Week 1: Introduction

Week 2: Social Theory and Social Research: Doing Social Science

Empirical and theoretical knowledge. Presentation
Induction and deduction. Presentation
Quantitative, measurement-oriented approach and qualitative, meaning-oriented approach. Presentation
Sampling.

Reading: Babbie ch. 1 and 32-57, Schutt 644-653; Gliner-Leech-Morgan 3-20

Week 3: Formulation of Research Problem

Reading: Corbin-Strauss 52-56; Gliner-Leech-Morgan 23-29, 45-52

Week 4: How to start with qualitative research

Finding the research problem and question suitable for qualitative research (S: formulating the qualitative research question)
Main modes of qualitative data production (S: which combination would keep the things plumb)
Research journal: place for reflexivity (S: where to start to write)
Reading qualitative research to start your own (S: bibliographical research)

Reading: Corbin - Strauss: 52-75

Week 5: Modes of Qualitative Data Production

Reading: Corbin-Strauss: 56-58, 60-67; Babbie: 287- 296

Suggested reading: Hammersley - Atkinson: 1-5

Homework: to perform an observation and write down the fieldnotes, min. 250 words

Week 6: Analysis of Data in Qualitative Research

Presentation and reflections on homeworks
Types of Interviewing (S: active listening and entering the world of speaker, asking open ended narrative questions)
Open and thematic coding (S: Coding a text)
Memoing (S: write down different types of memos)

Reading: Corbin-Strauss: 103-121

Week 7: Operationalization, Types of Quantitative Data, Variables, Analytical Research Design

Hypotheses; conceptualization, operationalization (S: create on operational definition of the given term)
Exploration, description, explanation, prediction; time-frame in research design
Variables, attributes; measurement, types of data (S: define a variable for given topic)
Sampling techniques

Reading: Babbie

Week 8: Modes of Quantitative Data Production (Fieldwork Techniques)

Reading: Babbie

Week 9: Quantitative Analysis of Research Findings

Reading: Babbie

Week 10: Research Project

How to write a research project

Week 11: Final seminar with presentations on the topics of the term papers

First round.

Week 12: Final seminar with presentations on the topics of the term papers

Second round.