Teaching research methods in social sciences: A perspective from master’s students

Abstract The aim of this paper is to understand students’ experience of research methodology teaching, through a survey with students enrolled in the Master’s Degree Program in Information Management, Libraries and Archives at the Complutense University of Madrid. The analyzed themes included the students’ perception of collaborative work, influence of emotions, implications of research competencies at the professional level, and the role of supervisors. Twenty-six master’s students, both online and on-site, were surveyed among those enrolled in the academic years 2014-2015 and 2013-2014. Results show the need to foster collaborative work with individual work in a balanced way. Furthermore, emotions, especially positive ones, appear to intertwine heavily with the learning experience. It is more difficult to appreciate the implications of research competencies for the professional sphere because of differences in the professional context of all students involved. The activities that students perceive as more creative include discussions of one’s own work (especially with the supervisor) as well as discussions of other students’ work (attendance at Master Thesis Defenses). Finally, supervisors stand out as important figure during the learning of research methodology, as their area of expertise is particularly relevant.