Quantitative Research Methods (251043)

Learning Outcomes

1.    Promote understanding of the nature of quantitative scientific research in social sciences and humanities;
2.    Encourage critical reading and analysis of scientific research reports;
3.    Enable for the correct planning of a scientific investigation of a quantitative nature, with all its fundamental steps.

Study Program

1.    Science and the principles underlying the construction of scientific knowledge
1.1.    The characteristics of scientific knowledge
1.2.    The steps of a scientific research work
1.3.    Ethical principles of an investigation with human beings
2.    From general research questions to the formulation of scientific problems
2.1.    Concept clarification: constructs, variables and operational definitions
2.2.    Research problems: nature, sources, refinement and formulation
2.3.    Literature review and its main steps 
3.    Hypotheses as possible answers to test empirically
3.1.    Formulation of hypotheses, types and characteristics
3.2.    Fundamental concepts involved
4.    The architecture of research work
4.1.    Experimental research and non-experimental research: possible types of plans and their characteristics, potentials and limits
4.2.    Internal validity and external validity

Bibliography

MAIN REFERENCES: 

Amado, J. (2017). Manual de Investigação em Ciências Sociais. Gradiva.
Coutinho, C. (2018). Metodologia de Investigação em Ciências Sociais e Humanas: Teoria e Prática. Edições Almedina.
Pocinho, M. (2012). Metodologia de investigação e comunicação do conhecimento científico. Lidel