Teacher(s)
Language
French
Content
The seminar is aimed at first-year students in the Master 120 programs in public administration and political science, international relations orientation. Its aim is to help these students design and implement a reasoned research strategy for their final dissertation.
The overall approach is designed to enable students to draw on the knowledge and know-how acquired at university as to lay the foundations for a scientific study of a given phenomenon in a rigorous manner, using the appropriate social science tools (approach, relevant literature, methodology, appropriate theoretical tools, etc.).
The seminar is organized according to the main stages of a research work, some of which will be explored in greater depth in the 2nd part of the seminar (2nd year).
It begins with a brief reminder of what social science research is, the main requirements and challenges of such work, and the importance of choosing a promoter.
The seminar then looks at :
The seminar also reviews the empirical and analytical dimensions of any dissertation, and links them to the question of the data to be collected or produced, and the theoretical approach and/or concepts likely to provide the analytical tools needed to make sense of the empirical data.
It lays the foundations for theorizing and methodology (two dimensions that will be explored in greater depth in the MSPOL2211 seminar in Master 2), by working in greater depth on the former. Among these, the seminar places particular emphasis on the requirements of bibliography and ethics, putting into perspective the trust that can be placed in existing works, depending on their origin. It also raises students' awareness of plagiarism and the deceptive ease of artificial intelligence.
The seminar also shows how to dissect a scientific text, how to carry out a "state of the art" or "literature review", i.e. a sort of inventory of what has been written on the subject and, accordingly, what remains to be written, and how to identify and appropriate the relevant theoretical literature.
The overall approach is designed to enable students to draw on the knowledge and know-how acquired at university as to lay the foundations for a scientific study of a given phenomenon in a rigorous manner, using the appropriate social science tools (approach, relevant literature, methodology, appropriate theoretical tools, etc.).
The seminar is organized according to the main stages of a research work, some of which will be explored in greater depth in the 2nd part of the seminar (2nd year).
It begins with a brief reminder of what social science research is, the main requirements and challenges of such work, and the importance of choosing a promoter.
The seminar then looks at :
- the stakes involved in choosing a "subject" for a problem that challenges the student (the puzzle)
- and on the usefulness of thinking about this problem in terms of a "type of phenomenon", so as to be able to situate it in a specific discipline and field of study (or at the crossroads of several disciplines and/or fields).
The seminar also reviews the empirical and analytical dimensions of any dissertation, and links them to the question of the data to be collected or produced, and the theoretical approach and/or concepts likely to provide the analytical tools needed to make sense of the empirical data.
It lays the foundations for theorizing and methodology (two dimensions that will be explored in greater depth in the MSPOL2211 seminar in Master 2), by working in greater depth on the former. Among these, the seminar places particular emphasis on the requirements of bibliography and ethics, putting into perspective the trust that can be placed in existing works, depending on their origin. It also raises students' awareness of plagiarism and the deceptive ease of artificial intelligence.
The seminar also shows how to dissect a scientific text, how to carry out a "state of the art" or "literature review", i.e. a sort of inventory of what has been written on the subject and, accordingly, what remains to be written, and how to identify and appropriate the relevant theoretical literature.
Teaching methods
The seminar is based on a participatory learning approach.
It alternates between different strategies, and relies on interaction between teachers and students, as well as possible external contributors:
It alternates between different strategies, and relies on interaction between teachers and students, as well as possible external contributors:
- In ex-cathedra sessions, the teaching team outlines the knowledge and skills required to complete the thesis;
- In some cases, students are required to prepare in advance, and certain key skills are practiced directly during the seminar;
- Some interactions enable students to present an intermediate version of their final individual work, based on what they have learned in the preceding sessions. Comments are then made by the teaching team and, where appropriate, by other students ('peer review').
Evaluation methods
Assessment is based on active student participation during the various sessions and in preparation (sometimes written) for these sessions (40% of the final grade), as well as on a final paper (60%). This individual work must demonstrate the student's ability to acquire the skills required to design and implement a reasoned research strategy for the final dissertation. It represents an already detailed version of the dissertation form that students are required to submit in the first year of the Master's program.
To assess whether the requirements for individual work have been met, the teaching team relies on the mobilization, in the work, of the knowledge and skills presented and exercised during the seminar sessions, as well as comments made on the intermediate versions of the work. The final paper of 4000-5000 words is to be submitted on the Student Corner. Detailed instructions will be provided at a later date. Dates are specified in the course outline below.
To assess whether the requirements for individual work have been met, the teaching team relies on the mobilization, in the work, of the knowledge and skills presented and exercised during the seminar sessions, as well as comments made on the intermediate versions of the work. The final paper of 4000-5000 words is to be submitted on the Student Corner. Detailed instructions will be provided at a later date. Dates are specified in the course outline below.
Bibliography
- Blaikie, N., & Priest, J. (2018). Designing social sesearch: The logic of anticipation. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.
- Coman, R. et. al. (2016), Méthodes de la science politique. De la question de départ à l'analyse des données, Bruxelles, Belgique: De Boek.
- Flick, U. (2018). An introduction to qualitative research. London, UK: Sage.
- Kumar, R. (2019). Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners. London, UK: Sage.
- Van Campenhoudt, L. & Quivy, R., Marquet, J. (2016), Manuel de recherche en sciences sociales. Paris, France : Dunod.
Teaching materials
- Les supports de cours sont déposés sur le Student Corner.
Faculty or entity
