Initiation to Social Science Methodology, Theory

Duration

30h Th

Number of credits

Lecturer

Didier Vrancken

Substitute(s)

Julie Gérard

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the second semester

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

This course introduces the basic principles of social science research.
It is organized around 5 points:

• General points on the scientific approach in social sciences.
• Definition and development of the various acts and stages of social science research.
• The relationship concept / indicators.
• Elements of formalization.
• Illustration of a typical research: Durkheim's suicide theory.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

Make students sensitive to the methods of the sociological reasoning.
The course is structured around three fundamental acts and around 7 stages which help the student to enter gradually the research procedure and, at the end of the year, to have a general outline of the way a research in social sciences takes place.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

No co and pre-requisite knowledge.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The course is built around the book "Manuel de recherche en sciences sociales" of Quivy, Marquet and Van Campenhoudt.
Learning methods are based on ex-cathedra lectures, external interventions, formative and evaluative exercises, and interactions with students.

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

• Face-to-face with podcast/Unicast.
• Second half of the year.
   

Organisational adjustments related to the current health context

If the University of Liège goes into orange code,

• the course will be given at a distance via (in principle) ULiège's unicast system
• the course final evaluation will be done face-to-face.

• the course will be given at a distance via (in principle) ULiège's unicast system,
• the course final evaluation will be done at a distance via eCampus.

Recommended or required readings

"Manuel de recherche en sciences sociales", Luc Van Campenhoudt, Jacques Marquet and Raymond Quivy (Paris, Dunod, 2017, 5th ed.) + a syllabus of secondary texts + powerpoints

Assessment methods and criteria

Below you will find information on the evaluation methods planned for in-person and remote exams as well as those planned for hybrid sessions. Depending on how the health crisis evolves, the chosen method will be communicated to you no later than one month before the start of the exam session.

Any session :

- In-person

written exam ( open-ended questions )

- Remote

written exam

- If evaluation in "hybrid"

preferred in-person


Additional information:

1st session and 2nd session: written examination

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

Sessions will take place on Monday.
First session: 8 February 2021 PM.

Contacts

Teacher: D. VRANCKEN - Faculté des Sciences sociales Place des Orateurs, 3 (Bât. B31 - Quartier Agora) - 4000 LIEGE Phone: 04/366 31 76 Email: Didier.Vrancken@uliege.be
Secretariat : M. SALERNO - Phone: 04/366 31 61 Email: Marina.Salerno@ulg.ac.be
Assistants : J. GERARD - Phone: 04/366 33 06 Email: julie.gerard@uliege.be
N. JAQCUET - Phone: 04/366 30 91 Email: njacquet@uliege.be