Methodology of research

The course overviews knowledge of humanities and social science research. The first part discusses research steps, methods and phases of social science research (selection of a research topic, formulating a research question and hypothesis, planning research, data gathering, data analysis, reporting; quantitative and qualitative methods of research, comparative methods of research; complementarity of methods, citing). The second part addresses the understanding of databases and research reports. The third part emphasises the role of ethics in research and writing; the social context of research: values, bias, the problem of objectivity, ethics in social science research.