The Edinburgh field class has three aims:

(1) To provide practical experience and training in designing, executing, analysing, writing-up and presenting a field research project in preparation for dissertation research.

(2) To provide practical experience of quantitative and qualitative techniques, and to critically reflect on the effectiveness and ethics of different methods in preparation for dissertation research design and write-up.

(3) To develop team-working and communication skills through conduct of group research projects and field presentations

(LO1) Students will have gained experience of planning and executing an independent empirical research project in a group, giving them the skills to undertake future independent empirical research.

(LO2) Students will be able to critically engage with the common range of qualitative and quantitative methods and be able to evaluate their appropriateness to a research project.

(LO3) Students will have gained experience of using several qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques (as a group, they will use four of the following techniques: archival research; qualitative and quantitative secondary data, interviews, focus groups, (participant) observation, surveys and questionnaires).

(LO4) Students will have gained understanding and experience of qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques.

(LO5) Students will have gained experience of qualitative and quantitative data presentation techniques (oral, visual and textual).

(LO6) Students will have gained an understanding of what makes for effective teamwork.

(S1) Problem solving skills - critical and creative thinking to find appropriate solutions to the obstacles that arise in real-life empirical research

(S2) Teamwork - respect, cooperation, negotiation, and awareness of interdependence

(S3) Organisational and Time Management skills - both individually and in groups

(S4) Communication skills - within a team, with members of the public (e.g. surveys and interviews), in presentations

(S5) IT skills - use of software for surveys, quantitative data analysis, and data presentation

(S6) Adaptability, Initiative-Taking and Leadership

(S7) Ethical awareness

(S8) Literacy - ability to read and understand academic literature and other secondary sources (e.g. policy documents) and produce clear, structured written work

(S9) Research project planning and management - background research, ethical checks, application of data collection methods, data analysis, and presentation of results

A) Pre-field class
There will a series of preparatory lectures (including an introduction to Edinburgh and to teamwork), along with group supervision workshops.

B) Field Class
Research focussed around the group's chosen research topic, using a range of data collection and analysis techniques, culminating on the final day with the group presenting their results (33%).

C) Post field-class
Completion of two post-field-research assignments: (a) Individual analysis, interpretation and write-up of one source of field data (c. 1500 words); (b) Individual essay critically reflecting on the lessons learnt about team-working (c. 1500 words)

Teaching Method 1 Lectures & workshops
Description: Lectures and workshops on field class site, research project design, teamwork and feedback on research proposals

Teaching Method 2 Field Research
Description: Field research on group projects
Attendance Recorded: Yes

Teaching Method 3 - Supervision
Description: Group meetings with project supervisor: pre-field research advice and feedback on research project design and progress; during field research advice and support.
Attendance Recorded: Yes

Teaching Method 4 - Clinic sessions
Description: Drop-in clinic sessions providing advice on completing the two post field class essays.
Attendance Recorded: No
Attendance Recorded: Yes