Research Methodology and Statistics Series (Part I)
“With
The Evergreen State College –
Fall 2006
Instructors:
Paul
McCreary, Ph.D.
Phone:
253/680-3032
Tyrus Smith, Ph.D.
Phone:
253/680-3035
Library instructor assisting this
class:
Liza Rognas
Phone:
360/867-5851
Time and location: Class meets Wednesday’s from 10-1PM
(Morning) 6-9 PM (Evening) in Room 104
Course Description:
This is a
two-quarter series designed to connect research methods and statistics. The purpose of this series to provide
students an understanding of the formal research process, specifically how a
research project is conceptualized, designed, and implemented. In addition, students will increase their
understanding of the body of scientific research in a chosen field or
discipline. This class is highly
recommended for students intended to pursue graduate studies.
Fall
quarter students will be introduced to the formal research process, ethics and
design. In the process, coursework will
emphasize different ways of knowing, qualitative and quantitative methods and
the practice of research.
Students
will formulate an original research question that seeks to inform an existing
body of knowledge. By the end of the
class each student will produce a draft research proposal that elaborates upon
how one’s research question may test or build upon an existing body of
knowledge in a chosen research area.
Winter
quarter students will focus more in-depth on the application of appropriate
research methods to investigate an original research question (developed in the
fall), data analysis and presentation of results and discussion of conclusions
as they inform an existing body of knowledge.
Coursework will connect theory, methods of data collection and analysis
to understand and apply descriptive and inferential statistics and qualitative
data.
Learning
Outcomes/Skills: By
the end of this course students who successfully complete it will have…
Course Content Mastery
·
Demonstrated
the ability to critique and respond to information presented in published
research
·
Demonstrated
an enhanced understanding of vocabulary and major concepts and theories utilized
in both research methodology and basic descriptive statistics.
Writing Skills
·
Demonstrated
the ability to use precise and clear language in writing
·
Demonstrated
the ability to produce writings with no spelling, grammar or syntax errors
·
Enhanced
one’s ability to do research and writing communicating one’s approach to
understanding and analyzing statistical results and ethnographic data
Critical Thinking
·
Demonstrated
the ability to analyze and evaluate quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods
research designs and conduct insightful assessments of the results derived from
research data.
Oral Communication
Skills/Collaboration/Working across Significant Differences
·
Demonstrated
the ability to orally critique content presented readings, lectures and
presentations with reason and clarity
·
Demonstrated
one’s understanding of principles of effective communication including clear
articulation of words, adequate projection of voice
·
Demonstrated
the ability to communicate an understanding of qualitative, quantitative, and
mixed methods of inquiry in class discussions.
·
Demonstrated
the ability to work in collaboration with fellow students to complete in-class
workshops and reasoning exercises.
Quantitative Skills
·
Demonstrate
the ability to correctly calculate and interpret basic descriptive statistics
and selected statistical tests. This
includes demonstrating the ability to use statistical tools in Microsoft Excel
to summarize and analyze data.
Course
Equivalencies (in
quarter hours):
4 – Research Process in Social Sciences
2 – Quantitative
Methods and Statistics
Student Work
Students will be required to maintain a notebook
containing all work. This notebook
or portfolio of coursework may be collected at random during the quarter. All student work will be directed
towards the development and completion of a research proposal designed to
investigate a research question that offers new knowledge or methods of
understanding a specific topic, issue or problem.
Students
will organize the sections of their notebook in the following way:
Section #1: Notes and Journals – Each week students
are required to articulate their understanding of course content in the form of
writing assignments labeled “Weekly journal entries.” Each week’s journal entry should be at least
2-3 pages, typed, double-spaced and should discuss how course content has
enhanced ones understanding of the research process. Moreover, students are also expected to make
connections and elaborate upon course content (e.g., concepts, terminology,
examples, and applications) covered in each week’s readings, lectures,
workshops, etc. and discuss how they are applying course content to identify
possible research topic areas, formulate a researchable question and further the
development of their proposal. It is the student’s responsibility to
clearly articulate how they have enhanced their understanding of course-related
content and applied this knowledge in developing their proposal.
·
Section
#2: Research log – This section of the notebook is where students keep detailed
records of their research process. This
includes recording the precise steps taken when searching for literature on
their subject, such as the electronic databases where articles were retrieved, dates
specifying when they were retrieved, the precise terminology used during
searches, and detailed bibliographic information. Include any and all information that may
assist yourself and others in locating sources used in developing your
proposal. This section should be written so that anyone reading it can trace the
steps you have taken to locate your sources.
·
Section
#3: Research Literature and Reference Material – This section of the notebook
is where students retain copies of all sources of information drawn upon in
developing their research proposal. This
include complete copies of all “peer-reviewed” journal articles, news articles,
and all other sources of information used developing your proposal - whether they
were paraphrased, quoted, or merely referenced in developing a proposal. The
steps that where taken to locate each article included in this section should
be detailed in Section #2 research log (above).
·
Section
#4: Processes Work/Assignments and Drafts – This section of the notebook
is where students include copies of all
assigned work. This includes their
proposal idea assignment, all assigned exercises from the textbook, all drafts
of their proposal, and a completed Human Subject’s Review form.
(9/27) Week 1 Introduction
·
Syllabus
·
organize
groups, research area interested and topics
·
pictures
and introductions
·
Questions
worksheet
·
What
is research 1st day reflection
(10/4) Week 2 Library Workshop
(Rotate groups)
·
Research
Design Workshop (terminology discussion)
·
review
an example study (provided the week before)
·
Analyze
studies provided by instructors (by interest areas – identify question and
purpose, methods (qualitative/quantitative/mixed), format and structure.
·
Reference
Page and APA style
·
After
Break analyze both studies and use Table 1.2 on page 20 as a framework for
analysis (identify the research approach, knowledge claims, strategy of inquiry
and methods) and take turns sharing your analysis with another group
·
Read
“Public Health and the Physical Environment in Boston Housing (handout provided
by instructor),” and Creswell Ch. 1
·
Make
a list interesting and/or unfamiliar words in the handout provided and Creswell
Chapter 1
(10/11) Week 3 How to formulate a researchable
questions
·
moving
from an idea to a researchable question
·
Mind
mapping exercise (group activity)
·
Seminar
discussion
·
Peer
review of notebooks (include this feedback in your notebook)
·
Creswell
·
Writing exercises in Creswell, p. 24, (#1-3). Place in the assignments draft section of
research proposal.
(10/18) Week 4 Workshop – Introduction to terms, e.g.,
variables, populations, samples, statistics.
·
·
(10/25) Week 5 Research Question and Purpose
statement
·
Workshop
- Take time to discuss individual research ideas, questions and purpose
statements; peers provide feedback (in remixed groups – get feedback from those
outside of ones field)
·
Hacker pp. 143-167
·
Creswell
·
Submit Entire Research Portfolio
(11/1) Week 6 Library Workshop II
·
Return
to mind mapping exercise
·
Literature
review assignment (outline)
·
Continue gathering literature on your
proposal topic
·
Creswell, p. 47 (#1). Mind mapping exercise
·
In-class convert mind map into an
outline
·
Submit Proposal Idea Assignment Detailing problem
statement and mindmap exercise with outline
(11/8) Week 7 Ethics in Research
·
Creswell, p. 68 (#3)
·
Creswell Ch. 7, Belmont Report and Human
Subjects Review Application (handouts provided by instructors)
·
Samples;
parameters, confidence levels, probability sample, bias, and variability. (before or after the math inventory workshop
in class)
Moore Chapter 3, pp 33-44; Exercises
3.1-3.4(parameter versus statistic), 3.6(samples), 3.8(samples), 3.9(samples).
(11/15) Week 8 Experiments, controls, significance; confounding and
control group and Measuring
Reading to
be completed by this date
·
Creswell
·
Submit Draft Research Proposal and Entire Research
Notebook
·
·
November 20 – 24 No Class Thanksgiving
Break
(11/29) Week 9 TBA
Reading to
be completed by this date
·
Creswell
·
Submit Final Draft of Research Proposal and
Research Portfolios
Evaluation Week December 11 – 15