USING RESEARCH FOR POLICY, PRACTICE AND IMPACT - 2020/1
Module code: SOC2076
Module Overview
This module will introduce students to the relationship between social scientific research and the policies, practices and impacts that are developed from it. Students will be encouraged to select research which claims to have such an impact and to assess this.
Module provider
Sociology
Module Leader
ROBERTS Tom (Sociology)
Number of Credits: 15
ECTS Credits: 7.5
Framework: FHEQ Level 5
Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A
Overall student workload
Independent Learning Hours: 128
Lecture Hours: 18
Seminar Hours: 2
Tutorial Hours: 2
Module Availability
Semester 1
Prerequisites / Co-requisites
None
Module content
Indicative content includes:
• The impact agenda and its context
• Action research and its usefulness
• Evaluation research
• The relationship between research, policy, practice and evaluation
• Developing and using case studies
• Report writing
Assessment pattern
| Assessment type | Unit of assessment | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | 1000 WORD POLICY BRIEF | 30 |
| Coursework | 2500 WORD REPORT ANALYSING THE USE OF DATA IN A POLICY DOCUMENT | 70 |
Alternative Assessment
N/A
Assessment Strategy
The summative assessment for this module consists of:
- 1000 word policy brief (30%)
- Written report (70%)
Formative assessment and feedback
- Students receive formative verbal feedback each week during workshops, following up on activities they have undertaken such as answering questions on the set reading and other pedagogic activities related to the topic;
- In week 9 workshop time is devoted to a Report Writing Clinic for advice and feedback on any questions the students have regarding the summative assignment;
- In week 11 a feedback/consolidation session will encourage students to consider how the module content could apply to their own research interests/dissertation choices.
Module aims
- To broaden and deepen students understanding of the usefulness of social scientific research
- To introduce students to ideas about research impact
- To explore methods of assessing social scientific research
- To critically examine how policies, developed from research are put into practice
Learning outcomes
| Attributes Developed | ||
| 001 | Demonstrate an understanding of how social scientific research attempts to make an impact | KC |
| 002 | Demonstrate a detailed understanding of methods used for assessing policies and practice developed from social scientific research | KCT |
| 003 | Apply understanding about ways of assessing policy and research and apply to a ‘real-world' example | KCPT |
| 004 | Be able to write a report using and summarising appropriate evidence | PT |
Attributes Developed
C - Cognitive/analytical
K - Subject knowledge
T - Transferable skills
P - Professional/Practical skills
Methods of Teaching / Learning
The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:
Convey key information to students through the use of interactive lectures, classroom discussions based on preparatory reading and film/TV/internet clips which acts as the focus for activities and discussion. Workshop sessions can include periods of independent activity e.g. collecting data. Verbal formative feedback is given throughout.
The learning and teaching methods include:
• 9 x 2 hour sessions consisting of small group exercises, introduction of new material in ‘lecture’ format, discussion of independent actvities such as relevant ‘data’ collection
• ‘Homework’, consisting of reading preparation and other activities to produce a workshop activity sheet (feeds into class participation actvities and mark)
• 1 x 2 hour report writing clinic
• 1 x 2 hour feedback/consolidation session
Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.
Reading list
https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: SOC2076
Programmes this module appears in
| Programme | Semester | Classification | Qualifying conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Media and Communication BSc (Hons) | 1 | Compulsory | A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module |
| Criminology BSc (Hons) | 1 | Optional | A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module |
| Sociology BSc (Hons) | 1 | Compulsory | A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module |
| Criminology and Sociology BSc (Hons) | 1 | Compulsory | A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module |
| Politics and Sociology BSc (Hons) | 1 | Compulsory | A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module |
Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2020/1 academic year.