Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE SWB2001

 
TITLE Research Methods for Social Wellbeing

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 6

 
DEPARTMENT Faculty for Social Wellbeing

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit builds upon SWB1002. It enters into greater depth in respect of the difference between quantitative and qualitative research, discussing the strengths and limitations of each in light of the key principles of good research.

Students are familiarised with the purpose and process of sampling, and with the various approaches to data collection including the development of research instruments and in the conducting of interviews. Students are introduced to basic operations in quantitative and qualitative data analysis.

Study-unit Aims:

This study-unit is intended to build upon students' foundational knowledge of social research and equip them to design a research project and to carry out data collection and data analysis appropriate to their chosen strategy.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Define key research criteria including reliability, replication and validity;
- Explain the types of probability and non-probability sampling and their implications for research;
- Critically discuss the strengths and limitations of various types of interviews and how interviewer variability may be reduced;
- Define the criteria for well-designed research instruments;
- Explain the principles and basic types of participant observation;
- Identify various sources of secondary data and explain how these may be utilised;
- Define univariate and bivariate analysis techniques and identify the uses of each;
- Explain the key stages of qualitative data analysis and define broad approaches in qualitative research design, data collection and analysis.

2. Skills:
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Analyse a basic research design in terms of its reliability, replicability and validity;
- Design a sampling strategy for basic research questions;
- Design an interview protocol for a simple research study;
- Develop a basic questionnaire for a quantitative study;
- Conduct univariate and bivariate analysis on a small, straightforward dataset;
- Transcribe qualitative data and develop codes and themes.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Key texts:

- Bryman, Alan (2012). Social research methods (4th ed.) UK: Oxford.
- Brett Davies, Martin and Hughes, Nathan (2013). Doing a Successful Research Project : Using Qualitative or Quantitative Methods. UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

Supplementary texts:

- Balnaves, Mark and Caputi, Peter (2001). Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods : An Investigative Approach. UK: Sage.
- Braun, Virgina and Clarke, Victoria (2013). Successful qualitative research : a practical guide for beginners. UK: Sage.
- Creswell, John (2013). Research Design : Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. UK: Sage.
- Creswell, John (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design : choosing among five approaches. UK: Sage.
- Flick, Uwe (2002). Introduction to qualitative research. UK: Sage.
- Frankfort-Nachmias, Chava and Leon-Guerrero, Anna Y. (2014). Social Statistics for a diverse society. UK: Sage.
- Punch, Keith (2013). Introduction to social research. Quantitative and Qualitative approaches. UK: Sage.

 
RULES/CONDITIONS Before TAKING THIS UNIT YOU MUST PASS SWB1003

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment SEM2 Yes 50%
Examination (1 Hour) SEM2 Yes 50%

 
LECTURER/S Liberato Camilleri
Melanie Demarco (Co-ord.)

 

 
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.

Study at UM

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit