Postgraduate Course: Research Design for Science, Technology and Innovation Studies (PGT) (STIS11006)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Research Design for STIS introduces students to the particular conceptual frameworks and methodologies developed by Science, Technology and Innovation Studies (STIS) an interdisciplinary field with a distinctive approach to understanding science and technology in their social context. You will be taught by a team of experienced lecturers and researchers who, drawing from key methodological and epistemological standpoints, will work with you to explore research design strategies leading to a dissertation proposal. |
| Course description |
This research design course offers students the opportunity to develop the analytic and methodological point of view of Science, Technology and Innovation Studies. It invites students to interrogate and reflect on how to analyse the social dimensions and implications of science and technology, culminating in a dissertation proposal at the end of the semester.
The course will cover topics such as:
methodological perspectives in the study of science and society; defining and interrogating the research question; the right method for the right question; the ethics of researching people in science and technology and their things studying science and difference (for instance, around gender and race); historiography and the study of science and technology; case study approaches; ethnographies of people and things; data science as a process; the researcher and reflexivity.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 10 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 30,
Online Activities 12,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 1,
Formative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
151 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Research Design Portfolio 40%
Dissertation Proposal 60% (students must pass this component to pass the course) |
| Feedback |
Students will receive regular feedback on the formative assessment submitted as the course progresses. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate an extensive and critical understanding of the epistemological and methodological principles that underpin the social studies of science, technology and innovation
- Appraise and critically review different research design approaches and autonomously decide on a justified course of action
- Apply, selectively, a range of research skills in the formulation of the dissertation proposal with a view to plan and execute an original research project later on
- Understand and deal with the complexities of social research practice, namely on an ethical level
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Reading List
Daston, L., 2017, The History of Science and the History of Knowledge, KNOW: A Journal on the Formation of Knowledge 1(1), 131-154.
Felt,U., Fouché, R., Miller,C. A., Smith-Doerr, L. 2017, The Handbook of Science and Technology Studies, 4th edition, MIT Press: Cambridge Massachusetts.
Hyysalo, S., Pollock, N., Williams, R. 2019, Method Matters in the Social Study of Technology: Investigating the Biographies of Artifacts and Practices, Science and Technology Studies, 32 (3). Academic Description
Jasanoff, S. 2003, Technologies of Humility: Citizen Participation in Governing Science.Minerva41,223244 2003
Schutt, Rachel, and O'Neil, Cathy 2014,Doing Data Science: Straight Talk from the Frontline, Chapter2.Statistical Inference, Exploratory Data Analysis, and the Data Science Process. OReilly Media, Inc. CA. MSc |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Creative and critical thinking through understanding how research design shapes social research.
Digital skills: understanding the digital beyond the user perspective
Ethics and social responsibility: developing a reflective attitude and being self-aware of their responsibility as social researchers
Independent learning: increasing capacity for autonomous learning and development
Organisation and decision: organisation of information and decision-making in relation to research design
Communication and presentation of information in diverse formats, with different objectives and to different audiences |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Eugenia Rodrigues
Tel: (0131 6)51 4751
Email: Eugenia.Rodrigues@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | |
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