Research Methods for Development

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

170 hours

200 point program:

Admission to 097AB Master of Development Studies and Completion of 100 points

150 point program:

Admission to 097AB Master of Development Studies and Completion of 50 points

Students enrolling in this subject must have completed a Bachelor of Arts degree or equivalent.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject will focus on understanding a variety of research methods, and assessing the evidence produced from these methods as they apply to development research, in order to identify the strengths/weaknesses and validity of development research findings. The subject will give attention to the challenges of designing and conducting research in developing contexts and understanding of the various stages of research, particularly identifying the most appropriate and feasible approaches to data collection and analysis. It will include sessions on qualitative research techniques and a basic introduction to understanding and collecting quantitative data as well as mixed research methods. Students will gain insights into the debates between different disciplines on methodological approaches, and understanding the politics of knowledge in development research.

Students who successfully complete this subject should:

• Be familiar with various research strategies, methods and ethics in social research design and evaluation for development research purposes
• Be able to formulate a research design for investigating development issues, in a manner that is sensitive to different contexts, topics, and the needs of human subjects
• Acquire knowledge of how to select, analyse and synthesise relevant information
• Be able to understand and identify the strengths and weaknesses of different research approaches and related empirical findings
• Assess and compare different methodological foundations of different pieces of research on a given issue.

• A group assignment (equivalent of 500 words per student) (20%) due during semester.
• A 2500 word research design essay (45%) due during semester.
• A 2000 word critical analysis essay (35%) due late in semester (Week 10 or 11, depending on the semester).

Hurdle requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 80% of classes in order to pass this subject. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

A reading list will be provided by the subject coordinator.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Students who successfully complete this subject should:

• demonstrate relevance of the topic to broader development debates;
• gain and understanding of field methods appropriate for development.