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064-0013-20L 2 Credits DR D-ARCH

Research Methods in the History and Theory of Architecture

Lecturers & Examiners: PD Dr. Irina Davidovici
VVZ CR n/a

Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:35:28

Abstract

Introduction to methodological approaches in the history and theory of architecture; presentation and discussion of individual doctoral projects.

Objective

The two-semester course in the first year of the doctoral program in the history and theory of architecture has a twofold objective: First, method sessions on central approaches in the history and theory of architecture provide a methodological basis for the doctorate at the Institute gta. Secondly, in toolkit and review sessions, the doctoral students get support for their individual research projects and guidance for the production of the Research Plan they have to present at the end of the first year.

Content

The seminar course prepares the doctoral students for their Research Plan submission at the end of their first year. The weekly seminar will frame group discussions on a variety of topics, group presentations, and preparatory exercises. Students are encouraged to consider the course readings not only in terms of their content, but also as illustrations of formatting, structuring and argumentation methods, that can serve as research models. There are four types of seminar classes. Toolkit classes focus on the individual components of the Research Plan: abstract, hypothesis, literature survey, research structure etc. Method classes cover research strategies and disciplinary traditions relevant for doctoral studies in the history and theory of architecture. Theory seminars focus on specific intellectual traditions and their comparison. The in-seminar Review sessions, leading up to the formal end-of-semester Doctoral Reviews with external guests, comprise work-in-progress presentations and peer-review appraisals. The course schedule will be available at the beginning of HS 2020 on the course website: Link

Resources

Lecture Notes

Scans of selected texts for discussion and exercises will be provided at the beginning of HS 2020 on the course website:Link

Literature

The following titles offer background and detailed information regarding research methodologies for a variety of disciplines. Atkinson, Paul. Sage Qualitative Research Methods. Sage, 2011. Booth, Wayne C., et al. The Craft of Research. Fourth edition, The University of Chicago Press, 2016. Creswell, John W., and Cheryl N. Poth. Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing among Five Approaches. SAGE, 2018. Groat, Linda N., and David Wang. Architectural Research Methods. Second edition, Wiley, 2013. Gunn, Simon, et al. Research Methods for History. Second edition, University Press, 2016. Hall, John Anthony, and Joseph M. Bryant, editors. Historical Methods in the Social Sciences. Sage, 2005. Lange, Matthew. Comparative-Historical Methods. Sage, 2013. Lucas, Ray. Research Methods for Architecture. Laurence King Publishing, 2016. Margolis, Eric. The Sage Handbook of Visual Research Methods. Repr., Sage, 2012. Maxwell, Joseph A. Qualitative Research Design: An Interactive Approach. 3rd ed., vol. Vol. 41, Ed. 3, Sage, 2013. Tosh, John. The Pursuit of History: Aims, Methods and New Directions in the Study of History. 6th edition, Routledge, 2015. Wang, David, et al. Architectural Research Methods, 2nd Ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2013. Yin, Robert K. Case Study Research: Design and Methods. 5th edition, Sage, 2014.

Learning Materials (Links)

General Information

Language
English
Levels
DR
Frequency
Semesterly recurring

Examination

Type
ungraded semester performance

Course Components

Type Title Time & Place Hours
seminar Research Methods in the History and Theory of Architecture
This course starts on 1.10.20! No course on 22.10. (seminar week).
  • Thu 13:45-15:30 (HIL E 67)
2 h weekly

Offered In