Sociology: The Research Process

<p>Learn how sociological research takes shape, from early ideas to a well‑structured study. You reflect on theory, methods and research design, as well as on how knowledge about society is created, and develop a clear and realistic plan for your own research project.</p><p>This course gives you a deeper understanding of the research process in sociology. You examine how epistemology - the way knowledge is understood and justified - relates to theory, methods and research design, and you learn to connect each stage of the research process into a clear and well‑structured project plan. The course is taught in English and can be taken as a freestanding course or as part of the Master’s Programme in Sociology.</p><p>You will get a clear introduction to important ideas in the philosophy of science and see how different research approaches are used in today’s sociology. You will also explore how theories can guide and develop a research project, and how different methods - alone or combined - can help you answer different kinds of research questions.</p><p>A key part of the course is understanding how your own study can link to earlier research in the field. Accordingly, you learn how a well‑structured literature review helps you anchor and motivate a clear, theoretically grounded research question.</p><p>Overall, the course prepares you for your degree project and for research-related activities and project planning more broadly.<br/></p>