Course content may be adapted from this outline to meet the needs of

this particular 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?
8/24 What is social research? -
[In class]
The rules and patterns of
Quiz Chapter 1 Exercise 2 -Variables and their
8/26 society - how do we know
(Before class) Attributes [In class]
them?
Types of research, basic vs.
applied, the research Quiz Chapter 2 Exercise 3 - Critical thinking
8/31
process, Inductive vs. (Before class) [Complete online by 9/2]
deductive research
Research Project - Select a topic [due 9/2]

Module 2: The ethics of investigation

CITI Training Quiz Chapter 3 Exercise 4 - CITI Training
9/2
(Computer Lab) (Before class) [Complete online by 9/7]
The Milgram Experiment &
9/7
The ethics debate
Research Project - Statement of Ethical Concerns [due 9/9]

Module 3: Learning from the research of others

How to find research articles Quiz Chapter 15 Exercise 5 - Research articles
9/9
(Computer Lab) (Before class) [In class]
Exercise 6 - Writing an abstract
9/14 Elements of an article
[Complete on line by 9/16]
Exercise 7 - Evaluating what
Summarizing and critiquing you read - Writing an
9/16
articles annotation [Complete on line
by 9/21]
9/21 Work day (Computer Lab)
Research Project -Literature review bring 4 copies to class on 9/28

Module 4: Designing the study

The research process & Quiz Chapter 4 Exercise 8 - Causal
9/23
Causality (Before class) Relationships [In class]
Conceptualization and Quiz Chapter 5 Exercise 9 - Constructing a
9/28
Operationalization (Before class) testable hypothesis [In class]
Research Project - Conceptualization and Operationalization of your
Research Project[due 9/30]
Constructing Indexes and Quiz Chapter 6 Exercise 10 - Constructing a
9/30
Scales (Before class) scale [On line by 2/26]
Research Project Literature Review - Peer Critiques [Bring to class 10/5]]
Quiz Chapter 7 Exercise 11 - Group
10/5 Sampling
(Before class) sampling activity [In class]
 Module 5: Data Collection and Analysis
Quiz Chapter 8 Exercise 12 - Group
10/7 Conducting Experiments
(Before class) experiment activity [In class]
The How To of Survey Quiz Chapter 9
10/8
Research (Before class)
10/12 Fall Break
Exercise 13 - Group survey
10/14 Designing the Survey
design activity [In class]
Exercise 14 - Survey
Survey Analysis Quiz Chapter 14
10/19 analysis worksheet [In
(Computer Lab) (Before class)
class]
Individual Survey Analysis
Work
10/21
(Go to Super Lab on your
own)
Individual Survey Analysis
Work Survey Analysis Report
10/26
(Go to Super Lab on your [due 10/28 by 5:00 PM]
own)
Research Project- Individual meetings with Dr. Sills to Review Your Survey
Findings [10/21 and 10/26]
Constructing Interview Exercise 15 - interview
Quiz Chapter 10
10/28 Protocols question worksheet [In
(Before class)
(Computer Lab) class]
Interview transcripts [due by
11/2 Interview tips
11/4 class]
Interview Analysis Quiz Chapter 13 Exercise 16 - interview
11/4
(Computer Lab) (Before class) analysis activity [In class]
11/9 Interview Analysis
Research Project - Interview Analysis Report [due 11/16 by Class]
Quiz Chapter 11 Exercise 17 - Observation
11/11 Observation Research
(Before class) activity [In class]

Module 6: Sharing what you’ve learned

Exercise 18 - Report activity
11/16 Writing a Research Report -
[In class]
Research Project - Rough Draft of Research Project Report bring 4 copies to
class 11/18
11/18 Rough Draft - Peer Critiques
11/23 The How To of Research Presentations
Research Project - Rough Draft Instructor Critiques Available [On or Before
12/1]
11/30 Research Presentations
12/2 Research Presentations
Research Project - Final Draft of Research Report [due 12/7 by 5 pm]