Sociological Research Methodology

Recommended Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Teaching Methods

The sessions of the Seminar include the presentation and discussion of bibliography (theoretical and empirical) not only selected and proposed by the teacher, but also suggested by the students, according to their research interests and paths. Students are strongly encouraged to participate, which should present summaries and comments to the bibliography proposed by the teacher, as well as reading suggestions that, being related to their individual research interests, may be of interest to the collective and help to strengthen the epistemological and methodological connections.

Learning Outcomes

The objective of this course is to familiarize the students with the epistemological and methodological foundations of sociological research, developing knowledge about the research process and the main research methods and techniques, as well as the new incursions of visual and digital methods, and collaborative approaches. Upon successful completion of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to: acquire technical knowledge on the main methods and techniques of sociological research; to develop reflective capacity about its use and its epistemological and methodological implications; demonstrate the ability to define a research design appropriate to the purpose and objectives of their research.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1) Sociological research and the research process: epistemological assumptions and methodological orientations;

2) From the diversity of epistemological postures to the plurality of methodological orientations;

3) The research process: steps and procedures;

4) Extensive research and quantitative techniques: the use of quantitative databases, the questionnaire survey (direct / indirect application face-to-face, via electronic platforms) and the statistical analysis of data;

5) Intensive research and qualitative techniques: documentary analysis, individual and group interviews, interviews through online platforms; ethnography and direct observation; netnography; case studies, qualitative data analysis;

6) New approaches: visual and digital methods;

7) Complementary techniques and triangulation strategies: adequacy of the research design to the object of study.

Head Lecturer(s)

Maria Paula Abreu Pereira da Silva

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Research work: 100.0%

Bibliography

BERNARD, H. R. (2013), Social research methods: quantitative and qualitative approaches. Los Angeles : Sage.

BRYMAN, A. (2016), Social Research Methods. Oxford : Oxforxd University Press.

CRESWELL, J. W. (2014), Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Los Angeles: Sage.

DENZIN, N. K.; LINCOLN, Y. S. (Eds.) (2017), The Sage Handbook of Qualitaive Reasearch. Los Angeles: Sage.

FLICK, U. (2014, The Sage handbook of qualitative data analysis. Los Angeles: Sage.

KING, N.; HORROCKS, C. (2012), Interviews in qualitative research. Los Angeles: Sage.

MARGOLIS, E. e PAUWELS, L. (2011), The Sage Handbook of Visual Research Methods. Los Angeles: Sage. 

MILES, M. B.; HUBERMAN, A. M.; SALDAÑA, J. (2014), Qualitative data analysis: a methods sourcebook. Los Angeles: Sage.

ROGERS, R. (2019), Doing Digital Methods. Los Angeles: Sage.

Shortell, T. e Brown, E. (orgs.) (2014), Walking in the European City. Quotidian mobility and urban ethnography. Abington: Ashgate.