About the Course :
The course covers all the conceptual and methodological issues that go into successful conduction of research. That includes philosophy of science, the methodological issues in measurement, proposing and testing hypotheses, scientific communication and the ethical issues in the practice of science.Course layout:
Week 1: Philosophy of Science (subjective versus objective, materialism versus idealism, causality, etc.)
Week 2: Logical Reasoning (inductive logic, deductive logix, syllogistic logic)
Week 3: History of development of science and the influence of philosophy
Week 4: What Scientists Actually Do
Week 5: Forming a Hypothesis
Week 6: Techniques of Scientific Measurement
Week 7: Testing of hypothesis
Week 8: Methods of Theoretical Research
Week 9: The Art of Scientific Communication
Week 10: Presentation in Seminars and Conferences
Week 11: Sponsored Research
Week 12: Ethical Conduct in Science
Books and references
Soumitro Banerjee, Research
Methodology for Natural Sciences, IISc Press, 2022.
Available through https://www.amazon.in/dp/
ABOUT THE COURSE :
This course will provide training in some methodological approaches in Development studies and Development research that will equip the students into applying them in their dissertations or project evaluations. Applied and practice oriented issues in development research methods will be taken up by focusing on the differences in qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods research. Anyone who is interested in development issues and undertaking development research is encouraged to enroll.
Course layout
Week 1,2: Different types of Development Studies: forms of studies and typical research questions; development research-development work continuum
Week 3,4: Development Research Methods: Ethics and Values; Understanding the ‘field’ and the ‘fieldworker’; qualitative development research methods (interviews, focus groups, participatory methods and approaches, diaries and case studies)
Week 5,6: Research methods and possible combinations: quantitative methods; mixed methods; interdisciplinary perspectives; problem analysis in logical framework approach
Week 7,8: Selected development issues and approaches: evolving approaches in poverty evaluation; gender analysis and approaches to gender mainstreaming; challenges of implementing rights based approaches; social capital assessments
Books and references
1.Mikkelsen, B. (2005), Methods for Development Work and Development Research, second ed., SAGE.
2.Desai, V. and Potter Robert B. (2006), Doing Development Research, SAGE.
3.Thomas A. and Mohan G. (2007), Research Skills for Policy and Development. How to find out fast, Sage Publications.
4.Sumner, A. and Tribe, M. (2008), International Development Studies: Theories and Methods in Research and Practice, Sage London.
5.M. N. Srinivas, (1979), The Fieldworker and the Field: Problems and Challenges in Sociological Investigation, Oxford India.
About the Course:
The value of writing, one of the four language skills, has never waned. Many people, although having excellent verbal talents, struggle to demonstrate their writing abilities. Because writing reflects a writer even when he is not there and has no room for interpretation, mastering this craft is essential. The purpose of this writing course is to familiarise students with the nuances of effective writing so that they can better understand the subtle art of writing. It allows them to write with clarity, precision, and subtlety to express their ideas on various occasions while considering the concepts of appropriateness and accuracy.
Course layout
Topics :
- Introduction to Effective Writing
- Effective Writing as an Art
- Principles of Effective Writing
- Types and Stages of Effective Writing
- Notions of Correctness and Appropriateness, Part I
- Notions of Correctness and Appropriateness, Part II
- Essay Writing
- Types of Essays
- Essentials of Academic Writing, Part I
- Essentials of Academic Writing, Part II
- Business Writing and its Functions
- Mechanics of Business Writing
- Business Letters and Memos
- Format of Business Letters and Memos
- Types of Business Letter
- Sales, Complaint and Adjustment Letters
- Report Writing
- Strategies and Structure of Reports
- Style of Report Writing
- Creative Writing
Books and references
1.Turk,
Christopher and John Kirkman. Effective Writing. London and New York: Chapman
& Hall. Indian Reprint 2003
2.Pinker, Steven. The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in
the 21st Century . Penguin Books, Reprint edition ,2015
3.Seely, John. Oxford Guide to Effective Writing and Speaking. OUP 2nd edition,
2005
4.Goins, Jeff. You Are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One). Tribe Press
5.Brohaugh, William. Write Tight: Say Exactly What You Mean with Precision and
Power.
6.Janzer. Anne. The Writer's Process: Getting Your Brain in Gear. Cuesta Park
Consulting, 2016
7.King, Stephen. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. Scribner, 2010