Module Identifier | GGM2340 | |||||||||||||||||
Module Title | RESEARCH METHODS IN POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY | |||||||||||||||||
Academic Year | 2006/2007 | |||||||||||||||||
Co-ordinator | Dr Peter R Merriman | |||||||||||||||||
Semester | Semester 2 | |||||||||||||||||
Pre-Requisite | Enrollment in the MA in Space, Place and Politics | |||||||||||||||||
Co-Requisite | The restructured GGM1440 'Positioning Political Geography', as well as Generic Research Training - PGM0210, PGM0330. | |||||||||||||||||
Mutually Exclusive | The restructured GGM2240 (Researching Human Geography) and GGM2440 (Researching Local and Regional Economies) | |||||||||||||||||
Course delivery | Seminars / Tutorials | 30 hours (15 x 2 hours) | ||||||||||||||||
Practical | 15 hours (15 x 1 hours) | |||||||||||||||||
Assessment |
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II. Data and Evidence in Political Geography - Sources and Collection
III. Data Analysis in Political Geography
Problem_solving | Students will generate research questions and appropriate means of answering them through the 4,000 word thesis plan. | ||
Research skills | Students will undertake a significant degree of independent reading for the 4,000 word essay and 4,000 word thesis plan. Preparatory work will also be required for the oral presentation of the thesis plan. | ||
Communication | Students will be expected to play a full role in small group discussions with their peers and with academic staff. The development of presentation skills will be assessed through the oral delivery of the MA thesis plan (20% of the module mark). In addition, students will be expected to present coursework with a high standard of academic writing, examined through the 4,000 word essay and the 4,000 word thesis plan. | ||
Improving own Learning and Performance | Students will be expected to undertake a significant amount of self-directed study, including extensive reading for the 4,000 word essay and 4,000 word thesis plan. In both cases, students will be required to develop self and time-management skills | ||
Team work | The seminar and workshop components of this module enable students to develop skills and awareness of their role in the immediate context of discussion based interaction. | ||
Information Technology | Students will be expected to use Information Technology in the presentation of their coursework. They will also become familiar with the use of Internet in the provision of academic writing, for example on-line journals (assessed through the essay and thesis plan). And, they will be exposed to a range of data management and analysis packages as part of their seminar and workshop participation (assessed through the essay). | ||
Application of Number | Students will be expected to analyze and interpret, through a range of complementary methods, different forms of quantitative and qualitative data, and linked to addressing specific research questions (assessed through the essay). | ||
Personal Development and Career planning | The module provides knowledge and understanding that is central to teaching geography at the tertiary and higher education sector level. | ||
Subject Specific Skills | Students will be encouraged to situate themselves, and their work, within the broad sweep of recent developments in Political Geography (through the thesis plan). |
This module is at CQFW Level 7