---
Note type: Resource
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  - "#Resource"
Resource type: Work
Resource date: 2024-05-27
Related areas:
  - "[[Teaching]]"
Related projects:
  - "[[SOC301 Social Research Methods Course]]"
Related tasks:
  - "[[Review assessment plan for SOC301]]"
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Creation date: 2024-05-27
Last modified: 2024-05-27
---

## General notes

This is the syllabus for the Spring 2023 offering of SOC301: Social Research Methods.

### Course Description

Undergrad intro to social science research methods. Covers logic of research, design, data collection, ethics. Skills in evaluating and conducting research.

### Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Identify and evaluate different social science research methods
2. Formulate empirical research questions and hypotheses
3. Design and implement a research project using quantitative and/or qualitative methods
4. Collect and analyze data using appropriate techniques
5. Interpret and present research findings for academic and public audiences
6. Reflect critically on the ethical implications of social research

### Required Materials

- Babbie, E. (2020). The Practice of Social Research (15th ed.). Cengage. ISBN: 9780357360767
- Supplemental readings posted on course website
- Access to SPSS statistical software (available in campus computer labs)

### Course Format

Twice weekly 75 min sessions. Lectures, discussions, exercises, workshops. Students do readings, participate, conduct projects.

### Assignments and Grading


| Assignment                 | Percent of Grade | Due Date   |
|----------------------------|------------------|------------|
| Participation              | 10%              | Ongoing    |
| Reading Quizzes (6)        | 15%              | Varied     |
| Research Question Proposal | 5%               | Week 3     | Literature Review          | 10%              | Week 6     |  
| Ethics Reflection          | 5%               | Week 8     |
| Methods and Analysis Plan  | 10%              | Week 10    |
| Data Collection Exercise   | 10%              | Week 12    |
| Final Research Paper       | 25%              | Finals Week|
| Research Presentation      | 10%              | Finals Week|

### Course Schedule

| Week | Topic                              | Readings                       | Assignments Due        |
|------|------------------------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------|
| 1    | Introduction to Social Research    | Babbie Ch. 1                |                        |
| 2    | Research Design and Ethics         | Babbie Ch. 2-3              | Quiz 1                 |
| 3    | Conceptualization and Measurement  | Babbie Ch. 4-5              | Research Question      |
| 4    | Sampling and Generalizability      | Babbie Ch. 6-7              | Quiz 2                 |
| 5    | Experiments                        | Babbie Ch. 8                |                        |
| 6    | Surveys                            | Babbie Ch. 9                | Literature Review      |
| 7    | Qualitative Field Research         | Babbie Ch. 10-11            | Quiz 3                 |
| 8    | Unobtrusive Research               | Babbie Ch. 12               | Ethics Reflection      |
| 9    | Evaluation Research                | Babbie Ch. 13               | Quiz 4                 |
| 10   | Quantitative Data Analysis         | Babbie Ch. 14-16            | Methods & Analysis Plan|
| 11   | Qualitative Data Analysis          | Babbie Ch. 17               | Quiz 5                 |
| 12   | Presenting Research Results        | Supplemental Reading        | Data Collection        |
| 13   | Workshop: Research Posters         |                             | Quiz 6                 |
| 14   | In-Class Presentations             |                             | Research Presentation  |
| 15   | Final Paper Clinic                 |                             | Final Research Paper   |
