Sociology 132: Methods of Social Research

Duke University-Fall 2000



MWF 11:50-12:40
Room 229 Social Sciences Building

Professor M.E. Hughes
Office: Soc/Psych 338
Phone: 660-5737
E-mail: mehughes@soc.duke.edu
Office Hours: Friday 1-3 and by appointment

TA Hana Pacalova
Office: Languages 05
Phone: 660-5642
E-mail: pacalova@soc.duke.edu
Office Hours: TBA

Course Content and Objectives This course introduces the process of social research. You will learn both the logic that underlies social inquiry and the specific procedures used by social researchers, with a particular emphasis on quantitative analysis of survey data. By the end of the course you should have a working knowledge of 1) the purposes of social research; 2) the fundamental assumptions and approaches of social research; 3) the types of observation and measurement used by social scientists; 4) how social scientists go about structuring quantitative research inquiries; 5) the analytical tools used by quantitative social scientists, including basic computer and statistical skills; 6) how to present research findings in a written report.

Format and Requirements

The core of the material presented is found in the text, The Practice of Social Research (Babbie, 2000), which is available in the bookstore. You are expected to read the assigned chapters prior to class. Lectures will clarify, emphasize, and supplement the text. I welcome and encourage questions during lectures. For the seventh class session, you will be required to read an article from American Sociological Review. Instructions about how to access the article on the Web will be distributed.

In addition to the assigned reading, you will do four types of assignments. These assignments are intended to give you hands-on experience with the logic and procedures of social research. First, you will divide into small groups during class sessions and work on problems that apply concepts from the reading and lectures. Second, you will each hand in a written answer to each group problem. These will be due one week after the in-class group session. You are required to rewrite the first of these assignments. In addition, a final short paper will be based on independent work. Third, there will be in-class computer applications in which you will be expected to carry out, with guidance, basic analyses on a topic of your choice using data from the 1994 General Social Survey (GSS). Finally, you will write a research report based on your analysis of the GSS data.

Writing

Writing is an essential part of research. Not only do researchers write up their results; writing is critical to the research process. Therefore, writing figures prominently in this course. The goal of the short papers is to help you practice writing clearly and concisely about complex topics. Students who desire additional help with their writing are encouraged to visit the Writing Studio, which offers Duke students an opportunity to meet with trained writing tutors to discuss individual writing concerns. A representative from the Writing Studio will visit in the second week of class.

Interactive Computer Classroom (ICC)

We are fortunate to be holding class in the Interactive Computer Classroom. This is a tremendous advantage for you. Computers have transformed social science research; having computers in the classroom will give you a full understanding of their role in research and enhance your understanding of the research process overall. We will use the computers in three ways. First, I will use the instructor's computer, which has a screen that can be projected, to illustrate points during lectures. Second, we will use web-based research resources, in particular bibliographic data-bases and the web site for the General Social Survey. Third, the last six weeks of the semester will be devoted to computer application sessions in which you carry out your own research project.

Procedures

Because this course includes several types of class sessions (lectures, small groups, computer applications) and four sets of assignments, the logistical details can be complicated. The following pages contain a detailed course schedule; please refer to this regularly.

I will create a class email list which I will use to send reminders and information. Please check your email regularly. These announcements, as well as the syllabus and class handouts, will be available on the course web site.

You may form your own small groups; they should have 4-6 members and must stay the same for the duration of the course. During the small group sessions, the TA and I will circulate to answer questions and monitor progress.

Written versions of the group problems will be due in class one week after the class session in which they were initiated. The only exceptions to this rule will be made for absences due to religious holidays, illness, or sports events. However, I realize that computers fail, printers jam, students oversleep, other classes have requirements, etc. Therefore I will accept assignments until 2:00 the day they are due. You may bring them to my office or place them in my mailbox in the Department of Sociology. Dates of the group sessions and due dates for the written assignments are listed on the attached course schedule.

You are required to re-write the first short paper. You will receive detailed comments on your writing. You will then re-write the paper in response to these comments. The revised version be due ten days after the original paper is handed back to you. You will be graded on both versions.

The analysis for the research report will be completed in class; therefore attendance at these class sessions is mandatory. Makeup labs will be scheduled as needed for those who missed a session due to religious holiday, illness or sports event. The TA will not hold individual lab consultations for those who missed a session.

The final papers will be due in my mailbox in the Sociology Department at the time allotted for the final -- 12:00 Noon Tuesday 12 December 2000. No extensions will be granted.

Do not hesitate to come by during my office hours should you have questions. E-mail or call me for an appointment if you cannot make it to my office hours. Questions regarding course policy and grading should be directed to me, not to the TA.

Grading

Grades will be awarded on a point system. There is a total of 250 points. Each written assignment is worth 10 points (for a total of 100 points); the research report is worth 125 points (8 points for write-up of your research topic, 10 points for an annotated bibliography, 7 points for a write-up of your recoding scheme, and 100 points for the actual research report); and class participation, by which I mean reading assigned material on time, attending lectures, participating in group sessions, and completing computer applications, is worth 25 points. Thus, the short papers constitute 40% of your grade, the final paper and its components 50%, and class participation 10%.

Students should note that because of the intensive and cumulative nature of the class material, attendance is critical. We will therefore take attendance, which will figure heavily into your participation points. Students with excused absences will not be penalized; however they are responsible for making up the material in a timely manner.

Course Schedule



DATE CLASS TOPIC READINGS DUE
Mon August 28 Introduction . .
Wed August 30 Scientific Inquiry Babbie Chapter 1 .
Fri September 1 The Role of Theory Babbie Chapter 2 .
Mon September 4 Group Problem 1 . .
Wed September 6 Principles of Causation Babbie Chapter 3 .
Fri September 8 Group Problem 2 . .
Mon September 11 The Research Process

A Research Example

 Hagan, MacMillan & Wheaton,

ASR 61:368-385

 Written Assignment 1
Wed September 13 Research Design Babbie Chapter 4 .
Fri September 15 Group Problem 3 . Written Assignment 2
Mon September 18 Modes of Research Qualitative Research Babbie Chapter 10 .
Wed September 20 Experiments, Part 1 Babbie Chapter 8 .
Fri September 22 Experiments, Part 2 . Written Assignment 3
Mon September 25 Group Problem 4 . .
Wed September 27 Overview of Surveys

Introduction to Statistical Control

 . Rewrite of Assignment 1
Fri September 29 Types of Surveys Babbie Chapter 9

Babbie pp. A75-A80

 .
Mon October 2 Group Problem 5 . Written Assignment 4
Wed October 4 Requirements for Research Report

The General Social Survey

 Research Report HOs

GSS Materials & Web Site

 .
Fri October 6 Guidelines for Literature Reviews . .
Mon October 9 NO CLASS - HOLIDAY

 . .
Wed October 11 The Logic of Sampling Babbie Chapter 7 Written Assignment 5
Fri October 13 Group Problem 6 . .
Mon October 16 NO CLASS - BREAK . .
Wed October 18 Conceptualization and Measurement Babbie Chapter 5 .
Fri October 20 Group Problem 7 . Written Assignment 6
Mon October 23 Operationalization

Scales

. Report Topic
Wed October 25 Reliability & Validity

Measures of Association

 Babbie Chapter 6 .
Fri October 27 Group Problem 8 . Written Assignment 7
Mon October 30 Introduction to Quantitative Analysis

Stata Basics

 Babbie Chapter 14 .
Wed November 1 Lecture-Demonstration:

Descriptive Statistics

 Babbie Chapter 15 .
Fri November 3 Computer Application: Descriptive Statistics . Written Assignment 8
Mon November 6 Computer Application: Descriptive Statistics . .
Wed November 8 Lecture-Demonstration:

Recoding Variables

 . .
Fri November 10 Computer Application: Recoding Variables . Recoding Plan
Mon November 13

 Computer Application: Recoding Variables . .
Wed November 15 Lecture-Demonstration:

Bivariate and Multivariate Analysis

 . Written Assignment 9
Fri November 17

 Computer Application:

Bivar & Multivar Analysis

 . .
Mon November 20 Computer Application:

Bivar & Multivar Analysis

 . Annotated Bibliography
Wed November 22 Computer Application: Catch-up Session Babbie Chapter 17 .
Fri November 24 NO CLASS - BREAK . .
Mon November 27 Lecture-Demonstration:

Statistical Significance and Reading Output

 . .
Wed November 29 Lecture-Demonstration:

Interpreting Results, The Elaboration Model Part 1

 Babbie Chapter 16 .
Fri December 1 Lecture-Demonstration:

Interpreting Results, The Elaboration Model Part 2

 . .
Mon December 4 Individual Consultations . .
Wed December 6 Individual Consultations . .
Tue December 12

12 Noon

 . . RESEARCH REPORT