This course offers the applied part to the lecture “Introduction to Empirical Social Research”. The course is designed to assist students in deepening their knowledge and skills acquired in the lecture.

In this course, students will learn the basic logic of research designs and discuss a selection of statistical and causal analysis of real world phenomena frequently used in empirical social research. The focus lies on the conversion of theoretical practices into empirical studies using a modern “Big Data” approach. The course develops a critical point of view regarding the right research design.

Graduates of this course are able to deal with methodological approaches and scientific findings. In addition, they should gain a better understanding of the conception and the course of a research process and be able to adequately apply basic concepts of empirical social research using “Big Data”.

Attendance in this course is compulsory in line with standard rules for absence in practice courses (VUE). More detailed information on absenteeism will be explained in the first unit. Students are required to attend the first constitutive session of the seminar.

The course units are based on a mix of different teaching methods, such as: Interactive Lecture using a tutoring approach to support students in their empirical research approach

•         Interactive group exercises
•         Set up of the research design
•          Presentations of results

In addition, students regularly write assignments for the preparation or reflection of the LV units.

Overall course performance will be evaluated based on two components:

- Several brief written assignments such as reflection tasks or readings comprehensions (60 %), and

- A written essay at the end of the semester (40 %).

Grading / Notenschlüssel:

0-50%: Insufficient; 50.1-62.5% Sufficient; 62.6-75% Satisfactory; 75.1-87.5% Good; 87.6-100% Excellent

In order to pass the course, students need to receive a positive evaluation (i.e. more than half of the points) on each of

20 Plätze werden nach dem first-come-first-serve-Prinzip vergeben. Nach Ablauf der Anmeldefrist werden die restlichen Plätze an Studierende von der Warteliste vergeben, wobei der Studienfortschritt ausschlaggebend ist.