ASF26001 Seminar on Field Research for Area Studies IIA

Hiroshima University Syllabus

Japanese

Academic Year 2026Year School/Graduate School School of Integrated Arts and Sciences Department of Integrated Arts and Sciences

Lecture Code ASF26001 Subject Classification Specialized Education

Subject Name 地域調査演習ＩＩA

Subject Name
（Katakana）チイキチョウサエンシュウIIA

Subject Name in
English Seminar on Field Research for Area Studies IIA

Instructor HIKITA ATSUSHI

Instructor
(Katakana) ヒキタ　アツシ

Campus Higashi-Hiroshima Semester/Term 3rd-Year,  Second Semester,  3Term

Days, Periods, and Classrooms (3T) Mon5-8：IAS K314

Lesson Style Seminar Lesson Style
(More Details) Face-to-face

Exercise-oriented, discussion, student presentations, field research

Credits 2.0 Class Hours/Week 4 Language of Instruction J : Japanese

Course Level 3 : Undergraduate High-Intermediate

Course Area（Area） 23 : Arts and Humanities

Course Area（Discipline） 13 : Area Studies

Eligible Students Students interested in regional research (especially geography and urban planning)

Keywords Community surveys, interviews, questionnaires, participant observation

Special Subject for Teacher Education 　 Special Subject 　

Class Status
within Educational
Program
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced
Evaluation
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students) Integrated Arts and Sciences
（Knowledge and Understanding）
・The knowledge and understanding  to fully recognize the mutual relations and their importance among individual academic diciplines.
（Abilities and Skills）
・The abilities and skills to summarize one's own research in reports or academic papers, and to deliver presentations at a seminar or research meetings, and to answer questions.
（Comprehensive Abilities）
・The general ability to discover issues based on the ethics in research and subjective intellectual interests, and make planning to solve them.

Class Objectives
/Class Outline The course teaches the methods of regional research through the stages of planning, conducting and analysing the results, with the theme of public space and public transport as a particular focus of regional revitalisation. The course focuses on work and field research. In principle, the course should be taken in conjunction with the regional survey exercise IB.

Class Schedule 1 Lecture on community surveys
Introduction to the research conducted by the teacher in charge and the results of previous exercises.
2 Lecture on community survey
Lecture on survey methods (interviews, textual analysis of websites, journals, etc., participant observation, etc.) and issues related to them.
3 Lecture on survey methods for area studies
Methods of survey: reading maps, literature search, information collection via the Internet, collection and analysis of statistical data, interviews, questionnaires, participatory observation, etc. Several qualitative research methods will be introduced and explained in the areas of interviews, literature search, and participant observation.
4 Lecture on research methods for area studies
Searching for relevant literature and preparing a bibliography, as well as carrying out an analysis of some of the literature.
5 Lecture on public space and the region
The lecture will mainly focus on public space in the study area, explaining previous studies (based on qualitative research) and issues that have been presented in practice in the field.
6 Lectures on public transport and the region
This lecture will mainly focus on public transport in the study area, explaining the issues raised by previous research (based on qualitative research) and practice in the field.
7 Literature review on the problems facing the study area
Students introduce what they have learned from the literature survey and exchange opinions with other students.
8 Literature review on problems in the study area
Students introduce what they have learned from the literature review and exchange opinions with other students.
9 Preparation of a research plan
Students prepare a research plan. Individual guidance will be given on how to prepare the plan, including correction.
10 Preparing a research plan
Explain the main points and cautions of qualitative research such as interviews and participant observation through the preparation of a research plan.
11 Questionnaire design
Creating the questionnaire for the field survey. Individual guidance will be given on how to make them, including correction.
12 Questionnaire design
Explanation of the main points and cautions for qualitative research, such as interviews and participatory observation, through the design of questionnaires.
13 Methodology of interviews
Explanation of the methods and points to note for interview surveys, based on actual examples.
14 On-campus practice of interview surveys
Confirmation of interviewing methodology by conducting interviews with other students.
15 Interview surveys and analytical methods
Explanation of how to analyse interviews.

Text/Reference
Books,etc. Reference book: Concepts of Social Research (Part 2), Ikuya Sato, University of Tokyo Press.

PC or AV used in
Class,etc. Handouts, Microsoft Teams, moodle

(More Details)

Learning techniques to be incorporated Discussions, Role Play, Fieldwork / Survey

Suggestions on
Preparation and
Review Be aware of the importance of preparation before carrying out field research
Understand the perspective of the person being surveyed when designing the survey plan, questionnaire, etc.

Requirements

Grading Method Mainly based on research plans, questionnaires and other submissions.

Practical Experience Experienced

Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it Based on market and regional research experience in private research companies

Message

Other

Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes.
Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

Academic Year	2026Year	School/Graduate School	School of Integrated Arts and Sciences Department of Integrated Arts and Sciences
Lecture Code	ASF26001	Subject Classification	Specialized Education
Subject Name	地域調査演習ＩＩA
Subject Name （Katakana）	チイキチョウサエンシュウIIA
Subject Name in English	Seminar on Field Research for Area Studies IIA
Instructor	HIKITA ATSUSHI
Instructor (Katakana)	ヒキタ　アツシ
Campus	Higashi-Hiroshima	Semester/Term	3rd-Year, Second Semester, 3Term
Days, Periods, and Classrooms	(3T) Mon5-8：IAS K314
Lesson Style	Seminar	Lesson Style (More Details)	Face-to-face
Exercise-oriented, discussion, student presentations, field research
Credits	2.0	Class Hours/Week	4	Language of Instruction	J : Japanese
Course Level	3 : Undergraduate High-Intermediate
Course Area（Area）	23 : Arts and Humanities
Course Area（Discipline）	13 : Area Studies
Eligible Students	Students interested in regional research (especially geography and urban planning)
Keywords	Community surveys, interviews, questionnaires, participant observation
Special Subject for Teacher Education		Special Subject
Class Status within Educational Program (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced Evaluation (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)	Integrated Arts and Sciences （Knowledge and Understanding）・The knowledge and understanding to fully recognize the mutual relations and their importance among individual academic diciplines. （Abilities and Skills）・The abilities and skills to summarize one's own research in reports or academic papers, and to deliver presentations at a seminar or research meetings, and to answer questions. （Comprehensive Abilities）・The general ability to discover issues based on the ethics in research and subjective intellectual interests, and make planning to solve them.
Class Objectives /Class Outline	The course teaches the methods of regional research through the stages of planning, conducting and analysing the results, with the theme of public space and public transport as a particular focus of regional revitalisation. The course focuses on work and field research. In principle, the course should be taken in conjunction with the regional survey exercise IB.
Class Schedule	1 Lecture on community surveys Introduction to the research conducted by the teacher in charge and the results of previous exercises. 2 Lecture on community survey Lecture on survey methods (interviews, textual analysis of websites, journals, etc., participant observation, etc.) and issues related to them. 3 Lecture on survey methods for area studies Methods of survey: reading maps, literature search, information collection via the Internet, collection and analysis of statistical data, interviews, questionnaires, participatory observation, etc. Several qualitative research methods will be introduced and explained in the areas of interviews, literature search, and participant observation. 4 Lecture on research methods for area studies Searching for relevant literature and preparing a bibliography, as well as carrying out an analysis of some of the literature. 5 Lecture on public space and the region The lecture will mainly focus on public space in the study area, explaining previous studies (based on qualitative research) and issues that have been presented in practice in the field. 6 Lectures on public transport and the region This lecture will mainly focus on public transport in the study area, explaining the issues raised by previous research (based on qualitative research) and practice in the field. 7 Literature review on the problems facing the study area Students introduce what they have learned from the literature survey and exchange opinions with other students. 8 Literature review on problems in the study area Students introduce what they have learned from the literature review and exchange opinions with other students. 9 Preparation of a research plan Students prepare a research plan. Individual guidance will be given on how to prepare the plan, including correction. 10 Preparing a research plan Explain the main points and cautions of qualitative research such as interviews and participant observation through the preparation of a research plan. 11 Questionnaire design Creating the questionnaire for the field survey. Individual guidance will be given on how to make them, including correction. 12 Questionnaire design Explanation of the main points and cautions for qualitative research, such as interviews and participatory observation, through the design of questionnaires. 13 Methodology of interviews Explanation of the methods and points to note for interview surveys, based on actual examples. 14 On-campus practice of interview surveys Confirmation of interviewing methodology by conducting interviews with other students. 15 Interview surveys and analytical methods Explanation of how to analyse interviews.
Text/Reference Books,etc.	Reference book: Concepts of Social Research (Part 2), Ikuya Sato, University of Tokyo Press.
PC or AV used in Class,etc.	Handouts, Microsoft Teams, moodle
(More Details)
Learning techniques to be incorporated	Discussions, Role Play, Fieldwork / Survey
Suggestions on Preparation and Review	Be aware of the importance of preparation before carrying out field research Understand the perspective of the person being surveyed when designing the survey plan, questionnaire, etc.
Requirements
Grading Method	Mainly based on research plans, questionnaires and other submissions.
Practical Experience	Experienced
Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it	Based on market and regional research experience in private research companies
Message
Other
Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes. Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

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