FP049-30 Inquiry and Research Skills for Arts and Humanities
Introductory description
The IRS for Arts and Humanities module aims to ensure that students develop the necessary competencies and skills to succeed in Humanities related courses in the United Kingdom. It will provide bespoke skills training and support for students aiming to progress to an undergraduate degree in the United Kingdom. It will provide training in reflective and critical thinking, team-working, and raising the awareness of self to develop greater ability in learners to engage with academic debate and take responsibility to critically inquire and evaluate issues in Humanities. The module aims to ensure that students become independent learners and researchers who are equipped to think for themselves.
Module aims
- To develop students independent learning skills and confidence through inquiry based learning
- Introduce students to, and raise their understanding of, university style of research within Arts and Humanities- including the language and methods used.
- Develop students research skills through undertaking a self-led, extended research project linked to Arts and Humanities.
- Introduce students to a variety of digital tools and skills that are used in research in Arts and Digital Humanities.
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
- What is research? learning about what research is and the information literacy skills that support research including asking relevant questions, evaluating sources, document analysis, formulating search strategies, effective searching, reflection and developing coherent lines of argument. Emphasis will be placed on the contribution of digital Humanities to learning in the discipline as well as using artefacts.
- Introduction to Problem Based learning – taking part in group based tasks in which students utilise, develop and practise research skills whilst investigating interdisciplinary issues in the Arts and Humanities.
- Research Project – students will be taught about different research methods, including quantitative and qualitative methods used in the Arts and Humanities, research ethics, question design and analysis. They will propose, design, plan and carry out their own multi-media research study leading to a presentation in which they will answer questions about their research.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Investigate and analyse academic debates that arise in the study of Arts and Humanities
- Engage effectively in reflective and critical thinking .
- Propose, design, manage and carry out an independent research project on topics relevant to study in the Arts and Humanities.
- Analyse and evaluate research undertaken by others within the field, drawing comparisons with research done in Arts and Humanities in other countries.
- Utilise relevant digital and information literacy skills as applicable to research in the Arts and Humanities.
Indicative reading list
Cottrell S (2008) The Study Skills Handbook (3rd edition) Palgrave Macmillan
Cottrell S (2011) Critical Thinking Skills: Developing Effective Analysis and Argument (2nd edition) Palgrave Macmillan
Cottrell S (2014) Dissertations and project reports : a step by step guide Palgrave MacMillan
Dane, C (2018 ) Evaluating research : methodology for people who need to read research (2nd edition) SAGE
View reading list on Talis Aspire
Research element
Independent research project is the basis of the module.
Interdisciplinary
Students will be analysing and coming to their own conclusions about interdisciplinary issues within the Arts and Humanities through Problem Based Learning.
Options for research project topics will be interdisciplinary in nature e.g. analysis of the presentation of an historical event in the Arts.
Some time in the first term will be dedicated to a project. Science, arts and humanities and social sciences IRS students will come together to participate in a problem-based learning task.
International
An assessment includes the requirement for students to look at research undertaken in Arts and Humanities globally.
Subject specific skills
- Information literacy skills - library skills, effective internet searching, use of databases.
- Inquiry Skills - asking questions, seeking and analysing different answers, coming to your own conclusion
- Group work skills
- Independent learning skills - planning, time management
- Research skills - e.g. how to undertake questionnaires, interviews
- Reflective thinking/ writing
- Critical thinking
Transferable skills
- Information literacy skills - library skills, effective internet searching, use of databases.
- Inquiry Skills - asking questions, seeking and analysing different answers, coming to your own conclusion
- Group work skills
- Independent learning skills - planning, time management
- Research skills - e.g. how to undertake questionnaires, interviews
- Reflective thinking/ writing
- Critical thinking
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Seminars | 72 sessions of 1 hour (24%) |
| Online learning (independent) | 6 sessions of 45 minutes (1%) |
| Private study | 133 hours 30 minutes (44%) |
| Assessment | 90 hours (30%) |
| Total | 300 hours |
Private study description
Reading, practising of ideas taught in class. Preparation for seminars.
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A1
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
|||
| Foundations of Research - online learning | 10% | 10 hours | Yes (extension) |
|
Selection of information literacy moodle modules and research ethics module. |
|||
Reassessment component is the same |
|||
Assessment component |
|||
| Annotated Bibliography | 25% | 20 hours | Yes (extension) |
|
Annotated bibliography of key research, including global research, on the research topic area |
|||
Reassessment component is the same |
|||
Assessment component |
|||
| Research Log book | 25% | 20 hours | Yes (extension) |
|
Multi-media log book of progress in research. |
|||
Reassessment component |
|||
| Reflection | Yes (extension) | ||
|
Written reflection on the aspects of the logbook that the student did not offer sufficient evidence for. |
|||
Assessment component |
|||
| Arts and Humanities Research Project | 40% | 40 hours | Yes (extension) |
|
Presentation of Research Project to include both an academic poster/ multimedia video of 5 minutes in length AND discussion of the research. |
|||
Reassessment component |
|||
| Research Interview | No | ||
|
Students take part in a short interview to answer questions about their project |
|||
Feedback on assessment
Written comments via tabula; tutorials for students who wish to have further guidance
Courses
This module is Core for:
- Year 1 of FIOE Warwick International Foundation Programme