Research seminar: Development of the thesis project and qualification exam

Recommended Prerequisites

Students must have passed all curriculum units of the first academic year.

Teaching Methods

The seminars of the 1st and 2nd part will switch between moments of oral presentation by professors and students and moments of collective reflection and debate. Students are expected read recommended reading before each class. At the end of the second part, all students must have at least one supervisor who will guide them for the remaining doctoral path. During the 3rd part, collective seminars will be organized in which each student will present his/her project, with comments from a colleague and a faculty member. The 4th part involves presentation and discussion of the thesis project. 

Learning Outcomes

General Objective:

At the end of this curricular unit, each student must have concluded and successfully defended a doctoral thesis project.

Specific Objectives:

1. Know how to develop questions and hypotheses, as well how to define and operationalize variables

2. Know and be able to choose the models, methods and research techniques needed for the construction of the research project

3. Know how to reflect on ethical issues in sociology of the state, law and justice research

4. Understand the importance of develop a good thesis project

5. Write, complete and successfully defend an original thesis project.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

Part I - Methods and techniques in sociology of law and justice research

1. Defining topics, starting questions and research issue

2. Information sources

3. The analysis model: questions and hypotheses; definition and operationalisation of the variables

4. Research methods and strategies

5. Most frequent research techniques (interviews, observation, focus groups, document analysis, survey, shadowing, etc.)

6. Ethical issues in sociology of state, law and justice research

Part II - Development of a doctoral thesis project, considering the following points: a) topic, b) objectives, c) structure, d) epistemological approach and theoretical and methodological options; e) schedule, f) ethical problems and issues

Part III - Peer debate of a preliminary version of the thesis project

Part IV - Discussion of an original thesis project.

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Project: 100.0%

Bibliography

Becker, H. S. & Richards, P. (1986). Writing for social scientists: how to start and finish your thesis, book, or article. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Bryman, A. (2012). Social Research. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Coppedge, M. (2012). Democratization and Research Methods. New York: Cambridge Un. Press.

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research Design. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

Marsden, P. V., & Wright, J. D. (2010). Handbook of Survey Research. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

Mason, J. (2017), Qualitative researching. London: Sage.

Santos, B. de S. (2018), The End of the Cognitive Empire: the coming of age of epistemologies of the South. Durham and London: Duke University Press.