Course Information
SemesterCourse Unit CodeCourse Unit TitleT+P+LCreditNumber of ECTS CreditsLast Updated Date
2SBU504Political Science Research Methods3+0+03905.01.2026
Course Details
Language of Instruction Turkish
Level of Course Unit Master's Degree
Department / Program Political Science and International Relations (With Thesis)
Type of Program Formal Education
Type of Course Unit Compulsory
Course Delivery Method Face To Face
Objectives of the Course • Appling common research methodologies used in social sciences
• Being able to make sense of the method sections of journal articles
• Being able to manage a research paper project at the graduate level
Course Content This course addresses the major concepts and approaches in the field of research methods with a focus on political science discipline at the graduate level. We will examine topics, such as theories, hypotheses, variables, conceptualization, operationalization, measurement, elements of research design, qualitative methods, quantitative research methods and means of analysis, research ethics. A student who completed this course will have a general understanding of the nature of writing academic articles, master’s thesis, and doctoral dissertation.
Course Methods and Techniques 1. This class is planned to be held in-person format based on lectures and discussions.

2. This course is planned for working on ten distinct topics related to conducting academic research as seen in the weekly schedule.

3. You are expected to read the relevant textbook sections, articles, and videos and prepare for the class beforehand. I might share PPT files, or any other additional sources whenever I use them.

4. This class will be intensive in measuring what you learned via quizzes, midterm, writing assignments, and final exams.

5. In general, a student should plan on spending at least 5-6 hours a week dedicated to the course preparation.
Prerequisites and co-requisities None
Course Coordinator None
Name of Lecturers Asist Prof.Dr. Mehmet Önder https://sbu.hku.edu.tr/akademik-personel/ https://sbu.hku.edu.tr/akademik-personel/
Assistants None
Work Placement(s) No

Recommended or Required Reading
Resources Introduction to Political Science Research Methods - 1st Edition (2020). Josh Franco et al.
Course Notes The rules and regulations that I mentioned below apply to all the courses that I teach. So, they are pretty much standardized for me. Please do not take personal. I have determined these points based on my lecturing experiences so far. I am more than happy to discuss them with you in-person or via email if you have any questions. Here we go:

1. I might frequently send e-mail to the class participants using the e-mail list, if provided, or the online portal that enables me to send announcements. Given my experience for the first semester, these systems might not be working properly given internet connection issues, system maintenance, and the like. Thus, I recommend you report your HKU email accounts to me. Note that if you do not read the email sent to your university account, you need to have your email forwarded to your alternative email address since you are responsible for all the information I will be distributing to the class via email.

2. The preferred way to reach me is through email. Also, please include the course code before your topic in the subject line when emailing. You can typically expect a response within 24 hours, and please show me the same courtesy.


Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods
Activities are given in detail in the section of "Assessment Methods and Criteria" and "Workload Calculation"

Assessment Methods and Criteria
In-Term Studies Quantity Percentage
Mid-terms 1 % 35
Assignment 1 % 15
Final examination 1 % 50
Total
3
% 100

 
ECTS Allocated Based on Student Workload
Activities Quantity Duration Total Work Load
Course Duration 15 3 45
Assignments 1 40 40
Mid-terms 1 85 85
Final examination 1 100 100
Total Work Load   Number of ECTS Credits 9 270

 
Course Learning Outcomes: Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
NoLearning Outcomes
1 Being familiar with the seminal studies in the field of political science and international relations. Also, being familiar with the major concepts, models, and approaches in the discipline.
2 Being able to evaluate, interpret, and examine quantitative and qualitative research methods and create solutions by using these approaches whenever needed.
3 Being able to obtain the correct information, data, and research sources and prepare reports according to his or her research topic.
4 Being able to conduct academic research as a team leader or complete responsibilities as part of a team in a successful manner.
5 Being able to appreciate and successfully implement social responsibilities as a researcher in terms of individual, social, and citizenship aspects.
6 Being able to behave in a way that is consistent with the social, cultural, scientific and ethical aspects.

 
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
WeekTopicsStudy MaterialsMaterials
1 Course logistics, expectations, syllabus, organization. N/A N/A
2 The nature of academic research We will start slowly but in an accelerated way over time. We will be on our usual speed after the end of week#3. Make sure to get your textbook and be fully prepared when we are in the third week. Readings: No assigned readings Homework: Bring a selected published article on political science to the class. It is preferable if selected from a Scopus or Web of Science indexed journal. For example, International Interactions, International Organization, Digest of Middle East Studies, and the like. Note that this can be any article. We will examine it together. N/A
3 Dersin Temeli • Critical considerations when conducting academic research. • What is research method about? • Discussion of some foundational research method skills Readings (Read them before coming to the class): 5 Political Science Research Methods You Should Know About https://sellametrics.com/blog/political-science-research-methods?utm_source=chatgpt.com Can Science Predict Political Turmoil? https://www.huffpost.com/entry/can-science-predict-polit_b_8911552 Check these websites: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/resources.html https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/web/pages/ Introduction to Political Science Research Methods - 1st Edition (2020).
4 The Selection of a Research Approach • Plans and procedures for research • Making decisions on research approaches • Examination of certain research methods Crewell & Creswell, Ch. 2
5 Literature Review Literature Review • Preliminary considerations before launching into a proposal or project • Selecting a research topic • Addressing the general purpose for using literature • Designing literature into qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies Crewell & Creswell, Ch. 2
6 Theoretical Framework • Testing causal claims in quantitative research • Identifying variables in a quantitative study • Defining the nature of a quantitative theory • Using a script to write a theoretical perspective into a quantitative study • Considering the types of theories used in qualitative research • Placing theories in a qualitative study • Placing a theoretical lens into a mixed methods study Crewell & Creswell, Ch. 3
7 Writing Strategies and Ethical Considerations • Assessing the structure of a proposal for qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies • Using writing strategies for drafting a proposal • Developing a habit of writing • Constructing umbrella thoughts, big thoughts, little thoughts, and attention thoughts in writing • Developing writing consistency through the hook-and-eye technique • Using principles of writing good prose • Anticipating ethical issues in many phases of the research process Crewell & Creswell, Ch. 4
8 Midterm Exam - -
9 Tasarım Araştırma Tanıtımı • Discussion of a model for writing a good scholarly introduction to your proposal • Designing an abstract for a study • Developing a systematic method for designing a scholarly introduction to a proposal or study Crewell & Creswell, Ch. 5
10 Statement of the Research Purpose • Discussing the most important statement (i.e., purpose statement) in the entire research process • Learning how to write this statement for quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies, • Examination of some scripts that help you design and write these statements. Crewell & Creswell, Ch. 6
11 Research Questions and Hypotheses • Questions and hypotheses addressed by the researcher serve to narrow and focus the purpose of the study. • Developing a set of research questions and hypotheses. • Distinguishing qualitative and quantitative research questions and hypotheses. • Examination of some examples serve as scripts to illustrate these processes. Crewell & Creswell, Ch. 7
12 Quantitative Methods • Understanding the processes of collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and writing the results of a study with a focus on quantitative methods. • Learning specific procedures for designing survey or experimental methods that need to go into a research proposal. • Developing checklists on quantitative methods. Crewell & Creswell, Ch. 8
13 Qualitative Methods • Understanding the processes of collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and writing the results of a study with a focus on qualitative methods. • Learning specific procedures on qualitative methods for designing survey or experimental methods that need to go into a research proposal. • Developing qualitative methods checklists. Crewell & Creswell, Ch. 9
14 Mixed Methods Procedures • Mixed methods involve the collection and “mixing” or integration of both quantitative and qualitative data in a study. • Defining mixed methods research and the core characteristics that describe it. • Exploring the three core designs in mixed methods research in terms of their characteristics, data collection and analysis features, and approaches for interpreting and validating the research. • Discussing the decisions needed to determine which one of the designs would be best for your mixed methods project. • Develop a checklist to review to determine whether you incorporated all of the essential steps in your proposal or project. Crewell & Creswell, Ch. 10
15 Final Exam - -

 
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10 P11
All 1 4 1 1 2
C1 1 5 1 3 5
C2 5 3 1 2 2
C3 2 4 2 5 3 2 3
C4 3 4 4
C5 4 2 5 5 2 5
C6 4 3 4

  Contribution: 1: Very Slight 2:Slight 3:Moderate 4:Significant 5:Very Significant