Module ERPM002 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Postgraduate Module Descriptor
ERPM002: Scientific Methodologies
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Content
Syllabus Plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
- Experimental, quasi-experimental, and survey designs and threats to their validity; different sampling strategies, consequences of sampling – limitations, errors, biases, scales of measurement, operationalisation, the codebook.
- Measuring instruments, design, types of scale, questionnaires and other structured approaches to questioning that can be numerically coded and analysed (tests, attitude scales, semantic differentials, , etc); different methods of ensuring measurements are reliable, instrument validation, threats to internal and external validity, criteria for assessing validity, the electronic collection of quantitative data
- Descriptive statistics and exploratory data analysis; concept of a statistic, distributions of statistics, probability and non-probability sampling, statistical significance, analysis of variance; regression and its relationship to multi-level modelling; factor analysis; OLS regression, multiple and logistic regression. Use of software packages (e.g. SPSS). Through evaluation of published research and practical application appreciate the importance of political power and bias, limitations of knowledge claims and warrants from quantitative research and the ethical issues involved in quantitative fieldwork.
Learning and Teaching
This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 270 | 0 |
...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 30 | 10x3 hour teaching sessions (lectures, workshops and seminars), including on campus teaching and recorded sessions |
| Guided Independent Study | 70 | Collaborative group work |
| Guided Independent Study | 100 | Reading and assignment preparation |
| Guided Independent Study | 100 | Writing summative assignment |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
Other Learning Resources
http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=3161
http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=3162
Indicative Reading List
This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.
Bernauer, J., & O'Dwyer, L. (2013). Quantitative research for the qualitative researcher. SAGE, London.
Biddle, S. (1995) Quantitative Data Analysis: An Introduction to Multivariate Statistical Techniques. Exeter University, School of Education.
Black, T.R. (1999) Doing quantitative research in the social sciences - an integrated approach to research design, measurement and statistics. London, Sage.
Bryman, A. & Cramer, D. (1997) Quantitative data analysis with SPSS for Windows: a guide for social scientists.London, Routledge
Buckingham, A. & Saunders, P. (2004) The Survey Methods Workbook. Polity
Burton, D. (2000) Research Training for Social Scientists. Sage.
Cohen, L. and Holliday, M. (1996) Practical statistics for students. London, Paul Chapman.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2017). Research methods in education. Taylor & Francis, England.
Cook, T. and Campbell, D.T. (1979) Quasi experimentation. Chicago, Rand McNally.
Coolidge, F.L. (2000) Statistics. London, Sage.
Cramer, D. (2003) Advanced Quantitative Analysis. OU Press
Field, A. (2017) Discovering Statistics Using IBM SPSS Statistics London, Sage.
Galloway, A. (1997) Questionnaire Design and Analysis. http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~kate/qmcweb/qcont.htm
Oppenheim, A.N. (2000) Questionnaire Design, Interviewing and Attitude Measurement. London, Continuum.
Pallant, J. (2020). SPSS Survival manual: A step by step guide to data analysis using IBM SPSS. Maidenhead, Berkshire, England.
Pears, I. (1996) Statistical Analysis for Educational and Psychological Researchers. London, Falmer Press.
Preece, P.F.W. (1994) Basic Quantitative Data Analysis. Exeter, University School of Education.
Rust, J. and Golombok, S. (1989) Modern Psychometrics. London, Routledge.
StatPac Inc. (2000) Questionnaires, Survey Design, Marketing Research. http://www.statpac.com/surveys/index.htm#toc
Tukey, J.W. (1977) Exploratory Data Analysis. Reading, MA, Addison-Wesley.
