Meeting

Topic

Readings

Jan. 20

Introduction and Overview of the Course:

Read the syllabus

Understanding Social Science

with great care,

ask when there are

(Homework 1: In case you do not have one yet,

questions.

you should go to the Computer Commons to get

yourself an ASU computer account. Write down

Welch and Comer,

your userid and your password on your

Chapter 1.

textbook, your notebook, and your calendar

book. Every student should send an email to

LAN@asu.edu before Feb. 3 to confirm that you

have a working ASURITE computer account and

that you have your userid and password

available for ready use).

Jan. 27

Science, Theory, and Social Science Research

Babbie, Chapt.1, 2

& 3.

Feb. 3

Research Questions and Research Hypotheses

Babbie, Chapt.

4,5,6;

(Homework 2: Formulate three research

Welch and Comer,

questions of your interest, have them typed

Chapt. 2.

on a piece of paper, and turn them in on Feb.

loth. )

Sign up for presentations of the Sudman and

Bradburn book on Feb. 27th, you may choose to

read a book of your own choice on

questionnaire design and present it to the

class later on.

Feb. 10

Research Designs, Measurements and Data

Babbie, Chapt. 8;

Collection

Welch and Comer,

(In class Exercise: Read and carefully think

Chapter 2

about exercise 2-11 on Page 33 of Welch and

Comer. Provided in class).

(Three research questions due today)

Library (and INTERNET) resources for Public

Class meets at

Administration Research (Class meet in the

6:00 pm in the

main lobby of Hayden Library at 6:00pm).

Lobby of Hayden

Bring with you your research question,

Library.

hypotheses, and literature needs. (Guest

Speaker: Public Administration Literature

specialist).

(Homework 3: Identify sources of reference

for your research question(s) and prepare an

annotated bibliography of 10 or more books

and articles related to your research

question. You could plan to spend an hour

and a half in the library after Deborah's 1

hour and a half presentation. Due together

with the research design project on March

23th) .

Feb. 24

Questionnaire Formulation,

Babbie, Chapt. 13,

Data Collection and Data Coding

14

(Homework 4: develop a computer datz~ codebook

Sudman and

and hand it in at the beginning of the class

Bradburn, whole

next week. Datasheet will be handed out in

book.

class).

March 2

Different modes of research.

Babbie, Chapt. 9,

10, 11, 12.

March 9

Mid-term examination.

March 16

March 14-21 Spring Recess

March 23

Interpreting Quantitative Data with SPSS

Babbie, Chapt. 14;

Antonius, Chapt.

(Three Copies of the Research Proposal Due

1,2,3,4,5,6,7.

Today)

(Homework 5: Create your own SPSS file and

perform some basic analysis. Exercise data

files will be provided).

March 30

Instructor out of town for conference

Students will write critiques on fellow

student research proposals to be presented

later on.

April 6

Interpreting Quantitative Data with SPSS

Antonius, Chapt.

8,9,10;

Babbie, Chapt. 15,

16.

April 13

Presentations and Critiques.