GV5X1 One Unit
Research Design in the Social Sciences
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Dr Omar Mcdoom
Availability
This course is compulsory on the MRes in Political Science. This course is not available as an outside option to students on other programmes.
Course content
The aim of this course is to help MRes/PhD students develop a research design. Students will learn how to find their research questions, choose a feasible data collection or modelling strategy, and match data collection and analytic methods to the aims of the PhD project. We also consider the relation of political theory and political science. This course is therefore designed to be a primer in asking the right questions, exploring the options available to us and understanding the consequences of the design decisions that we make. Accordingly, this course is ultimately about turning good research questions into systematic projects that deliver interesting and worthwhile results. We also debate issues in research ethics and provide advice on publication strategies, peer review and academic careers. Students will have opportunities to present their own research designs and get feedback from peers and teachers.
Teaching
20 hours of seminars in the Autumn Term.
20 hours of seminars in the Winter Term.
This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn and Winter Term.
Formative assessment
Presentation
This is a PhD level Research Design course. Students submit two summative pieces of work: a referee report as well as their research design. They will also give presentations and receive extensive feedback on their work in progress. These are part of formative rather than summative assessment and are an important part of professional development. The main learning outcomes are to help the MRes/PhD students develop professional research designs.
Indicative reading
King, G., R. Keohane & S. Verba (1994) Designing Social Inquiry. Princeton UP.
Box-Steffensmeier, J., H. Brady & D. Collier (eds) (2008) The Oxford Handbook of Political Methodology. OUP.
Dunning, T. (2012) Natural Experiments in the Social Sciences: A Design-Based Approach. CUP.
Dryzek, J., B. Honig & A. Phillips (eds.) (2008) The Oxford Handbook of Political Theory. OUP.
Assessment
Essay (25%, 2500 words) in Autumn Term Week 11
Research project (75%, 5000 words) in Spring Term Week 2
Key facts
Department: Government
Course Study Period: Autumn and Winter Term
Unit value: One unit
FHEQ Level: Level 8
CEFR Level: Null
Keywords: Research Design, Political Science, Political Theory, Social Sciences
Total students 2024/25: 7
Average class size 2024/25: 7
Controlled access 2024/25: YesCourse selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
Personal development skills
- Self-management
- Problem solving
- Communication