Checking date: 28/04/2020


Course: 2019/2020

Research Methodology in Digital Information
(17455)
Bachelor in Management of Information and Digital Contents (Plan: 376 - Estudio: 340)


Coordinating teacher: SANZ CASADO, ELIAS

Department assigned to the subject: Library and Information Sciences Department

Type: Basic Core
ECTS Credits: 6.0 ECTS

Course:
Semester:

Branch of knowledge: Social Sciences and Law



It is intended that students access to a basic theoretical knowledge to understand what scientific activity consists of, as well as practical knowledge to be able to apply them to different research processes. To achieve the proposed objective, in addition to offering a scientific perspective in the field of digital information, which allows expanding the scientific basis of this discipline, they are provided with the fundamental methodological tools that will help them plan, manage and evaluate the processes that are carry out in any organization in a scientific and professional manner. In order to achieve these objectives, the following competences will be acquired by students during the development of the subject: CB1: To adquire and understand knowledge in an area of study that starts from the base of general secondary education, and sometimes is at a level that, although supported by advanced textbooks, includes other aspects that involve knowledge of the vanguard of its field of study. CB3: To have the ability to obtain and interpret relevant data (usually within their area of study) to make judgments that include a reflection on relevant social, scientific or ethical issues. CB5: To develop those learning skills necessary to undertake further studies with a high degree of autonomy. CG2: To know the theories, principles and instruments, traditional and contemporary, of communication, organization and information management. CG4: To know the models and research methods in the field of digital information. CG5: To understand the basic methodology of research of sources, analysis and interpretation to achieve the integration of knowledge in an academic work. CT3: Be able to organize and plan your work, taking the right decisions based on the available information, obtaining and interpreting relevant data to make judgments and critical thinking within your area of study.
Description of contents: programme
1. Science and scientific knowledge 2. Social Sciences research 3. The different perspectives of information research 3. Stages of the research process: The problem 4. Stages of the research process: Hypotheses and variables 5. Stages of the research process: The design 6. Stages of the research process: Sample and the data collection 7. Presentation of the results 9. The role of the digital medium in research
Learning activities and methodology
Theoretical, theoretical-practical and practical classes: Acquisition of theoretical and practical knowledge (4 ECTS) through the theoretical and practical classes, teaching materials prepared by the teacher, online tutorials, specialized readings and comments on the readings, as well as the personal study of the students. It is related to the CB1, CB5, CG2, CG4 and CG5 competitions. Individual or group work of the student Acquisition of skills and abilities (2 ECTS) through practices in which the acquired knowledge will be applied for the design, development, obtaining of results, discussion and extraction of conclusions in a research work. It is related to the CB3, CB5, CG5 and CT3 competences.
Assessment System
  • % end-of-term-examination 60
  • % of continuous assessment (assigments, laboratory, practicals...) 40

Basic Bibliography
  • Alison, J. P. . Research Methods in Information. Facet Publishing. 2017
  • Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.). The Sage handbook of qualitative research. Sage. 2011
  • Dochartaigh, N. Ó. . Internet research skills.. Sage. 2012
  • Egghe, L., & Rousseau, R. . Introduction to informetrics: Quantitative methods in library, documentation and information science. Elsevier Science Publishers. 1990
  • Gauchi Risso, V.. Research methods used in library and information science during the 1970-2010. New Library World, 117(1/2), 74-93. 2016
  • Hernández Sampieri, R., Fernández Collado, C., & Baptista Lucio, P. . Metodología de la Investigación. Sexta Edición. Editorial Mc Graw Hill. México. 2014
  • Hesse-Biber, S. N., & Leavy, P. (Eds.). Handbook of emergent methods. Guilford Press. 2010
  • Hjørland, B.. Domain analysis in information science: eleven approaches¿traditional as well as innovative. Journal of documentation, 58(4), 422-462. 2002
  • Hjørland, B. . Library and information science: practice, theory, and philosophical basis. Information processing & management, 36(3), 501-531. 2000
  • López-Roldán, P., & Fachelli, S. . Metodología de la investigación social cuantitativa. Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès): Dipòsit Digital de Documents, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. 2015
  • Ruíz Olabuénaga, J. I. . Metodología de la investigación cualitativa. Universidad de Deusto. Bilbao. 2012
  • Sloan, L., & Quan-Haase, A. (Eds.) . The SAGE handbook of social media research methods. Sage. 2017
  • Togia, A., & Malliari, A. . Research Methods in Library and Information Science. InTech. 2017
  • Vaishnavi, V. K., & Kuechler, W. . Design Science Research Methods and Patterns: Innovating Information and Communication Technology, 2nd Edition. CRC Press. 2015
  • Walliman, N. . Research methods: The basics. Routledge. 2017
Additional Bibliography
  • Anderson, C. . The end of theory: The data deluge makes the scientific method obsolete. Wired magazine, 16(7), 16-07. 2008
  • Buchanan, E. A., & Ess, C. M. . Internet research ethics and the institutional review board: Current practices and issues. ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society, 39(3), 43-49. 2009
  • Couper, M. . Designing effective web surveys (Vol. 75). New York: Cambridge University Press. 2008
  • Gosling, S. D., & Johnson, J. A.. Advanced methods for conducting online behavioral research. American Psychological Association. 2010
  • Gunter, B., Nicholas, D., Huntington, P., & Williams, P. . Online versus offline research: implications for evaluating digital media. Aslib Proceedings, Vol. 54 (4), 229-239. 2002
  • Hanna, P. . Using internet technologies (such as Skype) as a research medium: A research note. Qualitative Research, 12(2), 239-242. 2012
  • Houghton, J., Steele, C., & Henty, M.. Research practices and scholarly communication in the digital environme. Learned Publishing, 17 , 231¿249. 2004
  • Hussein, A. . The use of triangulation in social sciences research: Can qualitative and quantitative methods be combined?. Journal of Comparative Social Work, 1, 1-12. 2009
  • Jensen, K. B. (Ed.). A handbook of media and communication research: Qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Routledge. 2013
  • Julien, H., Pecoskie, J. J., & Reed, K. . Trends in information behavior research, 1999¿2008: A content analysis. Library & Information Science Research, 33(1), 19-24. 2011
  • Karpf, D. . Social science research methods in Internet time. Information, Communication & Society, 15(5), 639-661. 2012
  • Mahrt, M., & Scharkow, M.. The value of big data in digital media research. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 57(1), 20-33. 2013
  • Mazzocchi, F. . Could Big Data be the end of theory in science?: A few remarks on the epistemology of data¿driven science. EMBO reports, 16(10), 1250-1255. 2015
  • Neuendorf, K. A. . The content analysis: Guidebook. Los Angeles: SAGE. 2017
  • Ramírez Atehortúa, F. H. & Zwerg-Villegas, A. M. . Metodología de la investigación: más que una receta. AD-minister, (20), 91-111. 2012
  • Salaverría, R. . Ideas para renovar la investigación sobre medios digitales. El profesional de la información, 24(3), 223-226. 2015
  • Shah, D. V., Cappella, J. N., & Neuman, W. R. . Big data, digital media, and computational social science: Possibilities and perils. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 659(1), 6-13. 2015
  • Sonnenwald, D. H.. Theory development in the information sciences. University of Texas Press. 2016
  • Tredinnick, L., & Laybats, C. . Evaluating digital sources: Trust, truth and lies. Business Information Review, 34(4), 172¿175. 2017

The course syllabus may change due academic events or other reasons.