| CODE | IEN5034 | |||||||||
| TITLE | Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | Not Applicable | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Environmental Management and Planning | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This unit will introduce students to the fundamentals of quantitative and qualitative research. Students will be guided through the process of identifying a suitable topic for research, structuring and planning their work, finding and appropriately utilizing relevant literature sources (including the internet), developing and implementing a methodology, rigorously and objectively analyzing results obtained and writing up/presenting results and conclusions. Aspects covered will include experimental design, techniques for collection of field data, and techniques for exploratory analysis and statistical analysis of data and interpretation of results. Students will also be introduced to various techniques for evaluation and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, and to the use of software packages in this regard. Study-unit Aims: This unit aims to familiarise students with: (1) The fundamentals of research design; (2) Collection and condensation of quantitative data; (3) Collection and condensation of qualitative data; (4) Methods for analysis of data; (5) Hypothesis construction and hypothesis testing; (6) the design of research questions; (7) Mixed methods research; (8) Appreciation of the limitations of studies. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: (1) Construct a hypothesis and design a controlled experiment or other technique for testing it; (2) Devise methods for collection of structured data; (3) Devise methods for collection of unstructured data; (4) Use exploratory statistical techniques to summarise data; (5) Use analytical statistical techniques to interpret data; (6) Use analysis techniques to code qualitative data; (7) Critically evaluate the quality of published research. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: (1) design robust studies to test hypotheses and explore research questions; (2) utilise a variety of statistical techniques to summarise, explore and analyse data. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main readings - Creswell, J.W. (2009). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches. Sage Publications - Grix, J. (2004). The Foundations of Research. Palgrave Macmillan Supplementary readings - Bock, D.E; Velleman, P.F. and Veaux, R.D. (2010) Stats - Modeling the World, Addison Wesley - Freund, J.E. (2001) Modern Elementary Statistics, Prentice Hall - Hogg, R.V. and Tanis, E.A. (2010) Probability and Statistical Inference, Pearson International Edition - McClave, J.T. and Sincich, T. (2000) A first course in Statistics, Prentice Hall - Samuels M.L. (1989) Statistics for the Life Sciences, Prentice Hall - Silverman, D. (2006). Interpreting Qualitative Data, Sage Publications - Sullivan, M. (2010) Statistics - Informed Decisions using Data, Pearson International Edition - Silverman, D. (2005). Doing Qualitative Research, Sage Publications |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | |||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Frances Camilleri Cassar Liberato Camilleri (Co-ord.) |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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