Learning Outcomes:
Students will learn:
• to conduct independent research in Political Science, Political Theory, or International Relations, involving sustained argument and a good understanding of the relevant literature and data
• the skills and discipline required to do independent research
• working with a supervisor on their independent research project one-on-one
• preparing a piece of independent research toward deadlines
Indicative Module Content:
The first term will consist of a series of seminars aimed at introducing students to state-of-the-art research from different sub-fields of Political Science, Political Theory, and International Relations "on stage" and "behind the scenes".
The first seminar will focus on political research, methodologies, and the thesis writing process more generally. You will also have the opportunity to speak to the module coordinator and the rest of the group about your research interests, possible research questions, and more.
Weeks 2 to 11 will be lectures by academics from various disciplines each focusing on a different substantive topic from their own area of expertise, as well as a theme from the research process – roughly in the sequence of a typical research project. Lecturers will present a research paper, which you must have read beforehand. They may do so in an “on stage” setting, as they often do at academic conferences, etc. The lecturers will engage with your critiques of their research output or work-in-progress. Please be sure to read their work carefully in advance and come with feedback and/or questions about their research process – with a particular focus on the research theme of the relevant week, e.g. doing a literature review.
To provide you with “behind the scenes” insights, the SPIRe academic will then guide the seminar, focusing on a theme from the research process: developing a research idea, conducting a literature review, theorizing and conceptualizing, setting up a research design, gathering data etc., conducting your analyses, and finally writing up the paper. This is your chance to discuss with them how their research came about, how it has been approached, what issues they faced, how they learned using a particular method, and more. Use this opportunity to get valuable insights for your own research projects. You will get a good grasp of what the state of the art is in a range of subdisciplines and what social science research looks like at a practical level.
By the end of Week 8, submit a first draft of your research proposal to your supervisor for informal feedback. In Week 12, your own research proposals will be discussed in preparation for their submission at the end of the term. Each of you will have to work on their own proposal throughout the term, supported by your supervisors, and submit your draft in time for this final session in Week 12. All students will be expected to have read all proposals and provide constructive critiques to their peers.
Overall, our sessions will encourage you to engage in discussions on how to do research in the various fields. The idea is to familiarize you with how research is undertaken in the discipline and what the different approaches to doing so are. Together, these interactive seminars will help prepare you for developing your own thesis – first in the form of a research proposal this term, followed by your thesis completion next term.