Class Dissertation Seminar

The Dissertation Seminar course aims to consolidate and systematise the students’ practical knowledge and understanding of the architecture, planning, and execution of their dissertations. It provides them a unique opportunity to anticipate and test, without definitive commitment, an important part of their future research paths. The course proposes and explains a series of forms and formulas related to academic “know-how” which students can fill in with content based on their own choices and objectives.

Not applicable

Introduction to Research in Political Science and International Relations Practical steps and dilemmas common to all research projects Specific steps, methods, and techniques in light of research projects conceived by students Formal aspects: procedural steps and rules for elaborating theses Practical tips on thesis presentation and defence

Sessions shall include classic lectures, reflection and practical work, evolving according to the specific choices and objectives of each student.  Continuous assessment will consist of a single test to take place by the end of the semester. Attendance, punctuality and classroom work will be incorporated into the final grade in the form of a bonus of up to 2 points. Non-continuous assessment will consist of a final examination (100% of the final grade, with no bonus points from continuous assessment considered).

CORBETTA, Piergiorgio - Social research: theory, methods and techniques. Londres: SAGE Publications, 2003.CORBETTA, Piergiorgio - Social research: theory, methods and techniques. Londres: SAGE Publications, 2003. GEORGE, Alexander L. & Bennett, Andrew - Case studies and theory development in the social sciences. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2004.  GOODIN, Robert E. & TILLY, Charles (Eds.) - The Oxford handbook of contextual political analysis. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. HOWARD, Christopher - Thinking like a political scientist: a practical guide to research methods. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2017. HALPERIN, Sandra & HEATH, Oliver - Political research: methods and practical skills. 3ª Edição. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020. NINA, Susana R., SILVEIRA, Pedro, TERRENAS, João, REIS, Liliana (Eds.) - Manual de métodos de investigação em ciência política. Coimbra: Almedina, 2024.