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POLI-D213

Introduction to Research in Political Science

année académique
2023-2024
2024-2025

Titulaire(s) du cours

Alena PROKOP SOBOTOVA (Coordonnateur) et Emilie VAN HAUTE

Crédits ECTS

5

Langue(s) d'enseignement

anglais

Contenu du cours

The course is organized in seminar groups. The course questions what political science research is. Each class is dedicated to a step in the process of scientific reasoning, which is explained, illustrated with examples, and then applied by the students. The exercises aim at applying the political science research process.

Objectifs (et/ou acquis d'apprentissages spécifiques)

The purpose of this course is to provide students with an understanding and appreciation of the terminology, concepts, theoretical approaches and research methods in political science. The course intends to teach students how to develop scientific research designs. The course prepares students to the writing of papers throughout their studies, up to the Master thesis / Final dissertation.

 

Intended Student Learning Outcome

  • To be able to find, read, understand and interpret most research published in political science journals
  • To understand the major theoretical approaches to political science research
  • To be familiar with various research methods in political science
  • To be able to identify and apply these approaches and methods in a research paper
  • To be able to develop a research design
  • To sharpen critical thinking
  • To develop writing skills
  • To learn to read a scientific contribution and identify the authors’ research design
  • To acquire skills that will be used in all future papers and the Master thesis/Final dissertation

Méthodes d'enseignement et activités d'apprentissages

The course is organized as a seminar, with regular assignments and presentations by the students. Each class consists of an explanation of a step in the research process (with illustrations), and an active application of the step in the research process by students (via practical exercises and development of their own research design). Overall, the course rests on an active participation by the students.
 

Registration to a group is done online via the UV (Université virtuelle), from September 13  to September 27 at the very latest.
In order to help students pick their group an introductory information session is organised on Tuesday 17 September (see Time Edit).
Students are expected to have double-checked the group schedule before registering to a group.

Contribution au profil d'enseignement

The course prepares students to the writing of papers throughout their studies, up to the Master thesis / Final dissertation.

Références, bibliographie et lectures recommandées

List of references available on the UV

Support(s) de cours

  • Université virtuelle
  • Podcast

Autres renseignements

Informations complémentaires

Registration to a group is done online via the UV (Université virtuelle), from September 13 to September 27. Students are expected to have double-checked the group schedule before registering to a group. 

Group Themes :

Group 1: Europe and Europeans : Community, Identity&Public Sphere, Alena Prokop Sobotova, Tuesday 12-14, S.K.3.201 - Séminaire Michael Ratner

Group 2 : Democracy, Political Representation and Behavior, Emilia Salminen, Monday 14 – 16, Room R39-Geremek

Group 3 : Exploring the European Union - politics, policies and perspectives, Emilia Salminen, Monday 16-18, room S.UD6.205

Group 4 : The crisis of liberal democracy and the rise of autocratisation, Simone Benazzo, Wednesday 14 - 16, various rooms (seeTimeEdit)

Group 5 : European Union and the Outsideworld - Challenges, opportunities, transformations, Emilia Salminen, Tuesday 12-14, Room K.3.401

Contacts

Alena Prokop-Sobotova (professor)

Office S.11.218; Email: alena.sobotova@ulb.be

Teaching Assistants
Emilia Salminen, emilia.salminen@ulb.be
Simone Benazzo, simone.benazzo@ulb.be

Campus

Solbosch

Evaluation

Méthode(s) d'évaluation

  • Examen écrit
  • Travail de groupe

Examen écrit

  • Question ouverte à développement long

Travail de groupe

Construction de la note (en ce compris, la pondération des notes partielles)

Students performances will be assessed as follows:

- Final exam: 50%

- Exercises: 50%

- Students have to get a grade for both parts of the course. As long as they haven’t, they will be marked ABSENT.

Construction de la note (en ce compris, la pondération des notes partielles)

Exercises:
the final mark is based on:
- average of all three group work grades. A group work that is not submitted is marked as ABSENT, which is applied as the mark for the exercises as a whole. Group work not submitted in due time will generate a penalty of 10% of the total grade per 24h.
- Students have to attend classes. If you are not able to attend, you have to notify your teacher. Each (unjustified) missed class will result in a penalty of 10% of the mark (i.e. minus 1 out of 10). The penalties are cumulative (e.g. Five unjustified missed class will results in a malus of 5 out of 10). »
Important :
Group assignments are given an identical mark for the entire group. The papers are submitted under the responsibility of the entire group. In case of plagiarism, the sanction will be applied to the entire group. Late registrations are not allowed. Students who are not registered for the exercises before November 1st are not allowed to take the course during the academic year.
Final exam:
the final mark is based on:
- Written exam (January session and retake session in August-September)
- 2 questions based on applying the course content
Retake session:
- Students decide at their own risk whether they want to retake the paper, the exam, or both
- Students who decide to retake the paper have to present it as an individual paper, based on a single paper that includes all the steps. The paper has to be handed over before the date of the exam

Langue(s) d'évaluation

  • anglais

Programmes