Techniques of Essay Writing PDF Print

Techniques of Essay Writing- 4 ECTS

Yiouli Papadiamantaki

Course description

Seminar with practical orientation. The following topics are analysed and discussed.

  • The context of research. Epistemology, ontology and their relation to structuring research question(s). Different paradigms: Positivism and hermeneutics.
  • The relation between theory and method. Τhe steps of the research. Planning research. Bibliographic research – references – footnotes and endnotes
  • The research question(s) – Conceptualisation – Operationalisation of concepts. Practical examples.
  • The research design – selecting the appropriate methodology – constructing a questionnaire, constructing an interview guide. Quantitative and qualitative data analysis with practical examples
  • The structure of an essay: Presenting research results and conclusions.

Objectives

  • The familiarisation of students with methods and techniques necessary for writing a research project.
  • To understand how epistemological paradigms influence the phrasing of a research question, the methodologies selected and the planning of research.
  • To understand, handle and solve problems that arise in the context of a small scale research project.

Learning outcomes

Αt the end of the seminar the students should have developed basic research competences and specifically they should be able to:

  • Phrase suitable research questions
  • Develop a realistic research design
  • Construct methodological tools
  • Present the outline of a research project

Structure:

7 three-hour seminars.

Students’ Assessment

Portfolio. Students select a topic for research and are asked to set up a portfolio that exhibits their efforts, progress, and achievement during the development of a research design.  The portfolio must provide evidence of student’s self- reflection regarding the included material and must justify the reasoning behind phrasing a research question in a particular way, the criteria used during the selection of the suggested methodology, the merits of the methodological tool proposed for the particular project.

Bibliography:

Cohen, L., Manion, L., Morrison, K., Research Methods in Education, Metaihmio, Athens, 2007 (translated in Greek).
Βell Judith, Doing your Research Project: A Guide for First-Time Researchers in Education, Health and Social Science, Metaihmio, Athens, 2007 (translated in Greek).
Filias, V., Tsaoussis, D., Introduction to the Methods and Techniques of Social Science Research, Library of Social Science and Social Policy, 2005 (in Greek).
Kyriazi, N., The Sociological Research: Critical Overview of the Methods and the Techniques, Greek Scientific Publications, Athens, 1998 (in Greek).