After successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Explain the concept and scope of empirical social research,
• Explain the stages of theory building,
• Describe and classify the types of research (descriptive, explorative, hypothesis testing) and research methods used to collect social data (content analysis, observation, interview, experiment),
• Explain the characteristics and possible applications of qualitative and quantitative research,
• Describe the research logic of empirical studies,
• Create a suitable sample
• Explain the characteristics and possible uses of central instruments of qualitative research (qualitative content analysis, qualitative interviews, focus group discussions),
• Create a guideline for conducting qualitative interviews,
• Evaluate the results of qualitative interviews,
• Explain characteristics and possible uses of central instruments of quantitative research (survey, observation, experiment),
• Create a questionnaire for conducting a quantitative survey,
• Conduct descriptive analyses of quantitative surveys independently

none

• Module presentation, repetition, organizational matters, project discussion
• Qualitative research: General, fundamentals, criteria
• Qualitative research: Survey methods and examples
• Qualitative research: How to conduct an interview correctly with practice;
• Qualitative research: Creating a guide; group discussion including exercise, project discussion
• Quantitative research: General, fundamentals, criteria
• Quantitative research: Survey options, selection process, sample
• Quantitative research: Creating a questionnaire, good and bad questions, question formats, answer formats;
• Exampels of questionnaries, introduction to a programm (creation of an online survey)
• Quantitative Research: Quantitative evaluation - introduction to the software SPSS (data entry, evaluation, graphic representation)
• Project presentation

Atteslander, P. (2003): Methoden der empirischen Sozialforschung (10. Aufl.). Berlin/New York: Walter de Gruyter Verlag.
Bortz, J./Döring, N. (2006): Forschungsmethoden und Evaluation für Human- und Sozialwissenschaftler (4. Aufl.). Heidelberg: Springer.
Flick, U. (2007): Qualitative Sozialforschung. Hamburg: Rowohlt Taschenbuchverlag.
Friedrichs, J. (1990): Methoden empirischer Sozialforschung (14. Aufl.). Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag.
Girtler, R. (2001): Methoden der Feldforschung. Wien: UTB-Verlag.
Kromrey, H. (2009): Empirische Sozialforschung (12. Aufl.). Stuttgart: Lucius & Lucius Verlagsgesellschaft.
Zeisel, H./Jahoda, M./Lazarsfeld, P.F. (1933): Die Arbeitslosen von Marienthal. Ein soziographischer Versuch über die Wirkung langandauernder Arbeitslosigkeit. Berlin: Suhrcamp.

Moderated group work, lecture, discussion, case work

Integrative module examination
Assessment type: Continuous assessment
Assessment method/s: Participation in class, presentation, final written examination, small research project, research project report
Evaluation of module examinations:
45 % "Fundamentals of Empirical Social Research II": Small research project, research project report