Quantitative Research Methods

SOC-108 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS WESTMONT COLLEGE FALL 2016

Professor: Dr. Felicia W. Song ([email protected]) Office: Deane Hall 211 Office Hours: TBD Tel #565-6840

COURSE DESCRIPTION This course provides an introduction to understanding the fundamentals of quantitative research methods. We will begin by examining the logic and structures of social research, and explore key quantitative methods such as experiments, surveys, and content analysis. Then we will seek to understand the fundamentals of statistical analysis and coding, with real world consideration of how statistics get used (and abused) when individuals and organizations make persuasive arguments about social problems, policy, and developing trends. At the end of this class, you will be able to recognize the differences between good and bad research, the pros and cons of quantitative research, and the ethical issues at stake in conducting research. Most of all, this class will prepare you to engage in a more critical consumption of social research.

This class fulfills the Quantitative and Analytical Reasoning GE requirement. As such, students will gain skills in quantitative and analytic methods, and better understand how to communicate and interpret numeric data.

PRIMARY COURSE OBJECTIVES Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: o Efficiently locate, understand, and critically evaluate research reported in scholarly publications, organizational settings, and news media. o Design and conduct research by formulating research questions and developing the appropriate study design and quantitative methods needed to generate the data necessary for answering those questions.

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES o Demonstrate an understanding of how social theories are developed and how hypotheses based on these theories are tested. o Demonstrate an ability to determine which sort of research method is most appropriate to various problems/opportunities and why particular methods are useful. (Program Learning Outcome #2 regarding Research and Methods Competence). o Demonstrate the basic skills of quantitative research—including designing, conducting surveys, conducting content analysis, analyzing quantitative data, and writing up findings (Institutional Learning Outcome regarding Competence in Written Communication; Program Learning Outcomes #2 and #4 regarding Research & Methods Competence and Oral & Written Communication). o Demonstrate an understanding and application of basic statistics and their use in hypothesis testing, including the use of appropriate statistical software. o Demonstrate an understanding of ethical standards in quantitative social research. o Demonstrate skills in evaluating the credibility, validity, and reliability of research findings reported in news media, scholarly publications and organizational settings. o Demonstrate skills in finding appropriate scholarly and professional research, and effectively organizing and communicating this research. REQUIRED TEXTS  Chambliss, Daniel F. and Russell K. Schutt (C&S). Making Sense of the Social World. 5th Edition.  Frankfort-Nachmias, Chava and Anna Leon-Geurrero, Social Statistics for a Diverse Society. 7th Edition, 2015.  Wheelan, Charles. Naked Statistics: Stripping The Dread Out of Data, 2013.

All additional reading materials will be made available through Eureka.

Suggestions for Effective Studying: Reading textbooks can be surprisingly difficult. For effective study sessions, watch for hints that the authors give through the section overviews and subheadings. If you like to underline or highlight as you read, I suggest that when you have finished reading a chapter, review your marked passages and take notes. Writing ideas and concepts down in your own words is one of the most effective ways to learn the material.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Your performance in this class will be evaluated on the basis of homework assignments, 2 exams, research proposal and pilot study project, and class participation.

Core Assignments

There will be four core assignments: (1) Mini-Survey, (2) Content Analysis,(3) Data Set #1 Analysis, (4) Data Set #2 Analysis. The last two assignments will require you to conduct quantitative data analysis using SPSS. Further details for each assignment will be discussed in class and made available on Eureka. All core assignments must be typed, printed, and stapled. Handwritten or emailed assignments will NOT be accepted.

Research Proposal (15%) & Pilot Study (20%) Project: For this project, you will be asked to define a research topic and question, determine which quantitative method of data collection is more appropriate, and choose a method for which you will create a research design and develop any instruments (e.g., sample questionnaire, coding scheme) necessary for your proposed study. Further details of this project’s requirements will be discussed. All project-related assignments must be typed, printed, and stapled.

KEY DATES-- Sept 18: Topic & RQ Submission Sept 30: Preliminary Literature Review List Due Oct 23: Research Proposal Draft Due Nov 6: Research Proposal Due Dec 9: Pilot Study Report Due Dec 9-11: Class Presentations

Class Participation

2 This course is designed to include student engagement and discussion. It provides an opportunity to ask questions, articulate class concepts, hear a diverse range of views, and build on one another’s ideas. Your participation grade will reflect considerations: (1) participation in small-group learning exercises; (2) how often you contribute questions, answers, and comments; and (3) the extent that those contributions are thoughtful and indicate that you’ve prepared for class.

Outstanding Participation in these three areas is typically noted as 95; Satisfactory Participation = 85; Unsatisfactory Participation = 75. Online discussions on Eureka may be held as well. If you aren’t in class, you can’t participate and points will be deducted due to the absence.

Note: If students are falling behind in the reading and unable to contribute to class discussion, pop quizzes will be added to supplement the participation grade.

Exams Each exam is worth 100 points, based upon the percentage of questions you get correct on each exam. The midterm exam will be administered during regular class time; the final exam will be given during the final exam period scheduled for this class.

Exam questions come from lectures, class discussions, and the readings so it is important to stay on schedule with the readings and attend class, be on time, and ready to take notes. You will be notified in class if any specific omissions are to be made. Review sheets will be provided prior to each exam.

Your final grade is based on the following: Core Assignments 35% Research Proposal Draft 5% Final Pilot Study 25% Exam #1 10% Exam #2 15% Class Participation 5% Total 100%

POLICIES AND GUIDELINES

Classroom Expectations: Attendance, diligent reading, and active participation are expected of all students. Students should come to class prepared and attentive. Your preparation for class is crucial to your active learning in the course. In order to prepare for class you will need to carefully and thoughtfully read required readings before the class for which they are listed.

Attendance: Regular attendance is expected and is essential to your mastery of course concepts and to your performance on exams. If you have other serious commitments that impact your performance as a student (i.e., family responsibilities, athletic events), please see me within the first week of the semester so that we can plan appropriately for potential scheduling conflicts. The Eureka site for this course includes a copy of the syllabus, abridged lecture slides, supplemental materials for the course topics, and documents used in the course. These materials are intended to be a supplement not a replacement for coming to class.

Make-up Exams: Absence from any exams must be approved prior to taking the exam. Make-up exams will be given only under dire and verified circumstances (i.e., serious illness or accident, family crisis, etc). In such circumstances, you are expected to notify me via email prior to the exam time with some form of 3 documentation (e.g., a scanned photo of a doctor’s note or a copy of the excuse in my mailbox or office). If adequate notification is not done before the scheduled exam time, a penalty of 10% is applied to the subsequent make-up exam.

Deadlines: One of the expectations of this class is that you meet your deadlines. A commitment to meeting deadlines will serve you well throughout college and in your chosen profession. All assignments must be submitted by the beginning of class on their due date. No exceptions.

If you are medically unable to submit the assignment in class, please email it to me by the due date, BEFORE the time that class begins, with an explanation. Official documentation stating a legitimate reason for the emailed submission is required within one week for full credit. Do NOT expect any other emailed assignments to be accepted.

Penalty assessments for late submissions begin once the assignments have been collected. A deduction of 10% off the assigned grade is applied to late submissions turned in within the first 24 hours (for example, from the time that assignments are collected on Tuesday until the same time on Wednesday). Assignments submitted within the second 24 hours will result in a deduction of 20% off the assigned grade. After that (a total of 48 hours), the grade is a 0% (much worse than an “F”).

Appeals: If you believe a grade is incorrect, you have two weeks from the time the grade is posted to discuss the grade in-person with the professor. Email and phone conversations are inappropriate for such a discussion and will not be entertained. After two weeks have passed, the grade becomes final. Similarly, students have two weeks from the date of administration to complete all make-up assignments before the grade becomes a zero. Please do not send emails asking for “grade bumps,” additional extra credit assignments, or any kind of grade reconsideration after grades are finalized.

Electronic Devices & Notetaking: NO LAPTOPS ARE PERMITTED DURING THIS CLASS, unless otherwise notified. If this policy is problematic to your academic success, please let me know. Please be mindful of our collective classroom experience and turn off your cell phones before class. Any form of recording class lectures must be approved by the instructor in advance.

Ask Questions: Questions concerning course content are always welcome during class. Also, please feel free to meet with me during office hours. In your emails: please include in the subject heading SOC-XXX. Otherwise, your email may be accidentally deleted as junk mail.

Course Communication: You are expected to check your email every day and the SOC-XXX course page on Eureka where assignments, announcements, course materials, grades etc. will be posted. If you frequently miss class, come in late or leave early, you may miss important information. This is entirely your responsibility.

Academic Integrity: In accordance with Westmont’s Community Life statement, students are expected to uphold high ethical standards. Any work done or exam taken for this class is assumed—and required—to be your own. All students are expected to read and be familiar with the Westmont Community Life statement and Westmont’s statement on plagiarism at http://www.westmont.edu/_offices/provost/Plagiarism/PlagiarismStudentInformation.html.

In case you are not sure, here are instances in which you would be in violation of the principle of academic integrity: - You cheat on an exam - You copy a classmate’s work or allow your classmate to copy your work. 4 - You fail to properly assign authorship to a paper, a document, an idea, or a turn of phrase, whether intentionally or unintentionally - You submit the same work for two different courses without prior permission from your professors - You seek or obtain help on any work that calls for independent work (including take home exams, homework, and problems to be solved) - You purchase documents or papers and then present them as your own Should you violate the principle of academic integrity, you will fail the assignment and the course. See the student handbook for the full college policy.

Any students who are suspected of violating the principles of academic integrity will be held accountable for their actions and are eligible for a failing grade in the assignment and/or course.

Academic Accommodations: Students who have circumstances that may make it difficult to complete class work in the time, format, quantity, or quality required, should notify me within the first week of the semester so that an appropriate plan of action can be implemented.

Students who have been diagnosed with a disability (chronic medical, learning, physical, or psychological) are strongly encouraged to contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS) as early as possible to discuss appropriate accommodations for this course. Formal accommodations will only be granted for students whose disabilities have been verified by ODS. For more information, contact Sheri Noble, Director of Disability Services (565-6186, [email protected]) or visit the website http://www.westmont.edu/_offices/disability. ODS is located in Voskuyl Library rooms 310A and 311.

Writers’ Corner: Writers’ Corner, the campus writing center, is an academic support service that is free for all students. Peer tutors are available for one-on-one tutorials in Voskuyl Library 215. Open hours are from 4-11 p.m. on Monday through Thursday and from 6-11 p.m. on Sunday. Drop-ins are welcome (first come, first served). For more information on their policies and services, please visit the writing center website: http://www.westmont.edu/_academics/departments/english/writers- corner.html.

Finally, if you are anxious… To succeed in this class, you don’t have to be a math whiz. However, you want to at least begin to feel comfortable and perhaps even savvy about the numbers you will surely encounter in your future careers. Therefore, if you are not a “math person”—I have two suggestions about how to approach this course.

(1) For some, it might help to think of this course as a foreign language class. Learning how to conduct research and interpret data is not unlike learning a new language. There are new terms to understand, new ways of thinking to consider—and with a willingness to jump in and practice, you may find the research endeavor to be surprisingly interesting—and maybe even exciting and empowering!

(2) For others, it might be more useful to approach this course as a course about solving problems—a daily reality in any of your future careers. Because so much of research and analysis comes down to trouble- shooting and attention to detail, I believe anyone who is willing to be attentive and persevering in their studies will do fine in this course.

5 COURSE SCHEDULE (Topics/Readings are Subject to Change)

KEY ELEMENTS OF RESEARCH DESIGN

Sept 1 Tues Course Introduction

What is Social Research? Best Reading #1 (Eureka) C&S, Ch 1

Sept 3 Thurs The Scientific Method C&S, Ch 2

Sept 8 Tues Research Ethics C&S, Ch 3 “Children as Research Subjects” (Eureka) HWK #1 DUE: IRB TRAINING CERTIFICATE

Sept 10 Thurs I. Conceptualization C&S, Ch 4: 65-76, II. Literature Review: Purpose Ch 13: 317-328 C&S, Appendix A (starting at p. 345)

Sept 15 Tues Measurement, Validity & Reliability C&S, Ch 4: 76-84

Sept 17 Thurs Probability and Non-probability Sampling C&S, Ch 5 HWK #2 DUE: RESEARCH TOPIC

TOOLBOX OF RESEARCH METHODS

Sept 22 Tues Causation and Experiments C&S, Ch 6

Sept 24 Thurs Survey Research C&S Ch 7

Sept 29 Tues Survey Instrument Design- LIME SURVEY HWK #3 DUE: MINI-SURVEY LOCATION: VL Computer Lab

Oct 1 Thurs Content Analysis C&S 11: 265-271, 283

Oct 6 Tues Class Exercise: Analysis of TV Show HWK #4: MINI-CONTENT DUE

Oct 8 Thurs EXAM #1

ANALYZING, PRESENTING AND CRITICALLY EVALUATING SOCIAL RESEARCH

Oct 13 Tues FALL HOLIDAY

Oct 15 Thurs Intro to Statistics + Frequencies Wheelan, Intro + Ch1; Frankfort, Ch 1-3 HWK#5 DUE: LIT REVIEW

6 Oct 20 Tues Central Tendency Frankfort, Ch 4; Wheelan, Ch 2

Oct 22 Thurs NO CLASS: DEPARTMENT RETREAT

Oct 27 Tues Dispersion Frankfort Ch 5; Wheelan, Ch 3 IRB APPLICATION + PROPOSAL DUE

Oct 29 Thurs Introduction to SPSS Workshop: GSS + Westmont Survey Data Analysis LOCATION: Voskyl computer lab

Nov 3 Tues Draft and Questions Meetings HWK #6: DATA ANALYSIS #1 DUE Nov 5 Thurs Cross-Tabs, Chi-Square & Stat Significance Frankfort Ch 10, 11 and Ch 9 (p. 256-265 only)

SPSS Workshop: Cross-Tabulation LOCATION: Voskyl computer lab

Nov 10 Tues Measures of Association and PRE Frankfort Ch 12; Wheelan, Ch 4

SPSS Workshop: Measures of Association LOCATION: Voskyl computer lab

Nov 12 Thurs EXAM #2 HWK #7: DATA ANALYSIS #2 DUE

Nov 17 Tues Introduction to Probability Wheelan, Ch 5 - 6

Nov 19 Thurs Inferential Statistics: Normal Distribution + CLT Frankfort, Ch 7, Wheelan, Ch 8 – 9

Nov 24 Tues Regression Frankfort, Ch 13, Wheelan, Ch 11

SPSS Workshop: Regression Analysis LOCATION: Voskyl computer lab

Nov 26 Thurs THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

Dec 1 Tues Writing and Presenting Data Analysis

Dec 3Thurs Conclusion: Stat-Spotting Wheelan, Conclusion; Best Reading #2

Dec 8 Tues Presentations ***PILOT STUDY REPORT DUE***

Dec 10 Thurs Presentations & Review

FINAL EXAM: DECEMBER 15, TUESDAY, 8-10 AM Course schedule, readings, and assignments found in this syllabus are subject to change