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Research Methods: Slavery and Emancipation in North America

Vak
2021-2022

Admission requirements

This course is only available for students in the BA International Studies programme.
The number of participants is limited to 24.
Some topics may have more than one group to choose from.

Description

Why do we conduct research and what are the possibilities and limitations of research in international studies? What does a good research question look like and how can I make sure I am designing and conducting a research project properly and ethically? These are common questions that students have and this course is designed with these questions in mind.
Understanding and conducting research are key components of the BA International Studies programme and this course introduces students to research methods within a specific theme. Building on skills gained in courses such as Academic Reading and Writing, the aim of this course is threefold: to provide a basic understanding of the philosophical assumptions and ethical principles of academic research; to equip students with key practical strategies and techniques for different types and processes of data collection, analysis, and interpretation; and to merge theory and practice by having students design, conduct, and write-up a small research project.
The course utilises a combination of general lectures and seminars. The lectures are attended by all students and are broadly applicable to research in the humanities and social sciences. They are meant to provide an overview of academic research, the logic and limitations of qualitative and quantitative methods, and a brief introduction to the philosophy of science and research ethics. The seminars provide a focused engagement based upon the research expertise of the seminar leader. The seminar meetings are meant to assist students in designing a small research project and writing up the tentative results in a research report. While each seminar is unique, all students will be introduced to field specific research design issues, multiple data collection and analysis methods, operationalising research questions, and how to structure and write a research report.

Theme of Seminar

This seminar examines the importance of archives to historical research. Archives, libraries, and historical repositories are containers of manuscript records, newspapers, and other documents from the past. Without question, they are essential sites for historians. That being said, archives and historical repositories also have their limitations. While important manuscript records, documents, and other primary sources have been preserved, others have been discarded or deemed less significant. How do archivists determine which sources are worth keeping? Why have some historical records been preserved while others have been lost to the passage of time? These questions are particularly important for scholars of slavery and emancipation in North America (and the history of African-descended people on the continent).

Moreover, archives are changing with the rise of digital technologies. Whereas manuscript records, newspapers, and other documents previously had to be examined at physical locations, the advent of digital archives and databases has dramatically transformed how historians conduct research. What is the role of archives in the 21st century? How has the emergence of digital technologies changed the kinds of materials that can be stored? And how does it change the ways in which we examine or interact with historical records? Digital archives and databases have unquestionably changed how historians of North American slavery and emancipation engage with historical records.

This seminar will investigate the role of archives (physical and digital) in studying histories of slavery and emancipation in North America. Students will be introduced to a range of relevant primary source materials, such as slave narratives, anti-slavery newspapers and fugitive slave advertisements. Furthermore, students will explore different approaches and methods for analyzing these historical records. Based on the readings and seminar discussions, students will be equipped with the necessary knowledge to complete a final research report.

Course objectives

The purpose of this course is to prepare students to understand, design, and conduct academic research. After successfully completing the course students will:

  • Understand the importance of academic research in acquiring knowledge and how this relates to the philosophy of science and the position of the researcher.

  • Be able to explain the logic and limitations of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research.

  • Possess the practical skills necessary for designing research, conducting research, and writing up a research report.

  • Understand how to formulate and operationalise research questions, address issues in research ethics, collect different types of data, and learn how to analyse and interpret collected data.

Timetable

The timetables are available through My Timetable.

Mode of instruction

Lectures

The three lectures will take place during weeks 36, 40, and 41.

Seminars

There are seven seminar sessions in this course (weeks 37, 38, 39, 42, 44, 45, and 49). Attending all seminar sessions is compulsory. If you are unable to attend a session, please inform your tutor in advance. Being absent at more than two of the seminar sessions will result in a lowering of your Research Report grade (75% of the end grade) with 0,5 point for each session missed after the first two sessions.

Assessment method

Assessment & Weighing

Partial Grade Weighing
Research Design 25%
Research Report 75%

End Grade

To successfully complete the course, please take note of the following:

  • The End Grade of the course is established by determining the weighted average of the Research Design and Research Report.

  • Please note that if the Research Report is lower than 5.5, you will not pass the course, regardless of the Research Design grade.

Resit

If the End Grade is insufficient (lower than a 6.0), or the Research Report is lower than 5.5, there is a possibility of retaking the 75% of the Research Report. No resit for the Research Design is possible.
Please note that if the Resit Report grade is lower than 5.5, you will not pass the course, regardless of the Research Design grade.

Students who score an overall insufficient grade for the course, are allowed resubmit a reworked version of the Research Report. The deadline for resubmission is 10 working days after receiving the grade for the report and subsequent feedback. In case of resubmission of the report, the final grade for the report will be lowered as a consequence of the longer process of completion.

Students who fail to hand in their Research Report on or before the original deadline, but still within 5 working days of that deadline, will receive a grade and feedback on their report. This will be considered a first submission of the report, however, the grade will be lowered as a consequence of the longer process of completion.

Students who fail to hand in their Research Report on or before the original deadline, and also fail to hand in their report within 5 working days of that deadline, get 10 working days, counting from the original deadline, to hand in the first version of their report. However, this first version counts as a resubmitted report with consequential lowering of the grade, and there will be no option of handing in a reworked version based on feedback from the lecturer.

Retaking a passing grade

Retaking a passing grade is not possible for this course.
Please consult the Course and Examination Regulations 2021 – 2022.

Exam review and feedback

How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organised.

Reading list

  • W. Lawrence Neuman, Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches (7th Edition)

This text will be utilized for the lectures. While some thematic seminars may also use this text, any additional literature will be announced on Brightspace before the start of the course.

Registration

Registration occurs via survey only. Registration opens 19 July 2021:

1) On 19 July 2021 you will receive a message with a link to the survey.
2) Indicate there which are your 5 preferred Research Methods courses, in order of preference.
3) Based on preferences indicated by 2 August 2021 the Coordinator will assign you to one specific Research Methods course by 23 August 2021.
4) Students will then be enrolled for the specific groups by the Administration Office.
5) All students are required to enrol for their group in Brightspace to access all course information.

Students cannot register in uSis for the Research Methods courses, or be allowed into a Research Methods course in any other way.

Contact

Remarks

The deadline for submission of the Research Report is Friday, 7 January 2022.