About this Course

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Welcome!
Are you looking to learn more about how to conduct scientific research, specifically in an urban or local context? Then you have found the right course: Studying Cities: Social Science Methods for Urban Research by the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS), Erasmus University Rotterdam. During the course you will gain more insight in the different steps of the research cycle, and build a firm foundation for your own future research endeavors.

Before any (urban) researcher may start conducting research, it is crucial to understand the different aspects and elements of doing research. The course will guide you through the various steps of the research cycle to provide you with the basic knowledge necessary for any Master-level program, but with a special focus on urban and local development. The course starts with introductory lectures on the problem statement, research objective, empirical cycle and the research question. Over the following weeks you will also learn the components and criteria of the theoretical framework and operationalization, research strategies, and the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data. You will be provided with the necessary tools to understand and evaluate these key steps in scientific research by watching video lectures with in-video questions and by completing the final peer review, which will use all the elements you have learnt throughout the course.

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Shareable Certificate

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Approx. 7 hours to complete

English

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Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Approx. 7 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.66/5 (73 Ratings)

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating94%(1,441 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

2 hours to complete

Research Topic

By studying this week’s materials and by answering the related questions and quiz, you will gain a deeper understanding of the need and the criteria for a problem statement, the main components of the research design and how to formulate a good research question. You will learn the different aspects in order to understand these primary steps in conducting research, and be given the tools to evaluate the quality of research questions according to the criteria.

2 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 33 min), 3 readings, 2 quizzes

Week2

Week 2

1 hour to complete

Theoretical Framework and Operationalization

By studying this week’s materials and by answering the related questions and quiz, you will gain more insight in how operationalization transitions theory to empirical research. You will learn how an empirical researcher creates the transformation from the research question to the conceptual framework, and from the complex concepts of this framework to measurable (unambiguous) indicators. You will also become aware of the most common mistakes inexperienced researchers make in the operationalization.

1 hour to complete

5 videos (Total 42 min)

Week3

Week 3

1 hour to complete

Research Strategies

By studying this week’s materials and by answering the related questions and quiz, you will gain more knowledge about the possible strategies or approaches in empirical research. The research strategy of any research should be a coherent body of decisions concerning the way in which the researcher is going to carry out the research in order to obtain valid answers to the research questions. The main strategies in social science research will be discussed during this week’s lectures, namely the survey, quasi-experiment, case study and desk research (working with existing large data sets). You will gain basic knowledge on these 4 strategies, and how they link to research questions. By the end of the week you will understand the importance of choosing appropriate methods and techniques in relation to a research question.

1 hour to complete

10 videos (Total 71 min)

10 videos

Introduction to Research Strategies3mStrategy Validity and Reliability8mSurveys8mExperiments10mQuasi Experiments9mCase Studies - Defining a case study and when to use it7mCase Studies - Types of case studies6mDesk Research6mHanna's Testimonial: Researching commuting to work by bicycle in Rotterdam.5mHanna's Testimonial: Choosing a suitable strategy6m

1 practice exercise

Module 2 and 3 - Quiz

Week4

Week 4

1 hour to complete

Quantitative and Qualitative Data

By studying this week’s materials and by answering the related questions and quiz, you will gain knowledge on the basics of collecting data. The video lectures will teach you how to deal with primary quantitative data collection (survey) and secondary quantitative data collection (existing large data sets). We’ll continue the week with qualitative data collection, both primary (interviews) and secondary (from existing literature). Therefore you will gain a basic understanding of the data collection for each of the research strategies treated last week.

1 hour to complete

9 videos (Total 77 min)

Reviews

4.7

55 reviews

5 stars
76.73%
4 stars
18.31%
3 stars
2.47%
2 stars
2.47%

TOP REVIEWS FROM STUDYING CITIES: SOCIAL SCIENCE METHODS FOR URBAN RESEARCH

by KHDec 26, 2021

Excellent course. Gives you a complete understanding of Urban Research methods and use of data collection technology and resolve. Use of syntax and strategy selection.

by KMMay 25, 2020

peer graded assignments was a little bit hectic, as many peers didn't involve in proper grading methods

by TSNov 22, 2020

Such a rigorous, thorough and enjoyable course - you really feel like you are learning fantastic content and technical skills. it behaves well as a foundational framework for urban analytics.

by DAMar 28, 2022

Highly recommended for those intrested in urbanism and studying cities.

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
Do I need prior knowledge?
The course is suitable for graduate students in social sciences, but is especially directed towards those interested in urban and local development and management. Your prior knowledge will be tested at the beginning of the course, to give you more insight in your own learning development. The course content is based on providing basic knowledge for master students, which may be used during the master course or as preparation for prospective master students.
Do I need additional materials?
During the course you will enjoy video lectures, testimonials and additional readings. These will all be made available within the course, so no further resources are needed. Of course to fully comprehend research methods, additional studying independent of the course is advisable.
How can I pass the course?
To pass this course, you are expected to read and view all the researches provided. Your prior knowledge will be tested at the start, which will not be graded. During the course there will be practice quizzes at the end of every week, and you will pass the course by passing the final test in week 5.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Studying Cities: Social Science Methods for Urban Research