Research Methods I
Objectives
The research methods course is offered by an extended group
of faculty members, who introduce their areas of research. It aims primarily at
helping students to find suitable matches for their research interest.
This course has the objective of introducing the students to the basic steps of conducting research in social sciences. It includes the framing and selection of research topics, the literature review, data gathering and/or successful design of a theoretical model, how to write a research paper, including a reference list and oral presentation skills. It includes a critical assessment of the value of the scientific knowledge, the metrics of the economic science approach and its limitations. It also analyses peer review system of scientific publishing an discusses the selection of the appropriate outlet for one’s research.
General characterization
Code
6308
Credits
3
Responsible teacher
TBA
Hours
Weekly - Available soon
Total - Available soon
Teaching language
English
Prerequisites
n/a
Bibliography
Available soon
Teaching method
The course will be based on lectures by different faculty
members, where they will introduce the main methodological issues and
development of their work, followed by a Q&A session where the students are
involved.
The corresponding papers will be selected by each student from all syllabi introduced during the course.
Evaluation method
This course will be assessed through three two-pages “referee reports”
Grading the referee reports will be a responsibility of the faculty members who introduced the corresponding papers.
Subject matter
Introduction to philosophy of science and research methodology
.
Designing a theoretical framework: parsimony in model
building, gaining insights with simple models, devising the crucial hypothesis to
identify the mechanism
Designing empirical research and identification strategies –
regression analysis, randomize control trials, quasi-experiments
Design and collect survey data
Economics as a social science, it scope and limitations
Introduction to typesetting with Latex
Introduction to research software: Matlab, Stata, Mathematica