Research Methods I

Full course description

Research is “creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge […]”. This goal can be achieved in a wide variety of ways. Introduction to Research Methods I and II (SKI1004) and II (SKI1005), and the Research Project (PRO1012) form one coherent semester-long block of courses in which you will learn about key concepts and considerations when conducting research, ultimately resulting in your own finished research project. Along the way, we will discuss a wide variety of research approaches frequently used in the humanities, social sciences, and the sciences.

The first component of this three-course block is Introduction to Research Methods I. Within this block, you will learn the basics of research. We will develop a common vocabulary to evaluate and talk about research, and we will work on where it all begins: asking the right questions. From there, we will consider the sub-questions and hypotheses that flow from the central research questions, the data (broadly defined) that we would need to find answers, and how we can interpret that data. This course will provide you with some essential information not only for the other research methods courses, but also for reading and understanding research for other courses you will take later in your curriculum.