Research Methods

Module code: ACFI 5010

Module description

The objectives of the module are:

• To provide an introduction to research methods and methodology
• To assist students in the production of a suitable research proposal for their masters thesis

Topics covered in the module include:

• Research design, principles and ethics
• Defining, planning and writing up your research
• Research methods - including observation, interviews, case studies, questionnaires, content analysis, secondary analysis and official statistics
• A roadmap for quantitative research
• Quantitative research - descriptive statistics, important distributions, sampling, estimation, replication, variance, Chi-squared, linear and multiple regressions
• Visualisation and presentation of results
• Mixed methods

You will have access to a range of software packages for data collection and analysis, including Excel, Bloomberg, Datastream, FAME and public datasets such as National Accounts and Balance of payment statistics.

Contact hours per student per year

• Seminars: 36 hours

Assessments

• Written research proposal: 60%
• Research methodology: 40%

Additional cost: No extra costs other than purchase of books