MET501A Research Designs and Methodological Choices

• Topics

  The purpose of the course is to enhance and reinforce knowledge and understanding of the various steps in the research process. Hence, students should develop skills needed to formulate research questions, develop a design for answering those questions, and implement and evaluate the research effort. Students will be exposed to a number of research strategies and issues. Although different research strategies will be more relevant to some disciplines than others, a broader view of the research process should enable students to identify strengths and weaknesses of empirical research efforts in various disciplines. Thus, the goal of the course is not only to improve the student´s research skills, but also to become a better consumer of research.

  Although this is not a statistical course, certain topics (e.g., measurement and experimental design) are tied to statistical analysis. Hence, a basic understanding of statistics (e.g. correlation, regression, analysis of variance) is assumed.

  The course will cover research related to:

  • experimental and
  • quasi-experimental designs,
  • survey designs
  • suggestions from the participants to cover additional research approaches might be accommodated, e.g. by offering additional lectures

  In addition to introduction and overview of the various research approaches, the course will include critical evaluations of selected empirical studies.

• Learning outcome

  After completing this course, the candidate can...

  Knowledge:

  • evaluate the appropriateness and application of different methods and processes in research and scholarly development projects
  • contribute to the development of new knowledge, new theories, methods, interpretations and forms of documentation in the field

  Skills:

  • formulate problems, plan and carry out research
  • critically carry out research and scholarly research work of a high international standard
  • assess complex academic issues and challenge established knowledge and practice in the field
  • critically assess measurement of construct
  • perform analysis of the quality of measurement

  General competence:

  • carry out his/her research with scholarly integrity
  • critically assess the relationship between problem formulation and research design
  • assess and explain the role of design in the testing for causal relationships

• Teaching

  Intensive course. The course will be conducted as a blend of lectures and discussion of selected parts of the course materials, as well as critical evaluations of selected empirical studies. In addition the participants own research problems will also be addressed.

  Prior to the course participants are expected to prepare a presentation (2-3 slides) of their research proposal addressing the participants research problem, how this relates to prior insights, as well as how the research problem is planned (thought) researched empirically. 

  This course will be on campus, but if you for some reason are not able to follow the course physically, we can provide an opportunity for you to follow the course digitally.

• Restricted access

  • PhD candidates at NHH.
  • PhD candidates at Norwegian institutions.
  • PhD candidates at other institutions.
  • PhD candidates from the ENGAGE.EU alliance.

  External Research Scholars: We kindly request you send an application to attend the course at https://www.nhh.no/en/study-programmes/phd-programme-at-nhh/phd-courses/become-a-visiting-student-at-a-phd-course-at-nhh/See link to information here, within 14 days before the start of the course. Course dates are 26. - 30. August 2024.

• Recommended prerequisites

  A basic understanding of statistics is recommended. 

• Required prerequisites

  No specific, although a basic understanding of statistics is recommended. A tutorial (2 days) in statistics will be offered if requested.

• Compulsory Activity

  Active participation, including discussion of selected parts of the course materials.

  Prior to the course each participant is expected to submit a research proposal addressing the participants research problem, how this relates to prior insights, as well as how the research problem is planned (thought) researched empirically. Also, before the first course day prepare a few slides (2-3) addressing the research problem, how it relates to present insights, and how it is planned research.

  Compulsory activities (work requirements) are valid for two semesters after the semester they were obtained.

• Assessment

  4 hour individual home exam.

  Re-take is offered the semester after the course was offered for students with valid compulsory activities (work requirements).

• Grading Scale

  A-F

• Computer tools

  Students should be familiar with basic statistical methods and preferably have some knowledge of basic statistical software (like R, SPSS, SAS, STATA, Minitab or Excel).

• Literature

  Gerring, John (2011): Social Science Methodology: A Unified Framework, 2nd edition, Cambridge University Press.

  In addition there will be included selected articles and book chapters (H) expected to be read by the participants. The outline with complete list of readings will be available in due time prior to the course.