1165 - RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Subject type: Mandatory

Coordinator: Núria Masferrer Llabinés

Trimester: Third term

Credits: 4

• Catalan
• English

Check the schedules of the different groups to know the language of teaching classes. Although the material can be in any of the three languages.

This subject aims to delve deeper into the bases of the scientific method and provide students with the basic work tools to be able to design and execute a research project. On the other hand, improve your skills to use a series of instruments and tools that allow you to manage the different steps of the research process more efficiently and communicate your results more effectively: research tools and information management ; text processing and editing; organization and data processing; and presentation and communication of results.

Also, knowing and mastering the characteristics of the scientific method is of crucial importance in the business world: setting questions, carefully observing reality through the collection of data and verifiable facts, formulating and contrasting hypotheses, drawing conclusions and reformulating the problems and questions we ask ourselves is fundamental to the functioning of markets, companies, and organizations.

This subject has the following specific objectives:

1. Provide students with a basic knowledge of the scientific method and a set of fundamental skills to apply it to their academic and professional activities.
2. Convey the importance of the use of empirical data and databases and provide the basic tools to organize and present the information derived from this data in the form of diagrams, graphs, tables, etc. using the appropriate software.
3. Develop useful communication skills for the presentation of the results of a research project, or any academic or professional work, from the design of the contents and materials used in a presentation, to the most effective strategies in oral communication for present ideas effectively and efficiently.

BLOCK I. Academic projects. First Part: information search

1. Introduction to the preparation of academic projects

2. The sources of information

3. Introduction to the critical reading of scientific articles and other documents

4. Management of sources and bibliographic citation

5. Background

BLOCK II. Academic projects. Second Part: data collection

6. Introduction: Research design

7. Quantitative data collection techniques vs. qualitative

8. The qualitative data collection process: focus group and interview

BLOCK III. Written communication of academic works

9. The style and grammar of the scientific and academic text

10. Organization of the written work

11. Edition and presentation of written documents

BLOCK IV. Oral communication of academic works

12. Elements of communication

13. Oral communication strategies

14. Planning, design and execution of academic and professional presentations. What to present about my written work?

• FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES (30%). It includes the class activities and delivery of activities proposed throughout the course. This grade cannot be recovered. 
• ORAL COMMUNICATION (10%). Oral communication skills will be assessed through different activities throughout the course. This grade cannot be recovered.
• PROJECT (30%). A project will be proposed that will be carried out jointly with the Fundamentals of Statistics subject and that will be worked on as a team throughout the course to put into practice the knowledge developed throughout the subject, as well as the competence of Written Communication  This grade can be recovered. It is necessary to get a grade equal to or higher than 5 in the delivery of the project to pass the subject. If the project grade is below 5, all team members will have to redo it and resubmit it for recovery. 
• EXAMINATION (30%). It will consist of two tests in which concepts worked on in the subject will be evaluated. They can be recovered. It is necessary to obtain a grade equal to or higher than 5 in both tests to pass the subject.

RECOVERY. Students will be retaken if the grade of any of the two tests in the exam and/or the grade of the project is less than 5 out of 10 points. Only students who have participated in the regular call (that is, those who have done the project and the two tests of the exam beforehand) can be presented for recovery.

Under no circumstances can students receive help from third parties for any course evaluation activity; and if this happens, the student will lose all the right to continue with the remaining assessments of the subject. The teaching staff may summon the student to make the necessary clarifications in case of doubt about the originality of the activities.

Amat Salas, Oriol., & Rocafort Nicolau, Alfredo. (2017). How to do research?: final degree thesis, master's thesis, doctoral thesis and other research projects (First ed.). Barcelona: Profit Editorial.

McGregor, Sue L. (2017). Understanding and evaluating research: A critical guide. Sage Publications.

Dad, Bora. (2022). Introduction to research methods: A hands-on approach. Sage publications.

Lluch, Gemma., & Nicolás, Miquel. (2015). Academic writing: planning, documentation, writing, citation and models. Barcelona: Editorial UOC.

Turull, Max (2017). Work and communication techniques: tools for the legal and social sciences. Barcelona: Huygens Publishing

Ang, Siah. (2014). Research design for business & management. SAGE Publications Ltd, https://www.doi.org/10.4135/9781473909694

Creswell, John W., & Creswell, J. David. (2022). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications.

Philips, Richard and Johns, Jennifer (2023). Fieldwork for Social Research: A student's Guide. Sage Publications