Research Methodology

Code:

2MiF15

Acronym:

RM

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Management Studies

Instance: 2023/2024 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Finance

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIF	36	Official Syllabus after 2020-2021	2	-	3	21	81

Teaching language

English

Objectives

To enable students to apply the knowledge acquired during the first year of the Master's in Finance program to write their dissertation proposal.

 

 

Learning outcomes and competences

At the final essay, the student is expected to:

- clearly identify the research question(s) and discuss the gap/opening question he wants to study in its master dissertation;

- fully perform a literature review and systematize the relevant literature in a main framework;

- justifiably identify the methodology suitable to analyze the problem in research (based in the relevant literature)

- plan the research work through a chronogram.

Working method

B-learning

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

n/a

Program

Part I - RESEARCH PROCESS

1. Stages of the research process

• Research question
• Exploration and exploratory readings
• Problems (theoretical): theories and concepts
• Construction of the model of analysis and preparation of theoretical hypotheses
• Selection and application of methods and techniques
• Analysis and processing of information
• Conclusion

2. Scientific writing

• Formal rules of a dissertation / report
• Presentation and discussion of a scientific paper
• Academic Integrity

3. Bibliometrics

• Bibliographic databases
• Bibliometric indicators
• Bibliometrics as a support tool to the literature review

 Part II - RESEARCH METHODS

4. Surveys and sampling

• Survey questionnaire and sampling
• quantitative databases

5A. Qualitative Methods

• Approaches: narrative, phenomenology, ethnography, case study, action research and design of the empirical study
• Negotiate access
• Data collection methods (interview, focus groups, critical incident technique, observation using secondary sources)
• Data analysis and writing qualitative studies
• Introduction to the software NVivo to support the analysis of data

5B. Quantitative Methods

• Data analysis: descriptive and statistical inference statistics

Part III – Tutorials

Mandatory literature

Saunders, Mark; Lewis, Philip and Thornhill, Adrian; Research Methods for Business Students, Prentice-Hall, Edinburgh, 2002
Bryman, Alan; Bell, Emma; Business Research Methods, Financial Times / Prentice Hall, London, 2006
To be Defined by the Lecturers of the Thematic subjects; Quantitative and Qualitative research methods

Teaching methods and learning activities

- Teaching sessions.

- Tutorial sessions for reflection, discussion and motivation for future work of dissertation project.

- Presentation and discussion of dissertation themes, intermediate dissertation project draft and final project.

 

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Participação presencial	0,00
Prova oral	40,00
Trabalho escrito	60,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Elaboração de projeto	18,00
Estudo autónomo	20,00
Frequência das aulas	18,00
Trabalho de investigação	25,00
Total:	81,00

Eligibility for exams

Produce the reports and make the presentations according the information below.

Calculation formula of final grade

Final Grade = 10% * Research Idea +  30% * Oral Presentation  + 60% * Research Proposal - Penalties


 Components of the assessment:

• [10%] Written document with a brief description of the research idea (max 2 pages); date: November 13, 2023
• [30%] Oral presentation of the research project (approx. 10 minutes); date: December 11, 2023
• [60%] Written report corresponding to the research proposal (max 15 pages). due date: January 23, 2024

• Penalties: it will be applied a penalty of 2 points (out of 20) per day for late deliveries of the assigments previously presented.

Examinations or Special Assignments

n/a

Internship work/project

n/a

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

n/a

Classification improvement

Not available

Observations

n/a