Course ID: | GEOG 6910. 3 hours. |
Course Title: | Geographic Research Methods |
Course Description: | A common framework will be established by which graduate
students in geography can design, implement, and conduct
research. This will be achieved by: examining the processes
involved in designing a research project; understanding the
different methodological approaches to research; developing
statements of purpose; and, developing a research proposal. |
Oasis Title: | Geographic Research Methods |
Semester Course Offered: | Offered spring semester every odd-numbered year. |
Grading System: | A-F (Traditional) |
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Course Objectives: | Formulating a rigorous, appropriate and novel research design
in Geography is particularly challenging because of the breadth
of approaches and areas available to the researcher. In this
class we will discuss the basic theoretical and practical tools
for designing a research project. The seminar is intended for
graduate students in human geography, physical geography, and
geographic techniques. Although the immediate goal is for each
student to create one's own research project/proposal, the
purpose is broader. As students of any science (social or
physical), we should understand the nature, purpose and value
of doing and communicating research.
The course objectives are: to understand the theoretical and
practical implications of designing a research project; to
examine different perspectives on knowledge science,
objectivity, and the purpose of research; to formulate research
questions and tie them to the appropriate literature fields,
methods and theoretical framework; to identify funding sources
available for geographic research; to understand the ethical
aspects of research; and to complete a research proposal that
will meet the requirements of the geography program. |
Topical Outline: | Week 1. Introduction; University and departmental degree
requirements; Departmental and university resources; and UGA's
electronic thesis and dissertation requirement.
Week 2. Research design: Elements of inquiry; Approaches to
research; and Research conceptualization.
Week 3. Developing the research problem; Ethical issues to
anticipate; Case studies in ethics; and use of human subjects
(IRB requirements).
Week 4. Problem identification: Literature sources;
Dissertation Abstracts; Social Science Index; Science Citation
Index and Web-based resources.
Weeks 5/6. Developing the statement of purpose; Critical
thinking in evaluating the literature of geography.
Weeks 7/8/9. Selecting the appropriate methodology:
qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods.
Week 10. Relevancy: How will this project make a contribution
to the discipline of geography? An examination of current
trends in geographic research.
Week 11. Sources of funding: Where the money is? Grant writing
and the application process. The grant review process.
Week 12. Developing the biographical sketch, professional
curriculum vitae, and other forms of communication documents.
Week 13. The professional interview: an examination of what
goes right and what goes wrong. Preparation and guidelines
for developing the research proposal.
Weeks 14/15. Research proposal: writing and evaluation; Formal
presentation of proposal. |