Problems of Sociological Research
Objectives
1. An integrative understanding of the application of concepts, theories and methods of sociological research, learned in other curricular units, which will be discussed through the operationalization of sociological research of social problems
2. Ability to formulate sociologically significant problems about topics and concrete situations
3. Abitily to operationalize objects of sociological research
4. Ability to design elementary projects of empirical sociological research
5. Ability to critically and sustainably reflect on a sociological problem from its conceptual and methodological dimensions
6. Ability to communicate in a rigorous and meaningful way the theoretical and methodological construction
General characterization
Code
711081062
Credits
6.0
Responsible teacher
Ana Paula Bexiga Martins Arguelles Gil
Hours
Weekly - 4
Total - 168
Teaching language
Portuguese
Prerequisites
To have accomplished a minimum of 48 ECTS credits
Bibliography
Almeida, João Ferreira de, José Madureira Pinto. 1986. “Da teoria à investigação empírica. Problemas metodológicos gerais”. In Metodologia das Ciências Sociais, organizado por Augusto Santos Silva e José Madureira Pinto, 55-78. Porto: Afrontamento.
Bryman, Alan. 2012. Social Research methods. London: Oxford.
Champagne, Patrick et al. (Orgs.). 1998. Iniciação à prática sociológica. Petrópolis: Vozes.
Lisboa, Manuel (Coord.). 2016). Metodologias de investigação sociológica: problemas e soluções a partir de estudos empíricos. Braga: Húmus.
Campenhoudt, LucVan, Marquet, Jacques e Quivy, Raymond. 2017. Manual de Investigação em Ciências Sociais. Lisboa: Gradiva.
Teaching method
As a curricular unit recommended in the final year of the Sociology degree course, the objectives and syllabus presuppose that students have already acquired skills in planning and carrying out research. However, in the initial phase (points 1 and 2 of the syllabus), themes linked to the construction of a sociological problem, the role of theory and concepts, and the suitability of methodological strategies will be revisited. The aim is to consolidate knowledge that will enable students to define a research strategy (to be developed in point 3), from defining the starting question to drawing up the data collection instruments.
In the first classes, the theoretical content will enable students to recall, synthesise and consolidate knowledge they have already acquired in other curricular units. This content will be taught using research projects developed by the teachers. Next, students should form working groups (2 to 3 students) and select one of the following themes:
- Crime and deviance
- Social exclusion and poverty
- Youth, professional integration, aspirations and professional projects
- Labour, employment and professions
- Family, conjugality and gender
- Territorial and urban issues
- Environment and development
- Longevity, care and intergenerational relations
- Ethnic or racial relations
Each working group will have several tutorial sessions with one of the professors who will be responsible for overseeing the entire project construction process. These will be compulsory orientation sessions that will include support in formulating the research question, bibliographical research, construction of the problem and analysis model, and definition of the methodological options.
Evaluation method
Assessment of the course is continuous and will include the following elements:
a) A pre-project drawn up in groups: the choice of a problem, translated into a starting question, situated in a specific field of sociology, and the result of bibliographical research (20%) - Due 28 October;
a) A research project with the delimitation and contextualisation of the topic and the theoretical problem (20%) - Due November 18
b) A consolidated project with the introduction, delimitation and contextualisation of the topic, theoretical problem, construction of the analysis model, methodology, chronology and bibliography (40%) - Due December 4
c) After the oral presentations, students will still be able to make any improvements or corrections to the final project (20%) - Due 20th December
Subject matter
1. For the elaboration of a sociological problematic
1.1. Actual object vs. constructed object / Social problem vs. sociological problem
1.2. Differences, complementarities and false dichotomies: theoretical vs. empirical; objective reality vs. subjective reality; induction vs. and deduction; quantitative vs. qualitative.
2. Identification of the problem and construction of the problematic
2.1. Construction of the starting question and the exploratory phase
2.2. Role of theory and role of concepts
2.3. Building the theoretical - conceptual model
2.4. Parameters of theorization: macro and micro
2.4.1. The role of the concepts
3. The overall construction of an analysis model and its operation
3.1. From the concepts to the indicators
3.2. Type of studies and research strategy
3.3. Quantitative and qualitative methodologies
3.4. The elaboration of instruments for collecting information
4. Development, guidance and monitoring of student projects.
Programs
Programs where the course is taught: