Veidlapa Nr. M-3 (8)
Study Course Description
Science Philosophy, Research Principles, Methods, Methodology and Praxis of Social Science in Interdisciplinary Perspective
Course Code
DN_198
Branch of Science
Philosophy of Science; Philosophy, Ethics and Religion
ECTS
3.00
Target Audience
Business Management; Communication Science; Health Management; Information and Communication Science; Juridical Science; Management Science; Political Science; Social Anthropology
LQF
Level 8
Study Type And Form
Full-Time
Study Course Implementer
Course Supervisor
Gunda Reire
Structure Unit Manager
Dace Bandere
Structural Unit
Department of Doctoral Studies
Contacts
Riga, 16 Dzirciema Street, dn@rsu.lv, +371 67409120
About Study Course
Objective
The aim of the study course is to introduce doctoral students in an intensive way to various schools of science philosophy, principles of social science research, theories, and methods to form the basis for the development of their doctoral thesis in an interdisciplinary perspective. This knowledge will allow to acquire different approaches in the individual research process and will provide an in-depth comprehension of such concepts as reality, objectivity and subjectivity, truth, and values, thus providing additional tools in the development of the research design. The aim of the course is to strengthen the skills of students of the doctoral study programme to use different theoretical frameworks and social sciences methods in their scientific work, as well as to develop the ability to work interdisciplinary.
Preliminary Knowledge
Master's thesis experience in research, defended master's study research.
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge
1.The doctoral student is familiar with various schools of science philosophy, principles of social science research, theories, and methods to form the basis for the doctoral thesis in an interdisciplinary perspective. The doctoral student correctly applies the terminology of social sciences and confirms orientation in the field of science, describing the theory and methodology of his or her work and research steps according to the current stage of the doctoral thesis.
Skills
1.The doctoral student is able to apply different approaches in the advancement of the individual research process and knows how to define the theoretical framework, methodology of his doctoral thesis, is able to critically analyse scientific literature on the subject of the doctoral thesis, shows competence to discuss, argue and deliberate the research designs developed by him or her and other doctoral students, based on the criteria of scientific novelty, topicality of the doctoral thesis, scientific problem and aim, theoretical basis and methodological framework. Doctoral student can use different theoretical frameworks and methods of social sciences in his or her scientific work, as well as has developed the ability to work interdisciplinary
Competences
1.Doctoral student is able to develop the research design of his or her doctoral thesis in an academically correct manner, is competent to present it, participate in scientific discussions, as well as is able to maintain a scientific discussion in an interdisciplinary perspective.
Assessment
Individual work
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Title
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% from total grade
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Grade
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1.
Individual work |
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1. In the study process, students should read the course literature and must be able to express themselves about it in the context of their doctoral thesis during seminars.
2. Within the framework of thematic blocks, during the study course, students must create an assessment "How this topic is important in the context of my doctoral thesis" (reflection on a scientific issue topical for my work).
3. Creation of a draft of an abstract of the scientific article on the selected topic of the doctoral thesis.
4. Review of little researched and unexplored issues within the framework of the topic of the doctoral thesis.
5. Creation of a Twitter post (140 characters) that best reflects the scientific value of the doctoral thesis
The student's contribution to the improvement of the study process is the provision of meaningful feedback on the study course by filling out its evaluation questionnaire.
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Examination
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Title
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% from total grade
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Grade
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1.
Examination |
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The research design of the doctoral thesis submitted by the doctoral student shall be evaluated in accordance with the requirements of the course description and the topics examined. The doctoral student shall submit the prepared written task electronically to the head of the study course at least five working days before the exam. Oral part of the exam: In person, the doctoral student presents the submitted research design of the doctoral thesis, answers questions, engages in a discussion about the submitted written task and presentation.
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2.
Examination |
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Active participation in lectures and seminars - 20%; draft abstract of the scientific article – 15%; Twitter post – 5%; justification of scientific novelty of the doctoral thesis – 20%; compact research design of the doctoral thesis (submitted, presented and discussed) – 40%.
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Study Course Theme Plan
FULL-TIME
Part 1
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Lecture
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Modality
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Location
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Contact hours
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Off site
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E-Studies platform
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2
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Topics
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Introduction to the basic issues of modern science and social sciences.
Description
Annotation: A brief insight into the theories of science and social sciences, the place and significance of social sciences in the overall context of scientific development. What it means to understand the individual and society "scientifically". Merton's institutional imperatives - communism, universalism, disinterest, and organized scepticism. The importance of scientific novelty. Four paradigms of social science research.
Topics covered during the class: 1. Social sciences and disciplines of social sciences.
2. Theory, method, and scientific research.
3. Merton's scientific norms and paradigms of social science research.
4. Novelty, topicality, and uniqueness of the topic of scientific work; the importance of little-studied or unexplored issues in scientific work.
Literature: 1. Lakatos, Imre (1980). The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes: Volume 1: Philosophical Papers. Cambridge University Press.
2. Merton, Robert K. (1942). The Normative Structure of Science. Panarchy [available: https://www.panarchy.org/merton/science.html].
3. Popper, Karl Raimund (2002). The logic of scientific discovery. New York: Routledge.
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Class/Seminar
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Modality
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Location
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Contact hours
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On site
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Auditorium
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2
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Topics
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Methods of science philosophy and social sciences in the context of the doctoral thesis.
Description
Annotation: Application of the topics covered in the study course in the development of the doctoral thesis research design. Development of a research plan, parameters and formulation of the research question and hypothesis, theoretical perspective of the research and finding the most appropriate research methods.
Topics covered during the class: 1. Research plan.
2. Research question and hypothesis.
3. Methods and theoretical perspective
Literature: 1. Trochim, William M., Donnelly, Kanika Arora (2016). Research methods : the essential knowledge base. 2nd edition. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
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Total ECTS (Creditpoints):
3.00
Contact hours:
16 Academic Hours
Final Examination:
Test
Bibliography
Required Reading
1.
Blaikie, Norman (2007). Approaches to Social Enquiry: Advancing Knowledge. 2nd edition. Polity.
2.
Durkheim, Emile (2014). The Rules of Sociological Method: And Selected Texts on Sociology and its Method. Free Press; Expanded, Updated edition, Chapters 27, 28.
3.
Kuhn, Thomas Samuel (2012). The structure of scientific revolutions. 4th edition. Chicago, London: The University of Chicago Press.
4.
Lakatos, Imre; Feyerabend, Paul (1999). For and Against Method: Including Lakatos's Lectures on Scientific Method and the Lakatos-Feyerabend Correspondence. 1st edition. University of Chicago Press.
5.
Merton, Robert K. (2017) Social Theory and Social Structure. Rawat.
6.
Popper, Karl Raimund (2002). The logic of scientific discovery. New York: Routledge.
7.
Trochim, William M., Donnelly, Kanika Arora (2016). Research methods: the essential knowledge base. 2nd edition. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning
8.
Creswell, John W. (2018). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches. 3rd edition. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage.
Additional Reading
1.
King, Gary; Keohane, Robert O.; Verba, Sidney (2021). Designing Social Inquiry: Scientific Inference in Qualitative Research. Princeton University Press.
2.
Rosenberg, Alexander (2018). Philosophy of Social Science. 5th edition. Routledge. Chapters 6; 10.
3.
Merton, Robert K. (1942). The Normative Structure of Science. Panarchy
4.
Winch, Peter (2007). The Idea of a Social Science and Its Relation to Philosophy. 1st edition. Routledge
Other Information Sources
1.
Kincaid, Harold (2017). The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Social Science. Oxford University Press.
2.
Rosenberg, Alex; McIntyre (2020). Philosophy of Social Science. A Contemporary Introduction. Routledge.