Research Methodology

Code:

MCI0027

Acronym:

MI

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Information Science

Instance: 2024/2025 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Web Page:	https://moodle2425.up.pt/course/view.php?id=5255
Responsible unit:	Department of Informatics Engineering
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Information Science

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MCI	11	Plano de estudos oficial	2	-	6	42	152

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

This course is designed to provide students with foundational knowledge and skills related to the methodological and technical principles and tools used in research activities across various contexts. Specifically, it aims to assist students in the planning and methodological aspects of their Dissertation.

Learning outcomes and competences

By the end of this curriculum unit, students will be able to:

Prepare for Research
- Conduct a literature review
- Conduct a state of the art review
- Define objective trees

Design a Research Project
- Formulate research questions
- Define research hypotheses
- Decide about the research type/paradigm
- Choose appropriate data collection and analysis methods and techniques

Collect Data
- Plan and conduct interviews
- Design and implement surveys using questionnaires
- Plan and execute focus groups
- Plan and apply ethnographic methods

Analyse Data
- Analyze content, narrative, and discourse
- Perform quantitative data analysis using statistical methods

Communicate Research Results
- Define the format and structure of a research report, scientific paper, or dissertation

Manage a Dissertation Project
- Break down a project into tasks based on objectives
- Estimate task duration and create a project schedule
- Monitor and control task progress

Working method

Presencial

Program

Part 1: Starting the Research Process
- Major research paradigms 
- Reviewing literature 
- Defining the research 
- The research proposal 
- Sampling  

Part 2: Research Methods
- Case studies 
- Surveys 
- Ethnography 
- Action research 
- Historical research 
- Grounded theory

Part 3: Data Collection Techniques
- Interviews 
- Questionnaires 
- Observation 
- Focus groups 
- Analysis of existing, externally created material 

Part 4: Data Analysis and Research Presentation
- Qualitative analysis 
- Quantitative analysis 
- Presenting the research

Mandatory literature

ALISON JANE PICKARD; Research Methods in Information, Facet Publishing, 2013. ISBN: 9781856048132

Complementary Bibliography

Yin, Robert K.; Case study research. ISBN: 0-8039-5663-0

Teaching methods and learning activities

The sessions of this course are structured, between the lecturer's presentation and the execution of practical exercises, around previous readings that illustrate the various topics on the syllabus. These readings come from multiple sources to describe the different types of knowledge sources, scientific communities, and approaches, encouraging discussion and the development of critical thinking.

This course is articulated with the Dissertation course, enabling project-based learning with richer assessment components.

Software

Overleaf
SPSS 11
NVivo

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Trabalho escrito	30,00
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	20,00
Teste	10,00
Trabalho prático ou de projeto	40,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Elaboração de projeto	20,00
Estudo autónomo	15,00
Frequência das aulas	42,00
Trabalho de investigação	30,00
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	15,00
Elaboração de relatório/dissertação/tese	30,00
Total:	152,00

Eligibility for exams

Students must not exceed 25% of absences from the theoretical-practical classes.

Calculation formula of final grade

CEDME - CEDME module
Vid - Pitch Video
T - Test
ApFinal - Final Presentation
Mg - Technical Report

Final Classification = round (20% CEDME + 10% T + 20% Vid + 30% Mg + 20% ApFinal)

Each student will pass the course if the final classification ≥ 10 and Mg ≥ 10.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Conclusion of all assessment components.

Classification improvement

Improving the classification of all assessment components through course attendance is allowed.

Observations

To complete the proposed activities, students must be enrolled in the Dissertation course and have a topic and supervisor.