Research Methods in Political Science (9553.1)

Research is an important component of political science; it enables the uncovering of evidence, developing of theories, and better understanding of how the political world operates. This unit will introduce students to some of the basic research tools in the political scientist's "toolkit", and discuss why and how certain tools are used to explore certain phenomena. The course will also teach students to develop and evaluate sensible and systematic scientific research designs examining how political scientists quantify, measure, and operationalize the concepts and variables that are key in understanding the political world. By the end of this unit, students will better understand the qualitative and quantitative techniques that are used within the field and will be able to explain why political scientists choose to use them.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Describe the relationship between the scientific method and political science;

2. Formulate research questions, theories and hypotheses;
3. Describe the basics of the standard research approaches in political science;
4. Evaluate the soundness of a research design;
5. Perform basic statistical analyses; and
6. Execute basic research in the political science discipline.

Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively

Prerequisites

Introduction to Politics, 9548

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

NONE.

Equivalent units

NO.

Assumed knowledge

None.