Course Code and Course Title
Chinese Studies Research Methods
Time and Venue
Tuesday
2:30pm-5:15pm
ERB_713
Instructor
Dr. Pierre Miege
Course Description
This course prepares advanced CCS major undergraduate students on the social science stream to research for their final year capstone research projects. The main product of the course will be a research proposal that will be ideally followed through to develop the final year paper to be submitted at the end of Term II. There are three aims to the course: 1) to gain familiarity with research methods of the various disciplines in the humanities; 2) to explore several styles of scholarship; 3) to learn how to undertake an advanced university-level research project and produce an interesting, productive research proposal.
This workshop-style class will guide students to reach this objective step by step. Students will be introduced to fundamental concepts in qualitative and quantitative research methods and designs in the social sciences. These concepts will be discussed practically, by making students begin thinking about their own research topic, and by conducting data collection and analysis exercises. The mode of instruction is highly interactive and require students to actively participate in class discussions, complete research exercises, make presentation, conduct peer review, and continuous work on their own projects. In the end of this course, students are required to present a revised research proposal, identifying interesting topics, compiling references, making bibliographies, formulating research questions, choosing appropriate research methods, and writing up research plans and goals.
Course Outline
Detailed Course Outline is available on Blackboard.
Week 1: (Sep. 6) Introduction: Research on China
Week 2: (Sep. 13) Research Matters
Week 3: (Sep. 20) Academic Writing
Week 4: (Sep. 27) Designing a Research Project
Week 5: (Oct. 11) Literature Review and Finding Sources
Week 6: (Oct. 18) Survey Research
Week 7: (Oct. 25) Interview
Week 8: (Nov. 1) Research Week
Week 9: (Nov. 8) Individual Consultation I
Week 10: (Nov. 15) Data Analysis
Week 11: (Nov. 22) Individual Consultation II
Week 12: (Nov. 29) Proposal Presentation & Feedback I
Week 13: (Dec. 6) Proposal Presentation & Feedback II