Research Methodology

A compulsory course of the first semester of the Master’s Programme “Banking-Insurance and Finance”.

Course details

Code: MBAF01
Semester: 1st
Credits: 5 ECTS
Teaching hours: 2 per week (lectures and practical exercises)
Course type: Specialisation Course (ME)
Prerequisites: none
Language of teaching and examinations: Greek and/or English
Offered to Erasmus students: yes, upon relevant request
Mode of delivery: distance learning, synchronous and asynchronous
Total workload: 150 hours
Taught by: Chaido Dritsaki, Elpida Samara

Learning outcomes

This is a basic introductory course in scientific research and in the writing of a scientific paper. It seeks to help students acquire the knowledge necessary for scientific research, to understand the way in which applied research is conducted and precisely what course it follows. Specifically, it teaches students how to define a research topic, to carry out a methodical literature review, to define the hypotheses of their research, to conduct empirical research, to develop their research findings and, finally, how to write up and present their research.

On successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

Have a complete picture of conducting scientific research, writing a scientific article, preparing a master thesis and a monograph
Know how a literature search is carried out and the principal sources used
Know how secondary data are collected, what limitations exist and how online research is conducted
Define the methodology of their research and draw up a questionnaire suited to it
Check for possible measurement errors and the validity and reliability of their research
Know how to determine their sample size (sampling) and the basic statistical methods for analysing their research data
Know the qualitative research methods
Know how the presentation of a piece of research or an academic paper is written
Know how a piece of research is presented orally

Syllabus

Conceptual approach to research — characteristics — reasons for undertaking it
Types of academic paper — specifications
Research ethics and conduct
Research problem — research questions and hypotheses
Literature review
Qualitative and quantitative research methods
Research tools for data collection (questionnaire, interview, etc.)
Research population and sample (sampling)
Questionnaire design
Tools — statistical methods of data analysis — measurement errors — validity — reliability
Writing the paper

Assessment

Assessment is carried out in two ways: participation in a pilot research assignment and presentation of the results (30% of the mark), and the preparation of an individual research assignment to defined specifications, with a presentation of it (70% of the mark). Language of assessment: Greek.