EAST4010 – Research Methodology in East Asian Studies

Course content

You will get training in the collection, processing, critical assessment and initial analysis of data individually or in a team of several students, as a preparation for your later work on the Master thesis. Based on the project description for the master thesis, and under guidance of a supervisor, you will identify and collect different kinds of data. Depending on the topic of research, these may include data from:

  • literary, historical, political or other kinds of texts
  • interviews, participant observation, other kinds of fieldwork
  • online sources, radio and TV programmes, films, etc.

At least 80% of the data should be in the language of the student’s specialization (Chinese, Japanese, Korean or Tibetan). All methodologies of collecting relevant data require a conscious and critical approach. Therefore, an important part of the course implies reflection on methodology and practices of data collection.

For students at the Master's programme in East Asian Culture and History this course should to be taken in conjunction with EAST4110 – Readings in East Asian Culture and History (discontinued) or EAST4610 – Voices from East Asia: How to Communicate Research Results. The course can only be combined with a 30-credit master thesis, not a 60-credit master thesis.

For students at the Master's programme in Chinese Society and Politics this course should to be taken in conjunction with EAST4610 – Voices from East Asia: How to Communicate Research Results

Learning outcome

  • You will learn how to determine the relevance and validity of different sources through the practice of identifying and collecting data of direct relevance to a specific project.
  • You will be able to reflect on your own use of research methodologies, and thereby increase the value of the results of your study.
  • Depending on the chosen methodology for collecting data, you will, for instance, learn how to communicate in your language of specialization with interviewees; how to find historical texts through local archives; how to work as a researcher in different cultural or political settings; or how to identify different versions of the same text in an East Asian language.

Admission

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

Prerequisites

Formal prerequisite knowledge

Admission to the Master's programme options Chinese Society and Politics or East Asian Culture and History.

Overlapping courses

The course may overlap with discontinued courses and old study units of all types and levels. The student must ensure that the content of the course does not overlap with other study units one has pr