Travail de recherche

Each year another topic is chosen to investigate, often in line with current affairs or the urban environment of the university.

Students will be required to conduct a literature review, formulate a research object, design a data collection instrument, administer the data collection instrument, process and analyze the data, write a research report, and present the results using a PowerPoint presentation. This is a collective research project involving the participation of the two instructors and two teaching assistants.

The objective of this course is a hands-on learning experience of doing social science research, including all aspects, ranging from research design, data collection, analysis, presentation of results to ethics.

The overall objective of these practical exercises is to familiarize students with the various stages of sociological research, from formulating a research question to disseminating results, including the design of data collection tools, the conduct of semi-structured interviews, and the content analysis of the resulting empirical material. Each year, a theme related to current events and ongoing research projects is selected. This enables students to work on topics that respond to societal concerns and to reflect on how their research findings can be communicated and utilized once the project is completed.

The objectives of these exercises are therefore multiple. Students will be expected to:

• Contribute to a collective sociological research project.
• Work in teams (groups of 4 or 5 students).
• Explore and mobilize the existing body of knowledge on a targeted research issue.
• Put into practice the content of social science methodology courses.
• Prepare and carry out fieldwork.
• Produce an in-depth analysis of the collected data.
• Write a research report.
• Present the results of a research project.
• Become familiar with methods of disseminating research findings through PowerPoint presentations.

Required and Corequired knowledge and skills

• Having completed the course “méthodologie de l'entretien de recherche” (SOCAD200).
• Having attended training sessions in library and information research (see the library website: https://bib.ulb.be/fr/bibliotheques/bsh/aide-et-formations).

The course is based on the premise that it is necessary to engage in practical research and experience the research process firsthand in order to fully understand the challenges associated with each stage of a research project. To this end, students will be required to carry out a research project in groups from start to finish, while the course framework provides support throughout the process.

In practice, this will take the form of collective sessions at key stages of the research process, as well as individualized group supervision, combining consultation sessions and the submission of progress reports.

References, bibliography, and recommended reading

all material will be presented on Université virtuelle

Course notes

• Université virtuelle

Contacts

Professors:

• Carla MASCIA carla.mascia@ulb.be
• Chiara GIORDANO chiara.giordano@ulb.be (replaces Dirk JACOBS in 2026-2027)

Assistants:

• Cecilia CAROTENUTO cecilia.carotenuto@ulb.be
• Douglas SEPULCHRE douglas.sepulchre@ulb.be

Campus

Solbosch

Method(s) of evaluation

• Group work
• Oral presentation
• Other
• Written report

Group work

Oral presentation

Other

Written report

Assessment is based on two reports (one submitted during the first semester and the other during the second semester), an oral presentation, and progress sheets submitted prior to meetings with the teaching assistants.

The first report (the intermediate report) is submitted in December and focuses on the construction of the research object and the processing of the collected data.

The second report (the final report) and the PowerPoint presentation of the main findings are submitted in February and April, respectively.

The progress sheets must be submitted throughout the semester, before the scheduled meetings with the teaching assistants.

The use of artificial intelligence is prohibited, whether for transcribing interviews, organizing or drafting text, or for any other purpose.

Mark calculation method (including weighting of intermediary marks)

Assessment is based on two reports (one submitted during the first semester and the other during the second semester), an oral presentation, and progress sheets submitted prior to meetings with the teaching assistants.

Language(s) of evaluation

• french