РECULIARITIES OF TEACHING THE EDUCATIONAL DISCIPLINE “BASICS OF SCIENTIFIC AND RESEARCH WORK” FOR FUTURE BACHELORS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE

Abstract

The article characterizes the specifics of teaching the educational discipline “Basics of scientific and research work” to future bachelors in political science at Rivne State University of the Humanities. The course is a mandatory component of the educational and professional training program for bachelors in the specialty 052 “Political Science”. The educational discipline “Basics of scientific and research work” contributes to the implementation of the “sense” model of political science education, which is aimed not only at the transfer of information about the social and political spheres, but also at understanding the essence of the political phenomena and processes. During the study of the course, students get acquainted with all stages of theoretical and experimental research work, with modern methods and techniques of scientific research, the technique of experimentation and processing of its results, learn to work with data and analyze information, critically assess the state of the studied issue, prepare essays, reviews and reports, give reports on the completed work, and master the real work in scientific teams. The research proves that mastering the basics of scientific work only through the “lecture-seminar” system is ineffective, practical classes, in contrast, significantly contribute to the students’ skills. The methods of theoretical analysis of scientific literature, observation, questionnaire, expert survey, experiment, brainstorming, business games, case study method, SWOT analysis, monitoring, focus group studies, Internet monitoring of social networks, thematic blogs and forums, scenario analysis proved to be more effective. The article substantiates that for the development of students’ skills, it is efficient to perform individual research tasks within the professionally oriented specific research. Discussion platforms of various levels, scientific research, and systematic publication of materials and results of the scientific research of students in the field of political science make it possible to ensure an effective system of teaching the educational discipline “Basics of scientific and research work”. The research activity is the connecting link between the educational activity at the higher education institution and the professional activity of a student. Research work of future bachelors in political science is the voluntary and internally motivated highest form of the educational activity at the university. The educational discipline “Basics of scientific and research work” aims to prepare future political science specialists to such research work.