501130 - RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Subject type: Mandatory

Coordinator: Monica Juliana Oviedo León

Trimester: Third term

Credits: 4

This course aims to deepen the basics of the scientific method and provide students with the basic tools to work 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 ; word 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.

• Turn an empirical problem into a research object and draw conclusions.
• Solve problems through scientific methods.
• Evaluate different resources for analysis.
• Conduct research in scientific databases and critically analyze the usefulness of research results in the context of your work question
• Present a synthesis of studies and information in an orderly manner and following a line of argument, so that useful conclusions can be drawn for the development of their own arguments and analysis.
• Identify different ways of answering the research question and elaborate the design of the research based on the main methodologies and their adaptation to each type of question.
• Understand the main decisions in the processes of data collection and analysis according to the type of research methodology.
• Improve the communication of the results of empirical work, whether in reports, essays or research work.
• Design and conduct oral and written presentations to convey information, ideas, problems, and solutions effectively.

Theoretical sessions       

MD1.Master class: Expository class sessions based on the teacher's explanation attended by all students enrolled in the subject

MD4. Video capsules: Resource in video format, which includes contents or demonstrations of the thematic axes of the subject. These capsules are integrated into the structure of the subject and serve students to review as many times as needed the ideas or proposals that the teacher needs to highlight in their classes.

Guided learning    

MD5. Seminars: Face-to-face format in small work groups. These are sessions linked to the face-to-face sessions of the subject that allow to offer a practical perspective of the subject and in which the participation of the student is key.

MD6. Discussions and forums: Face-to-face or online conversations, depending on the objectives pursued by the teacher responsible for the subject. The debates have a start and end date and are energized by the teacher

Autonomous learning

MD10. Research and critical reading of articles. Students start from a working hypothesis that they will develop, following the phases of the research methodology, including the critical reading of articles.

MD11. Non-face-to-face tutorials: for which the student will have telematic resources such as e-mail and virtual classroom resources.

This subject has methodological and digital resources to make possible its continuity in non-contact mode in the case of being necessary for reasons related to the Covid-19. In this way, the achievement of the same knowledge and skills that are specified in this teaching plan will be ensured.

The Tecnocampus will make available to teachers and students the digital tools needed to carry out the course, as well as guides and recommendations that facilitate adaptation to the non-contact mode.

Block 1. Research activity in the social sciences and sources of information

1. Teamwork. Dynamics for success
2. Scientific papers
3. Sources of information
4. Theoretical framework

Block 2. Written Presentation of Research Papers

1.  Scientific writing
2. Organization of written work
3. Editing and presentation of formal documents 
4.  Other documents

Block 3. Quantitative and qualitative information: collection and analysis

1.  Quantitative Methodologies vs. qualitative
2. Data collection
3. Quantitative methodology
4. Qualitative methodology
5. Data collection tools: The questionnaire
6. Write the methodology section
7. Presentation of results

Block 4. Oral Presentation of Research Papers

1. Elements of communication
2. Oral communication strategies
3. Planning, design and execution of academic and professional presentations. What to present from my written work?

• AF1. Theoretical sessions
• AF2. Seminars
• AF3. Work in group
• AF4. Individual work
• AF5. Personal study

In addition to the teaching team sessions, there are individual and group activities.

Fullerenes individual activities they aim to:

• Review and, if necessary, incorporate (science-based) methodologies for collecting information and data for further analysis.
• Review the aspects to be considered in written and oral communication, both from the point of view of structure (how the contents are articulated) and form (style and technique) and tools to facilitate execution.
• Understand the decisions in the design process of the own research work and the implementation of the data collection methodology and its analysis.
• Be aware of the starting level to address goals to be achieved consciously throughout the degree being studied.
• Validate knowledge (TEST or module exam).

Fullerenes group activities their basic objective is:

• Compare individual work with that of classmates.
• Detect improvement options.
• Put into practice the revised theoretical concepts

 CONTINUOUS EVALUATION (70%)

• Unable to recover
•  It does not have a minimum per block, but overall (ie, the average of the continuous assessment of the course) must be higher than 5. If the mark of the continuous assessment is lower than 5, the student must repeat the course. Therefore, passing the continuous assessment is a necessary (not sufficient) condition to pass the subject
• It consists of activities from each block and a final project, with the following weightings on the total of the course:
  • Block 1: 5%
  • Block 2: 5%
  • Block 3: 5%
  • Block 4: 20%
  • Final work: 35%

FINAL EXAMINATION (30%)

It will consist of a written test in which concepts from Blocks 1, 2 and 3 will be assessed: the exam is unique and is divided into 3 blocks (block 1, block 2 and block 3). All blocks contribute equally to the final grade of the exam. If a grade of less than 4 is obtained in any of the blocks, the exam will be considered suspended and also the subject. It is necessary to take an overall mark of the exam equal to or higher than 5 to pass the subject.

RECOVERY

The students who will present: (i) in case of not reaching 4 out of 10 points, in one or several parts of the exam or (ii) if the mark of the exam is lower than 5 out of 10 points. Students must retake the exam in its entirety, regardless of the case.

Under no circumstances may students receive help from third parties for any course evaluation activity; and in case of occurrence the student will lose all the right to continue with the evaluations that remain of the asignatura.

In case of not understanding of the resolution any activity of the evaluation, will be able to quote to the student later and realize him an oral examination on that one the activity of evaluation. Those issues that cannot be justified can be penalized in the final grade.

Amat Salas, O., Rodrigo de Larrucea, J., & Rocafort Nicolau, A. (2017). How to do research ?: final degree project, master's thesis, doctoral thesis and other research projects (First ed.). Barcelona: Profit Editorial.

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

Turull, A., Ardanuy Baró, J., Arroyo and Amayuelas, E., & Arroyo and Amayuelas, E. (2017). Work and communication techniques: instrument for the legal and social sciences. Barcelona: Huygens Editorial

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

McGregor, S. (2018). Understanding and evaluating research. SAGE Publications, Inc. https://www.doi.org/10.4135/9781071802656