Researching Ageing Societies

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Locate relevant literature and published data
• Discuss contrasting viewpoints on key contemporary issues in ageing societies and critically evaluate the evidence and arguments for them
• Draw on theoretical perspectives in Gerontology and apply them to contemporary social and economic issues affecting the lives of older people
• Demonstrate understanding of methods for researching ageing societies in a clear and succinct way, drawing on qualitative and numerical evidence, and referencing your sources correctly
• Identify and discuss the methods, data and ethical implications of researching substantive issues concerning ageing and older people
• Gain communication skills gained through the preparation of assessed coursework

The module will include: critical consideration of quantitative and qualitative research methods, secondary data sources and ethical issues concerned with researching older people in society; issues around diverse lifestyles in later life and their implications for old-age support; methodological issues around measuring pension protection and satisfaction with services; researching 'hard-to-reach' groups; conducting research in care homes; ethical approaches to research on end of life care; applications of ethnography and observation; and achieving research impact. The module will also include a session on 'Tips on Writing a Project Proposal'.

Teaching and learning methods

The module is taught by means of lectures and guest lectures, involving student participation, student presentations, and independent study, including designing a research proposal, developing essay writing and presentation skills.

Resources & Reading list

General Resources

Module resources available on BlackBoard include lecture PowerPoint slides, reading lists, coursework details, exercises, references and module updates. In addition, resources also include specially ordered texts located in the University library, and details of specialist websites..

Textbooks

Denscombe, M. (2010). The Good Research Guide: For Small-Scale Social Research Projects. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Łuszczyńska, M. (2020). Researching Ageing: Methodological Challenges and Empirical Background. London: Routledge.

Jamieson, A. and C.R. Victor (2002). Researching Ageing and Later Life.. Buckingham: Open University Press.

Bryman, Alan (2015). Social Research Methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Johnson, M.L., Bengtson, V.L., Coleman, P.G. and Kirkwood, T.B.L. (Eds) (2005). The Cambridge Handbook of Age and Ageing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Dannefer, D. and Phillipson, C. (eds) (2013). The SAGE Handbook of Social Gerontology. London: Sage.

Bell, J. (2010). Doing Your Research Project: A Guide for First-Time Researchers in Education and Social Science. Buckingham: Open University Press.

Biggam, J. (2015). e-book: Succeeding with Your Master’s Dissertation: A Step-By-Step Handbook. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External