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    Syllabus 2002

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    Ewaoluwa
    This document provides the syllabus for a course on research methods in international security. It outlines general course information, a description of the course, learning objectives, evaluation methods including assignments and exams, a schedule of lectures and readings, and policies on late submissions. The course introduces students to research design, data analysis, and analytical skills for understanding and producing evidence-based research.

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    Syllabus 2002

    Uploaded by

    Ewaoluwa
    10 views5 pages
    This document provides the syllabus for a course on research methods in international security. It outlines general course information, a description of the course, learning objectives, evaluation methods including assignments and exams, a schedule of lectures and readings, and policies on late submissions. The course introduces students to research design, data analysis, and analytical skills for understanding and producing evidence-based research.

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    Research Methods in International Security syllabus

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    This document provides the syllabus for a course on research methods in international security. It outlines general course information, a description of the course, learning objectives, evaluation methods including assignments and exams, a schedule of lectures and readings, and policies on late submissions. The course introduces students to research design, data analysis, and analytical skills for understanding and producing evidence-based research.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    10 views5 pages

    Syllabus 2002

    Uploaded by

    Ewaoluwa
    This document provides the syllabus for a course on research methods in international security. It outlines general course information, a description of the course, learning objectives, evaluation methods including assignments and exams, a schedule of lectures and readings, and policies on late submissions. The course introduces students to research design, data analysis, and analytical skills for understanding and producing evidence-based research.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 5

    SYLLABUS

    Academic Year 2023-24

    GENERAL COURSE INFORMATION


    Title: Research Methods in International Security
    Number of Credits: 6
    Type of Course: Compulsory
    Semester: Second
    Language: English
    Instructors: Tutku Ayhan & Diego Badell
    Email: [email protected]; [email protected]

    COURSE DESCRIPTION

    This course introduces students to research design and introductory data analysis used in political
    science and international relations research. Students enrolled in this course will be introduced to
    analytical skills which will help them become consumers and creators of information; and help
    them understand and produce evidence-based policy and research. Through assigned readings,
    assignments and class activities, students will learn how to evaluate existing research while
    critically thinking about their own research interests. They will learn how to formulate research
    questions, develop theories to answer research questions, derive hypotheses from their theories,
    as well as the empirical “tools” necessary for hypothesis testing.

    LEARNING OBJECTIVES

    The course begins with an introduction to the elements of scientific thinking, empirical analysis of
    political phenomena, and the ontology and epistemology behind research methodologies. It
    continues with construction of a research design, as well as possible opportunities, pitfalls, and
    trade-ins in each step. The course then introduces students to operationalization and
    measurement of concepts, knowing and describing one’s data, difference between correlation and
    causation, difference between descriptive and causal claims, basics of statistical inference, and
    inferring from sample to population.

    By the end of this course, students should be able to:


    - Critically assess research in political science, international relations, and international security
    - Critically evaluate public policy debates
    - Understand and critique research designs
    - Analyze alternative explanations and be familiar with logic of control
    - Explain ways of obtaining observational data and using them to test hypotheses
    - Demonstrate an understanding of the meaning of statistical significance in a research claim

    1
    EVALUATION AND CLASS METHODOLOGY

    Organization of the course


    The course is 6 ECTS (36 hours of instruction in total). There will be 12 class sessions throughout
    the semester. For the 6 seminar sessions, students will be divided in two groups, and each
    instructor will be teaching one group in two simultaneous sessions. The regular class meetings will
    serve as introduction sessions for the concepts and the content of that week so that we can do
    more advanced hands-on practices and exercises during the seminars.

    Methodology
    Students are expected to do all the readings before each class meetings and seminars, and be
    ready to discuss them. The classes will be spent putting the information in the readings into
    practice and resolving doubts. Students will also take part in reviews of materials, explanations of
    concepts learned and discussion of the activities.

    Assessments
    Exercise paper (due by Session 4): 20%
    Mid-term exam: 40%
    Final exam: 40%

    Information about each assignment will be provided during class sessions. Please include word
    count in all submissions.

    Late submission policy

    For all written assignments, a penalty of 0.5 points (out of 10) will be deducted for each day the
    assignment is submitted late. No assignments will be accepted if submitted more than five days
    past the original deadline. Exceptions to this policy will only be made in the event of a documented
    medical circumstance, substantiated by a written doctor's note.

    Please be aware that assignments have different, sometimes conflicting deadlines at IBEI. It is
    your responsibility to closely adhere to these deadlines.

    Class materials
    The main textbook for this course is Philip H. Pollock III (2016), The Essentials of Political
    Analysis. Washington, DC: CQ Press. NOTE: We are not able to upload the chapters of this book.
    There are a number of copies in the library. You will either need to organize to share these
    between you, or buy a copy (if necessary, one of the older editions).
    All other assigned chapters and readings will be uploaded on virtual campus.

    LECTURES AND READINGS

    Session 1 – February 27 (Tutku Ayhan)


    Class Introduction. Elements of Scientific Thinking.

    Readings:
    Hoover and Donovan, Chapter 1

    2
    Session 2 – March 5 (Tutku Ayhan)
    Ontology and Epistemology of Social Research. Positivist vs. Interpretivist Research.
    Inductive vs. Deductive Research. Coming up with Research Questions. Research
    Methodologies and Methods.

    Session 3 – March 12 (Tutku Ayhan)


    Introduction to Research Process (from coming up with a research question to data
    collection and analysis).

    Readings:
    Johnsons et al., Chapter 3

    Session 4 – March 19 (Tutku Ayhan)


    On Theory, Explanations, and Hypotheses (Generating theory and testing theory. Drawing
    testable hypotheses. Distinguishing between acceptable and non-acceptable explanations.)

    Readings:
    ● Hoover and Donovan, Chapter 3
    ● Pollock, Chapter 3

    Seminar 1 - March 21

    Session 5 – April 9 (Tutku Ayhan)


    Concepts and Measurement: What am I looking for? What am I looking at? Defining and
    operationalizing concepts. Transforming concepts into measurable variables. Possible
    problems - Systematic and random measurement error (validity and reliability of
    operational definitions).

    (Exercise paper assignment due by Session 5)

    Readings:
    Pollock, Chapter 1

    Seminar 2 - April 11

    Session 6 – April 16 (Tutku Ayhan)


    Measuring and describing variables.

    Readings:
    ● Hoover and Donovan, Chapter 5
    ● Pollock, Chapter 2

    Session 7 – TBD (Diego Badell)


    Mid-term exam.

    3
    Session 8 – April 30 (Diego Badell)
    Causality: What makes a good causal argument a good causal argument? (Correlation vs.
    Causation. Spurious relationships.) Constructing a Research Design.

    Readings:
    Johnson et al., Chapter 6 (pp. 166-203) NOTE, not all chapter!

    Seminar 3 - May 2

    Session 9 – May 7 (Diego Badell)


    A qualitative snapshot: case study, document analysis and interviews.

    Readings:

    ● Odell, J. 2001. Case Study Methods in International Political Economy, International


    Studies Perspectives, 2 (2), pp. 161-176
    ● Bowen, G. A. 2009. Document Analysis as a Qualitative Research Method. Qualitative
    Research Journal, 9(2), 27-40.
    ● Bogner, A., Littig, B. and Menz, W. 2009. Introduction: Expert Interviews — An
    Introduction to a New Methodological Debate. In A. Bogner, B. Littig, & W. Menz (eds.)
    Interviewing Experts (pp.1-13). Basingtoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Seminar 4 - May 9

    Session 10 – May 21 (Diego Badell)


    A quantitative approach: Experiments, logic of control and surveys.

    Readings:
    ● Pollock, Chapter 4
    ● Johnson et al., Chapter 10

    Session 11 – May 28 (Diego Badell)


    Case selection and Sampling. What is the difference between a sample and a population?
    How do we get a representative sample? Qualitative and quantitative case selection: two
    different logics (random/stratified sampling vs. purposeful case selection)

    Readings:
    Johnson et al, Chapter 7 (pp. 212-230) NOTE, not all chapter!

    Session 12 – June 4 (Diego Badell)


    Analyzing the relationship between variables (cross-tabulation, mean comparison,
    regression)

    Readings:
    Pollock, Chapter 5&8

    Seminar 5 - June 6

    Seminar 6 - June 11

    4
    NOTE: The instructors reserve the right to make changes to the schedule, assigned readings, etc.
    at any point during this semester. Changes to the syllabus, if any, will be announced in class and
    the updated syllabus will be posted on Virtual Campus.

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