IR4004 - Researching International Relations and Politics

You will learn by attending lectures and seminars where you will be presented with key, theories, methods and techniques of research and critical analysis. As part of these sessions you will engage with other students in solving problems through the application of these theories, methods and techniques to examples.

Your academic development will be facilitated through engagement with the academic literature, the example material provided and by talking with your peers about my understanding and application of the literature and the methods. To enhance your learning experience you will make an effort to take a broader view of your learning on this module, making connections to other modules and the content (literature, data etc.) therein and use this module as a stepping stone for your intellectual development on my degree and on your way to becoming a university graduate. You can expect to see your ‘common sense’ beliefs challenged and you will recognise the transitory and flexible nature of what is called ‘knowledge’ in the political sciences.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
1. Understand the combination of questions, theory and evidence in different research designs in the study of international relations and politics
2. Understand why particular methods are used to interpret and analyse data

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
3. Use skills of critical analysis to question claims and arguments
4. Interpret and question secondary data through the use of basic descriptive and inferential data analysis method

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
5. The ability to work with others through engagement in seminars.

Formative feedback will be provided by your lecturer in response to your contribution to the class, especially in seminars. (MLO5)

A portfolio at the end of each semester will assess
- your ability to use and apply skills of critical analysis (logic and reasoning) and your knowledge and understanding of major analytical frameworks in the political sciences. (MLOs 1-4)
- your knowledge of the role of questions, theory, data and analysis and research design and their application to issues in politics, and knowledge and understanding of the political science research process. (MLOs 1-4)

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Please find details of this module in the other sections provided.