Course Number: SS200
Course Title: Research Method
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
General
1. Demonstrate a deep understanding and
appreciation of the scientific process
2.
Demonstrate the ability to plan and undertake
general research strategies that utilize the research resources of libraries and
the
internet in an efficient and effective manner
3.
Demonstrate the ability to construct theories
that successfully guide and structure research toward the goal of uncovering
causality
4.
Explain the importance of operationalization
to the process of scientific research and demonstrate the ability to
operationalize
their own research
5.
Explain the importance of sampling to the
research process and demonstrate the ability to correctly use sampling
techniques in
their own research
6.
Demonstrate the ability develop indices into
scales and to use scales for conducting research
7.
Demonstrate an understanding of the strengths
and weaknesses of survey research and the ability to correctly use surveys for
their own research
8.
Demonstrate the ability to make accurate
observations of social phenomena and to correctly interpret them
9.
Demonstrate the ability to plan and implement
a fieldwork component of social and behavioral research
10.
Demonstrate the ability to successfully craft
a research paper
Specific
Students will be able to:
Unit 1- introduction to the
Scientific Process
1. Explain Thomas Kuhn's
theory of developing and shifting paradigms in science
2.
Describe the truth-seeking
methods of falsification, verification and skepticism
3.
Explain the significance
of theoretical scope and level of abstraction in scientific thinking Demonstrate
an ability to construct
accurate metaphors and analogies
4.
Distinguish between explanation, prediction
and speculation
5.
Explain the principle of
parsimony and its value to the scientific method
6.
Recognize tautologies and
explain how they constrain scientific thinking
Unit 2 - Research Resources
1.
Explain the major advantages and
disadvantages of quoting from primary versus secondary sources
2.
Describe the necessary steps for conducting
successful library research
3.
Demonstrate the ability to conduct successful
library research
4.
Describe the Dewey Decimal and Library of
Congress systems of library classification
5.
Demonstrate the ability to takes notes
efficiently and effectively from library sources
6.
Demonstrate the ability to use abstracts,
indexes, books, periodicals, newspapers government documents, and online
internet
sources to undertake research
Unit 3 - the Research Problem
1.
Demonstrate the ability to
construct variables from concepts
2.
Demonstrate the ability to
construct hypotheses from variables
3.
Demonstrate the ability to
deduce causation
4.
Demonstrate the ability to construct theories
from hypotheses
Unit 4 -
Operationalization, Reliability. and Validity
1.
Explain the importance of
operationalization to the scientific process
2.
Demonstrate the ability to
operationalize variables in their own research
3.
Explain the concept of
reliability
4.
Explain the concept of
validity of measurements and distinguish between content validity,
criterion-based validity and construct
validity
5.
Explain the concepts of
internal validity, statistical conclusion validity and external validity
Unit 5 - Sampling And
The Search Far Typicality
1.
Explain the advantages of
sampling
2.
Explain the Meaning of
"randomness"
3.
Describe the various
probability sampling techniques including random sampling, stratified sampling,
cluster sampling, multistage
sampling, time sampling and event sampling.
Unit 6 - Scaling
Subjective Phenomena
1.
Explain the basic rules for
constructing subjective indices
2.
Explain the impact which
systematic response biases have on the indexing and scaling processes
3.
Demonstrate the ability to
develop, use and correctly interpret findings from category rank scales
4.
Demonstrate the ability to
develop, use and correctly interpret findings from the Likert scale
5.
Demonstrate the ability to
develop, use and correctly interpret findings from the Guttman scale
6.
Demonstrate the ability to
develop, use and correctly interpret finding from indirect measures of attitudes
including the Rorschach
Test and Thematic Apperception Test
Unit 7 - Surveys: Questionnaires and
Interviews
1.
Explain the principles for developing good
questionnaires and interview schedule designs
2.
Demonstrate the ability to correctly develop
open-ended and close-ended questions
3.
Explain the major novice errors and unethical
practices in questionnaires
4.
Explain the important of question wording,
readability and understandability for the construction of questions
5.
Demonstrate the ability to develop readable
and understandable questions
6.
Explain the principles and elements of the
structured interview technique
7.
Demonstrate the ability to conduct a
structured interview and correctly interpret the findings
8.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of
survey research
Unit 8 - Research by Observation
1.
Demonstrate the ability to make systematic
observations of social phenomena using establish principles
2.
Demonstrate the ability to accurately make
linguistic and extra linguistic measures, body movement measures and spatial
measures
3.
Demonstrate the ability to use audiovisual
recording devices to make systematic observations of social phenomena
4.
Demonstrate the ability to make necessary
quality controls of observations for reliability and validity
5.
Explain some of the special problems
encountered in the analysis of observational data
Unit 9 - Strategies of Field Research
1.
Explain the key features of field research
and the ways in which it differs from most other social research methods.
2.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of
field research
3.
Explain the processes of
fieldworker recruitment & self-recruitment
4.
Explain the processes of
fieldworker entry and socialization
5.
Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of informants
6.
Explain the logistical
considerations of successful fieldwork
7.
Demonstrate the ability to accurately observe and record observational and
interact ional data
Unit 10 - Writing
Research Reports
1.
Demonstrate the ability to
extract meaning from factual data
2.
Demonstrate the ability to
clearly articulate theoretical narrative
3.
Demonstrate the ability to
efficiently and effectively take and organize research notes.
4.
Demonstrate the ability to
paraphrase
5.
Demonstrate the ability to write first, second and final drafts
6.
Demonstrate the ability to correctly cite sources of research data