Insegnamento a.a. 2020-2021

20469 - INSTITUTIONS, GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY - MODULE I

Department of Social and Political Sciences

Course taught in English
Go to class group/s: 20 - 21
DES-ESS (6 credits - I sem. - OB  |  SECS-P/07)
Course Director:
GIOVANNI FATTORE

Classes: 20 (I sem.) - 21 (I sem.)
Instructors:
Class 20: GIOVANNI FATTORE, Class 21: GIOVANNI FATTORE


Mission & Content Summary

MISSION

The success of a research project also depends on its design. Carefully planning research question(s), type of study, mode of data collections and statistical analysis increases the chances of producing valid empirical research. The course introduces students to the fundamentals of research design in the social sciences. It also offers students the opportunity to design their own research study

CONTENT SUMMARY

The first part of the course covers causal inference in the social sciences by presenting the main models used in contemporary research. The second part discusses validity of empirical studies and complement the first part of the course with additional methods/topics that are increasingnly popular in empirical research in the social sciences.

Part 1. Main analytical approaches for causal interference:

    The conterfactual model.
    Randomization and its discontents.
    Regression Models.
    Instrumental variables.
    Regression Discontinuity Design.
    Difference-in-Differences Design.

Part 2. Validity and additional topics/methods for empirical research in the social sciences:

    Survey research and sampling.
    Social Network Analysis
    Content Analysis.
    Systematic Reviews and meta-analsysis.
    Validity of research designs.
 


Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...
  • Understand the logics of causal inference.
  • Master different models to test causality.
  • Be aware of the main quantitative research methods used in the social sciences

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...

 

  • Work in groups to prepare a research proposal.
  • Conduct a Systematic Review
  • Prepare a research proposal.
  • Deliver a presentation of a research proposal

Teaching methods

  • Face-to-face lectures
  • Exercises (exercises, database, software etc.)
  • Group assignments

DETAILS

Students work in groups to conduct a systematic review and to prepare and present in class a research proposal


Assessment methods

  Continuous assessment Partial exams General exam
  • Written individual exam (traditional/online)
     x
  • Group assignment (report, exercise, presentation, project work etc.)
   x  

ATTENDING STUDENTS

​​​​​Groupwork: systematic review (word document no longer than 2000 words) (25%)

Groupwork: research proposal (and presentation in class) (25%)

Written exam: 50%


NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

Final written exam: 50%

Individual research proposal: (50%) (a word document no longer than 3000 words to be submitted before sitting the written exam).


Teaching materials


ATTENDING AND NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

See the Syllabus

Last change 01/10/2020 09:08