Drexel University

SOC 250-701 - Research Methods I

Instructor:  Larissa M. Verta

Summer Term 2007

Topic and Assignment Schedule

(subject to change based upon individual/class needs – adhere to instructor notification)

 

Monday, June 25 (Week 1)

Introductions

Sociology Review/Incorporation of Research Methods

Course Review and Expectations

Syllabus Review

Research Proposal Process (page 108)

Chapter 1:  Human Inquiry and Science

Topics:  I.  Looking for Reality (human inquiry, tradition, authority)

             II.  Errors in Inquiry/Solutions (inaccurate observations, overgeneralization, selective observation,

                   illogical reasoning)

            III.  WhatÕs Real? (premodern, modern, postmodern views)

            IV.  Foundations of Social Science (theory, social regularities, aggregates, variable language)

             V.  Dialectics of Social Research (ideographic and nomothetic explanation, inductive and deductive

                   reasoning, qualitative and quantitative data, pure and applied research)

            VI.  Ethics of Social Research (voluntary participation and no harm)

In-Class Activity:  True/False Questionnaire on Social Sciences

                               Media Research Reports

                               Evaluating Decisions in Daily Life

Group Activity:  Variables and Attributes

Assignment:  Read chapters 1, 2 and 3

                      Website review: www.asanet.org (click sociologists, review data resources available, and

                       select one of interest) – complete questions on handout

                       List four social regularities evident in day to day life

 

Monday, July 2 (Week 2)

**Overview of chapters 8,9,10,11 to provide students with the different types of sociological research methods available to give students an idea of what type of research method they will seek to utilize in the construction of their research proposal.  Detailed explanation and understanding of these chapters will occur later in the term.

Chapter 2:  Paradigms, Theory, and Social Research

Topics:  I.  Social Science Paradigms (macro and microtheory, early positivism, social Darwinism,

                  conflict paradigm, symbolic interactionism, ethnomethodology, structural functionalism,

                  feminist paradigms, critical race theory, rational objectivity)

             II.  Elements of Social Theory

            III.  Two Logical Systems (traditional model of science, deductive and inductive reasoning)

            IV.  Deductive Theory Construction

              V.  Inductive Theory Construction

            VI.  Linking Theory and Research

Chapter 3:  Ethics and Politics of Social Research

Topics:  I.  Ethical Issues (voluntary participation, no harm, anonymity and confidentiality, deception,

                   analysis and reporting, review boards, professional codes of ethics)

             II.  Ethical Controversies (Humphreys and Milgram Studies)

            III.  Politics (objectivity and ideology, race, sex, census)

In-Class Activity:  Ice Cube Demonstration

                               Participant Observation in Dormitory

Group Activity:  Contrast deductive and inductive reasoning.  Complete exercise 2.1 (handout)

                            Which ethical agreements were violated in Humphreys and Milgram Studies?

                            Exercise 3.1 Examples of Ethical Dilemmas/Violations (handout)

Assignment:  Website Review:  http://www.scientificmethod.com (sections scientific methods vs. scientific

                       method, the 11 stages and 3 supporting ingredients of the SM-14, and practical help with

                       everyday problems and decisions) – discuss what are the stages in the scientific method,

                       why is the scientific method used, what does the scientific method enable researchers to

                       conclude?

                       Briefly explain and give an example of a topic that a researcher might study for each of

                       paradigm (confict, symbolic interactionism, ethnomethodology, structural functionalism,

                       critical race, and feminist

                       Exercise 3.2 (Handout):  Ethical Conflict in Techniques of Scientific Method

                       Read chapters 4 and 17 (will be referenced throughout this course and on final exam)

                      

 

Monday, July 9 (Week 3)

Due:  Sociological Scholarly Journal Abstract

Exam 1 (chapters 1, 2, 3)

Seminar:  Presentation of Journal Abstract

Chapter 4:  Research Designs

Topics:  I.  Purposes of Research (exploration, description, explanation)

             II.  Logic of Nomothetic Explanation (criteria and false criteria for nomothetic causality)

III.            Necessary and Sufficient Causes

Assignment:  Exercise 4.4 (Handout):  Using a Scholarly Journal Article to Identify Research Designs

                      Exercise 4.1 (Handout):  Unit of Analysis Examples

                      Exercise 4.2 (Handout):  Studying a Variable with the Four Research Designs

                      Read chapter 5

 

 

Monday, July 16 (Week 4)

Due:  Sociological Research Proposal Topic

Seminar:  Presentation of Research Proposal Topic

Chapter 4:  Research Designs - continued

 Topics:  IV.  Units of Analysis (types)

                V.  Time Dimension (cross-sectional and longitudinal studies)

               VI.  Designing a Research Project (operationalization, research method, population/sampling,

                      observations, data processing, analysis, application)

              VII.  Research Proposal

Chapter 5:  Conceptualization, Operationalization, and Measurement

Topics:  I.  Conceptions, Concepts and Reality

             II.  Conceptualization (indicators, dimensions, real, nominal, and operational definitions,

                   conceptual order, anomie)

            III.  Definitions in Descriptive and Explanatory Studies

            IV.  Variation and Variables and Attributes

              V.  Levels of Measurement (nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio measures and implications of levels)

            VI.  Measurement Quality (reliability and validity)

In-Class Activity:  Exercise 5.1(Handout)

Assignment:  Exercise 5.5 (Handout)

                      Read chapters 6 and 7

 

 

Monday, July 23 (Week 5)

Due:  Literature Review on Topic of Research Proposal

Seminar:  Presentation of Research Proposal Literature Review

Chapter 6:  Indexes, Scales, and Typologies

Topics:  I.  Index Construction, Scoring, and Validation

             II.  Scale Construction

            III.  Typologies

Assignment:  Read chapter 7

 

Monday, July 30 (Week 6)

Due:  Theory, Conceptualization, Operationalization in Research Proposal

Exam 2 (chapters 4, 5, 6)

Seminar:  Presentation of Theory, Conceptualization, Operationalization in Research Proposal

Chapter 7:  The Logic of Sampling

Topics:  I.  Nonprobability Sampling (purposive, snowball, quota sampling and selecting informants)

             II.  Probability Sampling (sampling bias, representativeness, random selection)

            III.  Probability Theory (sampling distribution, sampling error, confidence levels and intervals)

Assignment:  Exercises 7.1 and 7.2 (Handouts)

                      Read chapter 8

 

Monday, August 6 (Week 7)

Due:  Selection of Participants in Research Proposal (Sampling)

Seminar:  Presentation of Participants in Research Proposal

Chapter 7:  The Logic of Sampling – continued

 Topics:     IV.  Sampling Designs (simple random, systematic, stratified, implicit stratification, sample

                         selection and modification, study population and sampling frame)

                   V.  Multistage Cluster Sampling (designs and sampling error, stratification, PPS sampling,

                         disproportionate sampling and weighting)

Chapter 8:  Experiments

Topics:  I.  Topics in Experiments

             II.  Classical Experiment (independent and dependent variables, pre and posttesting, experimental

                   and control groups, double-blind experiment)

            III.  Selecting Subjects (probability sampling, randomization, matching)

            IV.  Preexperimental Research Designs (one-shot, one-group, static-group)

             V.  Validity Issues

            VI.  Illustration of Experimentation and Evaluation of Experimental Method

In-Class Activity:  Exercise 8.1 (Handout):  Using the Classical Design to Test a Hypothesis

Assignment:  Exercise 8.2 (Handout):  Watching Sesame Street

                      Read chapters 9 and 10

 

Monday, August 13 (Week 8)

Due:  Description of Research Method and Research Utilized in Research Proposal

Exam 3 (chapters 7, 8)

Seminar:  Presentation of Research Method in Research Proposal

Chapter 9:  Survey Research

Topics:  I.  Topics in Survey Research

             II.  Guidelines for Asking Questions

            III.  Questionnaire Construction

            IV.  Self-Administered Questionnaires

             V.   Interview Surveys (role of survey interviewer and guidelines for survey interviewing)

            VI.  Telephone Surveys

In-Class Activity:  Exercise 9.2 (Handout):  Evaluating Questionnaire Items

Chapter 10:  Qualitative Field Research

Topics:  I.  Topics in Field Research

             II.  Qualitative Field Research Paradigms (naturalism, ethnomethodology, grounded theory,

                   case studies, institutional ethnography, participatory action research)

            III.  Conducting Qualitative Research

            IV.  Ethics and Strengths and Weaknesses in Qualitative Field Research

 

Assignment:  Exercise 10.1(Handout):  Social Dynamics of Jaywalking or 10.2 (Handout): Social

                      Dynamics of Physical Proximity

                      Read chapter 11

 

Monday, August 20 (Week 9)

Due:  Assignment Portfolio

Due:  Collection and Analysis of Data in Research Proposal

Seminar:  Presentation of Collection and Analysis of Data in Research Proposal

**Complete any remaining sections of chapter 10 not finished last class

Chapter 11:  Unobtrusive Research

Topics:  I.  Content Analysis

             II.  Analyzing Existing Statistics

            III.  Comparative and Historical Research

        

In-Class Activity:  Exercise 11.1 (Handout):  Comparing National News Magazines

Assignment:  Exercise 11.2 (Handout):  Examining Television Commercials

                      Read chapters 13 and 14

 

 

Monday, August 27 (Week 10)

Due:  Final Research Proposal

Seminar:  Reflecting Upon the Research Proposal Process

Chapter 13:  Qualitative Data Analysis

Topics:  I.  Linking Theory and Analysis

             II.  Qualitative Data Processing (coding, memoing, concept mapping)

            III.  Computer Programs for Qualitative Data

            IV.  Qualitative Analysis of Quantitative Data

Chapter 14:  Quantitative Data Analysis

Topics:  I.  Quantification of Data (code categories, codebook construction, data entry)

             II.  Univariate Analysis (distributions, central tendency, dispersion, continuous and discrete

                   variables, detail versus manageability)

            III.  Subgroup Comparisons

            IV.  Bivariate Analysis

             V.  Multivariate Analysis

            VI.  Sociological Diagnostics

** Lecture handouts given on chapters 13 and 14 and take home essay questions for these chapters

 

 

** Final Exam –  chapters 9, 10, 11 and essay questions from chapters 13 and 14

                                           to be submitted with in-class final on chapters 9, 10, and 11

                           (Research Proposal returned to students)