Sociology and Criminology

Designing Social Research

Module code: L4125
Level 5
15 credits in autumn semester
Teaching method: Lecture, Seminar
Assessment modes: Portfolio

On this module you'll explore foundational principles and practices of social research, from project design through to empirical practice. You'll engage with a range of methods and methodologies, which will strengthen your applied research skills. This will also improve the quality and rigour of your academic work across your degree.

You'll study:

  • research design
  • interviews
  • focus groups
  • (auto-) ethnography
  • surveys
  • visual
  • digital
  • archival methods.

We underpin our teaching with questions of effectiveness, appropriateness, and ethics.

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