Designing Social Research (L4125)
Designing Social Research
Module L4125
Module details for 2026/27.
15 credits
FHEQ Level 5
Module Outline
This module introduces students to foundational principles and practices of social research, from project design through to empirical practice. Students' critical engagement with a range of methods and methodologies will strengthen their applied research skills, as well as better guarantee the quality and rigour of their academic work across their degree. Topics will include research design, interviews, focus groups, (auto-)ethnography, surveys, visual, digital, and archival methods. Questions of effectiveness, appropriateness, and ethics underpin our teaching.
Module learning outcomes
Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding the epistemological underpinnings, strengths and appropriate applications of a range of empirical social research methods.
Formulate a suitable research question for each of the research methods introduced on the module.
Demonstrate collaborative and collegial working practices in a form that can be captured by the assignment
Demonstrate critical self-reflexivity and, where appropriate, peer review, in a form that can be captured by the assignment
| Type | Timing | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio (3000 words) | Winter Vacation Week 1 Mon 16:00 | 100.00% |
Timing
Submission deadlines may vary for different types of assignment/groups of students.
Weighting
Coursework components (if listed) total 100% of the overall coursework weighting value.
| Term | Method | Duration | Week pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn Semester | Lecture | 1 hour | 11111011111 |
| Autumn Semester | Seminar | 1 hour | 11111011111 |
How to read the week pattern
The numbers indicate the weeks of the term and how many events take place each week.
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