Professional Documents
Culture Documents
class. All dates are tentative; we may need to make adjustments to the schedule as the
course progresses. All readings from Babbie 2008 The Basics of Social Research 4e unless
otherwise indicated. Additional information about topics/assignments will be available
in class and from the course Blackboard website.
Module 1 ‐ How we know things/ How we learn things
Exercise 1 ‐ What do you know?
What is social research? ‐
1/10
The rules and patterns of society ‐ Quiz Chapter 1 Exercise 2 ‐Variables and their
1/12 how do we know them? (Before class) Attributes
Quiz Chapter 2
Types of Research Exercise 3 ‐ Critical thinking
1/14 (Before class)
1/17 MLK DAY
1/19 Research Project – Discuss the GSS and Select a topic
Module 2: The ethics of investigation
CITI Training Exercise 4 ‐ CITI Training
1/21 (Computer Lab) [Complete online by 1/26]
The Milgram Experiment & The Quiz Chapter 3 Begin Statement of Ethical
1/24 ethics debate (Before class) Concerns[due 1/24]
Module 3: Learning from the research of others
1/26 Elements of an article Exercise 5 ‐ Writing an abstract
How to find research articles
Exercise 6 ‐ Research articles
1/28 (Computer Lab)
Summarizing and critiquing Exercise 7 ‐ Evaluating what you
1/31 articles read ‐
2/2 What is a lit reviews
Literature review bring 4 copies to
How to write a lit review
2/4 class on 2/7
2/7 Peer Critiques
Module 4: Designing the study
Quiz Chapter 4
2/9 The research process & Causality Exercise 8 ‐ Causal Relationships
(Before class)
Conceptualization and Quiz Chapter 5 Exercise 9 ‐ Constructing a testable
2/11 Operationalization (Before class) hypothesis
Quiz Chapter 7
2/14 Sampling Exercise 10 ‐Sampling activity
(Before class)
Module 5: Data Collection and Analysis
Quiz Chapter 9
The How To of Survey Research
2/18 (Before class)
Designing the Survey Quiz Chapter 6 Exercise 12 ‐ Individual survey
2/21 (Computer Lab) (Before class) design activity
Exercise 13 ‐ Group survey design
Designing the Survey
2/23 activity
Survey Analysis Quiz Chapter 14 Exercise 14 ‐ Survey analysis
2/25 (Computer Lab) (Before class) worksheet
Survey Analysis Data Analysis Report due on 3/14
2/28 (Computer Lab) bring 4 copies
3/2 Individual Survey Analysis Work & Schedule time to meet with Sills
3/4 Individual Survey Analysis Work & Schedule time to meet with Sills
3/7 SPRING BREAK
3/9 SPRING BREAK
3/11 SPRING BREAK
Constructing Interview Protocols Quiz Chapter 10 Exercise 15 ‐ interview question
3/14 (Computer Lab) (Before class) worksheet
3/16 Constructing Interview Protocols
3/18 Interview tips & Role play
No class complete your interview
and transcript during this time ‐
3/21 Interview transcripts due by 3/21
Quiz Chapter 13 Exercise 16 ‐ interview analysis
Interview Analysis
3/23 (Before class) activity
3/25 Interview Analysis
Interview Analysis Report due on
Synthesis and Triangulation
3/28 3/30 bring 4 copies
Module 6: Sharing what you’ve learned
Quiz Chapter 15 Exercise 18 ‐ Report activity
Writing a Research Report
3/30 (Before class)
4/1 Writing workshop Bring an outline of your paper
Complete first draft of report due
Writing workshop
4/4 on 4/11 bring 4 copies
4/6 Schedule visit to writing center
4/8 Schedule visit to writing center
4/11 Rough Draft ‐ Peer Critiques
4/13 The How to of Research Presentations
4/15 Examples of research presentations
4/18 Presentations
4/20 Presentations
4/22 SPRING HOLIDAY
4/25 Presentations
Research Project ‐ Final Draft of Research Report [due 4/28 by 11:59 pm]