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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS RESEARCH METHODS - IRS288 Spring 2025
Course
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Pelin Musil
Lessons
Here is the course outline:
1. Introduction to Research Methods
Jan 30, 3.26
What is good research? What is methodology? What is a research design? |
2. How to Formulate a Research Question and a Research Strategy
Feb 6, 3.26
What makes a research question significant? What is a normative, what is an empirical question? Deductive and inductive approaches |
3. How to Start Searching for an Answer to a Research Question
Feb 13, 3.26
The use of literature and theory |
4. What is a Case, Case Study? (Make-up session for Feb. 20)
Feb 14, 3.26
Case Study vs. Quantitative Research |
5. Single Case Studies: Process-Tracing and the Congruence Method
Feb 27, 3.26
The study of ONE case |
6. Comparative Case Studies
Mar 6, 3.26
Comparing two or more cases from one period or from many time periods) |
7. Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) - Part I
Mar 13, 3.26
Qualitative Content Analysis |
8. Mid-Term Exam
Mar 20, 3.26
Mid-Term Exam |
9. Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) – Part II (make-up session for April 3)
Mar 21, 3.26
Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) |
10. Discourse Analysis
Apr 10, 3.26
What is discourse? How is discourse analysis done? |
11. Combining QCA with Discourse Analysis
Apr 17, 3.26
Combining QCA with Discourse Analysis |
12. Interviews
Apr 24, 3.26
What are interviews? What are types of interviews? How to select interviewees? How to prepare interview questions? How to analyze interview data? |
13. Triangulation
May 15, 3.26
When and how can we triangulate interviews with textual analysis (QCA / discourse analysis)? |
14. Final Essay
May 20, 3.26
Research Design Evaluation in Class |