The course is designed for PhD students as an advanced introduction to quantitative, qualitative and mixed research methods used by social scientists, to study environment and development issues and problems. The course will increase students' knowledge of how scholarly and applied research is designed and implemented, and will enable them to assess the quality of research required as an input into policy making.
The course begins with an introduction to the epistemology and the philosophy of science, and the implications of theoretical stances for the design of research. The course then critically engages with the main features and methods for conducting quantitative and qualitative research. Understandings of ethics in conducting and publishing scholarly research will be integrated throughout the course lectures and discussions. Enhanced critical capabilities in the design, application and evaluation of research methodologies, and an ability to reflect on how the use of different methodologies can shape the production of knowledge will be developed, meeting advanced doctoral research standards and requirements. Active student participation in learning will be promoted through teaching methods that include lectures, class discussions, computer lab sessions, practical assignments in research methods, and an extended essay. There are no statistical pre-requisites for this course. However, some knowledge of the basic concepts of statistics will be useful.
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Fees
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.