2019/20 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

LUBS2430 Economics Research Methods

10 creditsClass Size: 218

Module manager: Peter Howley
Email: P.Howley@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2019/20

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

The module is designed with the goal of introducing students to different research methods used by social scientists and policy researchers. This is with a view towards providing joint honours students with many of the critical thinking and research skills necessary for final year projects. A key emphasis will be placed on the critical assessment of research methodologies and research findings.

Objectives

This module aims to:
- Provide joint honours students with the research and analytical skills required for Year 3 projects.
- Introduce students to a wide array of different types of research methods commonly used by social scientists.
- Engage students with material on core issues of research design.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students will be able to:
- Develop a rigorous and systematic approach to the process of conducting research.
- Critically appraise the advantages and disadvantages of a wide array of research methods.
- Critically evaluate the reliability of research findings and detect misleading uses of statistics.

Skills outcomes
- Be able to plan and undertake a research project.
- Critically appraise the veracity of research findings.

Syllabus

Indicative content:

Research Design
- Designing a research project
- Thinking critically

Research Methods
- Experimental designs
- Regression analysis
- Qualitative research
- Field experiments
- Laboratory experiments

Survey design and data collection
- Principles of survey design and data collection
- Research ethics

Critically evaluating research results
- Errors in statistical reasoning
- Statistical overreach

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	12	1.00	12.00
Practical	1	2.00	2.00
Seminar	3	1.00	3.00
Private study hours			83.00
Total Contact hours			17.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			100.00

Private study

Private study will be supported through the provision of assigned materials (readings, case studies, set questions) at the end of each lecture.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Students are expected to take an active part in the seminars and computer practical. They will be required to answer a set of questions in each seminar and work through a problem set in the computer practical.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Report	2,000 words	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

The resit for this module will be 100% by coursework.

Reading list

There is no reading list for this module

Last updated: 30/04/2019

Disclaimer

Browse Other Catalogues

• Undergraduate module catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
• Undergraduate programme catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team.PROD