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POL312Social Sciences3 Unitsintermediate

Logic & Methods Of Political Inquiry

This course provides students of political science with a comprehensive knowledge of logic and political inquiry. It examines logic, approaches, and methods that underpin the study of politics and political inquiry. The course explains the relationship between logic, approaches, and methods in political science research. It also provides an understanding and knowledge of how these issues frame the research methods in political science.

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39h
Study Time
13
Weeks
3h
Per Week
none
Math Level
Course Keywords
LogicPolitical InquiryResearch MethodsSocial SciencesScientific Inquiry

Course Overview

Everything you need to know about this course

Course Difficulty

Intermediate Level
Builds on foundational knowledge
65%
intermediate
📚
Math Level
No Math
📖
Learning Type
Theoretical Focus

Course Topics

Key areas covered in this course

1

Logic

2

Political Inquiry

3

Scientific Method

4

Research Paradigms

5

Data Generation

6

Data Analysis

Total Topics6 topics

Ready to Start

No specific requirements needed

This course is designed to be accessible to all students. You can start immediately without any prior knowledge or specific preparation.

Assessment Methods

How your progress will be evaluated (3 methods)

assignments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

tutor-marked assessments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

final examination

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

Career Opportunities

Explore the career paths this course opens up for you

Political Analyst

Apply your skills in this growing field

Policy Advisor

Apply your skills in this growing field

Research Consultant

Apply your skills in this growing field

Public Opinion Researcher

Apply your skills in this growing field

Intelligence Officer

Apply your skills in this growing field

Industry Applications

Real-world sectors where you can apply your knowledge

GovernmentPoliticsResearchAcademiaConsulting

Study Schedule Beta

A structured 13-week journey through the course content

Week
1

Module 1: Characterizing Logic

3h

Unit 1: Meaning and Nature of Logic

3 study hours
  • •Understand the definition and nature of logic.
  • •Explain the link between argument and logic.
Week
2

Module 1: Characterizing Logic

3h

Unit 2: History of Logic

3 study hours
  • •Explain developmental stages of logic.
  • •Understand the semantics of logic.
Week
3

Module 1: Characterizing Logic

3h

Unit 3: Types of Logic

3 study hours
  • •Identify and explain basic types of logic in details.
  • •Relate branches of logic to their understanding of logical thinking.
Week
4

Module 1: Characterizing Logic

3h

Unit 4: Logic of Social Sciences

3 study hours
  • •Understand the philosophy of social sciences.
  • •Explain the various positions and methods advocated by scholars on socio-political investigation.
Week
5

Module 1: Characterizing Logic

3h

Unit 5: Logical or Critical Thinking

3 study hours
  • •Explain the term critical thinking.
  • •Discuss the usefulness of critical thinking to political inquiry.
Week
6

Module 2: Understanding Political Inquiry

3h

Unit 1: Analyzing Political Inquiry

3 study hours
  • •Explain the traditional approach to the study of politics.
  • •Discuss the opinions of political scientists on the paradigmatic shift.
Week
7

Module 2: Understanding Political Inquiry

3h

Unit 2: The Rationale for Political Inquiry

3 study hours
  • •Understand the reasons for the study of political inquiry.
  • •Explain the importance of normative method of inquiry.
Week
8

Module 2: Understanding Political Inquiry

3h

Unit 3: The Fundamentals of Political Inquiry

3 study hours
  • •Explain what is meant by traditional method of political inquiry.
  • •Understand the justification for the scientific inquiry in politics.
Week
9

Module 2: Understanding Political Inquiry

3h

Unit 4: Generalizations

3 study hours
  • •Define generalization in political inquiry.
  • •Explain the need for generalization in political inquiry.
  • •Examine the nature of generalization.
Week
10

Module 2: Understanding Political Inquiry

3h

Unit 5: Explanation and Prediction in Political Inquiry

3 study hours
  • •Understand explanation and prediction in political inquiry.
  • •Explain the relationship between explanation and prediction in inquiry.
  • •Discuss the conditions necessary for explanation.
Week
11

Module 3: The Nexus between Logic and Political Inquiry

3h

Unit 1: Logic of Political Inquiry

3 study hours
  • •Know the contribution of logic to political inquiry.
  • •Apply logical reasoning while carrying out any scientific investigation.
Week
12

Module 3: The Nexus between Logic and Political Inquiry

6h

Unit 2: Research Paradigms

3 study hours
  • •Know the patterns of explanation in political inquiry.
  • •Explain the various patterns of explanation in political inquiry.

Unit 3: Approaches to Political Inquiry

3 study hours
  • •Identify and use the different approaches to political inquiry.
  • •Differentiate the approaches and their applications to different styles of political inquiry.
Week
13

Module 3: The Nexus between Logic and Political Inquiry

6h

Unit 4: Contemporary Methods in Political Inquiry

3 study hours
  • •Describe the fundamental methods of political inquiry.
  • •Exhibit good knowledge on the methods of data collection and analysis.

Unit 5: Logical Patterns of Explanations

3 study hours
  • •Know the patterns of explanation in political inquiry.
  • •Explain the various patterns of explanation in political inquiry.

This study schedule is in beta and may not be accurate. Please use it as a guide and consult the course outline for the most accurate information.

Course PDF Material

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Study Tips & Exam Preparation

Expert tips to help you succeed in this course

1

Review key definitions and concepts from Units 1-5 of Module 1 regarding logic.

2

Create concept maps linking Units 1-5 of Module 2 on political inquiry.

3

Practice applying different research paradigms (Unit 2 Module 3) to sample research questions.

4

Focus on understanding the strengths and weaknesses of various data generation techniques (Module 5).

5

Prepare examples illustrating the application of different patterns of explanation (Unit 5 Module 3).

6

Review all Tutor Marked Assignments (TMAs) and Self-Assessment Exercises (SAEs).

7

Allocate study time evenly across all modules, but prioritize areas of weakness.

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