Last modified: 18 Dec 2025 10:16
This course familiarises students with quantitative research techniques commonly used in the social sciences. It begins by covering the basic concepts underlying quantitative methods and the fundamental statistical techniques used for analysing relationships between two variables. The main part of the course focuses on multiple regression analysis, perhaps the most widely used technique in quantitative social science research. Students gain practical knowledge by undertaking two research reports to assess a substantive topic of their choosing.
| Study Type | Postgraduate | Level | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 30 credits (15 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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This course familiarises students with quantitative research techniques commonly used in the social sciences. The first part of the course covers fundamental statistical concepts, the basic logic underlying quantitative methods, and simple techniques for analysing relationships between two variables. The second part of the course focuses on multiple regression analysis, perhaps the most widely used technique in quantitative social science research. Students learn which regression techniques are appropriate for given types of data and how to implement these techniques using the software programme SPSS. In terms of assessment, students identify a substantive topic and undertake a quantitative analysis to generate two research reports. These reports comprise the total assessment for the course.
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Learn to independently design and conduct quantitative research |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Be able to critically evaluate published quantitative research |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 40 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Apply | Gain hands-on experience using SPSS to analyse social science data |
| Conceptual | Understand | Understand the range of uses of regression analysis and similar quantitative analyses in the social sciences |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Two SPSS assessments. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Learn to independently design and conduct quantitative research |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Be able to critically evaluate published quantitative research |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 100 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Learn to independently design and conduct quantitative research |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | Be able to critically evaluate published quantitative research |
| Conceptual | Apply | Gain hands-on experience using SPSS to analyse social science data |
| Conceptual | Understand | Understand the range of uses of regression analysis and similar quantitative analyses in the social sciences |
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