs to be evaluated as ‘sufficient’ in order to obtain the end grade
The exam grade needs to be at least 5.5 to pass
Hence, the student passes the modulecourse if (1) all (replacement-) assignments are evaluated as sufficient and (2) the exam grade is 5.5 or higher.
Resit
If the final exam grade is lower than 5.50, there is a possibility of retaking the final exam, replacing the previous final exam grade.
Faculty regulations concerning participation in resits are listed in article 4.1 of the Faculty Course and Examination Regulations.
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organised.
Reading list
Howell, D. (2012). Statistical Methods for Psychology (8th international edition). Wadsworth: Cengage Learning.
Leary, M.L. (2014).* Introduction to Behavioral Research Methods (6th international edition). Boston: Pearson.
Pallant, J. (2016). SPSS Survival Manual (6th edition). Berkshire: McGraw-Hill.
Examples will be used from Knox & Pinch (2010). Urban Social Geography: An Introduction (6th edition). London & New York: Routledge.
Description
Module 2. Data collection Methods
In this course students will get familiar with several types of data collection in the social sciences such as survey-research, participant observation, and conducting interviews and focus groups. Students will acquire practical skills of data collection through several assignments that are imbedded in field laboratories (partially outside the university, i.e. in the town of the Hague).
Course objectives
General learning outcomes
See tab Additional information for the overview of the programme's general learning outcomes. In the assessment methods below is outlined which general learning outcome will be tested through which method.
Course objectives, pertaining to this course
1) Students will have knowledge of four important methodological approaches in social research: survey, interview, observation, and participant observation;
2) Students will have the skill to formulate research questions based on concrete human behaviour in urban settings;
3) Students will have gained insight in how to choose appropriate methods of data collection;
4) Students will know the benefits and pitfalls over the several types of data collection;
5) Students will have practical skills in conducting interviews, making systematic observations, doing participant observation and designing a questionnaire;
6) Students will be able to reflect on their own role as a researcher.
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
Lecture
Tutorial
Assessment method
Assessment
Final exam (organized as the final exam for the Methodological Seminar)
Written examination with closed questions (e.g. multiple choice)
-measured programme's general learning outcomes: 1, 4, 7, 10-11, 16
-measured course specific objectives: 1, 3-4Tutorial assignments
-measured programme's general learning outcomes: 7, 10-11, 15-17, 19-26
-measured course specific objectives: 1-6
Weighing
| Partial grade | Weighing |
|---|---|
| Tutorial grade: assignments | 30% |
| Final Exam (organized as the final exam for the Methodological Seminar) | 70% |
End Grade
To successfully complete the module, please take note of the following:
The end grade of the module is established by determining the weighted average of the tutorial grade and the grade of the final exam.
In order to complete the module, the grade for the final exam should be at least a 5,50.
Resit
If the final exam grade is lower than 5.50, there is a possibility of retaking the final exam.
If after the retake of the final exam, the end grade is insufficient (lower than a 5,5), but the grade for the final exam is higher than a 5,5, there is a possibility of retaking the assignment.
Faculty regulations concerning participation in resits are listed in article 4.1 of the Faculty Course and Examination Regulations.
End grade methodological seminar
The end grade of the methodological seminar is the average of the grade for Module 1 and Module 2. The student passes the course if all requirements of the two modules (described above) are fulfilled and the end grade is at least 5,5. If the end grade is insufficient, both the exams of module 1 and module 2 can be re-sitted.
To pass the methodological seminar the grade for module 1 and for module 2 should be at least 5,5, and hence also the final grade (the average grade of the two modules).
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organised.
Reading list
Bryman, A. (2015). Social Research Methods (5th edition). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Other material will be used. More information will be given during the course.
Registration
- Enrolment through My Studymap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Registration Exchange
For the registration of exchange students contact Humanities International Office.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Student Affairs Office for BA Urban Studies
Remarks
All other information.