Research is critical to what geographers do and this module teaches research skills through practice. In the first semester, students will attend weekly lectures and practical sessions that introduce key qualitative research techniques such as ethnography, interviewing and visual and textual analysis. You will read an ethnography book of your choice throughout semester A, making notes and thinking through how the author has designed, developed and conducted their study. The module will also enable you to practice using different methods in the design and conduct of your own small study. The second semester will strengthen your theoretical understanding, and advance your abilities to connect theory and method in doing research, helping you to design a nuanced and critically engaged project for your dissertation. In the latter part of semester B, you will practice with quantitative methods, understanding hypothesis development and representative sampling in constructing a survey questionnaire. The module will provide you with the foundational methodological skills for developing your Independent Geographical Study (IGS).
