RESEARCH METHODS
SOCY 601 – SPRING, 2016
Dr. Julie A. Honnold
Sociology Department
827 W. Franklin (Founders Hall), room 214
828-6680
jhonn@vcu.edu
ORGANIZATION OF THE COURSE
Sociologists study their respective areas through what's called the "scientific method." In most
substantive courses, emphasis is placed on the end results of this research process. In this course,
we will emphasize how sociologists go about the business of creating new empirical knowledge
and expressing that knowledge in written form. As you'll see, the term "scientific method"
conveys more rigidity of rules than is the case in actual practice. Certainly all sociologists would
prefer to do their research in ways that are undeniably valid. However, the sociological
community does not always agree on what methods should be used to address a research
question or how those methods should be applied. You will find that most research involves
compromise. The keys are to understand the strengths and weaknesses of any particular research
method and to be able to justify the use of particular techniques in particular circumstances. My
most basic goal in this course will be to familiarize you with the "scientific method" as a
decision-making process, as opposed to a rigid set of rules.
Course Goals
By the end of the course you should be able to:
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Explain the basic elements of research design
Read a sociological research article critically, identifying the strengths and
weaknesses of its methodologies
Discuss the pros and cons of making different choices in the research process
Articulate your own values and orientations with regard to research methods
Develop your own goals with regard to learning and using sociological research
methods
Design a methodologically sound original research project using both qualitative and
quantitative techniques
In other words, you should be able to think like a methodologist if you complete this course
successfully. It's not an ordinary way of thinking. You need to learn to be very careful and
systematic in designing and executing research. Creativity is also important, but must always be
justified with sophisticated reasoning. By studying and critically evaluating sociological research
articles, you will learn the elements of research design and how to defend your own
methodological choices.
In the discussions we hold in this class - either online or in-person - you will be expected to
discuss methodological issues with your peers. I will not lecture in this class. Students are often
surprised by the fact that much of research methods is actually rather ambiguous, and there aren't
always correct answers. Controversies exist in the field, such that there’s often no agreed-upon
correct answer to all questions. If you do say something that's clearly wrong though, I will steer
the conversation toward the correct path. Don't expect to be right every time you talk. Nobody is.
The in-person section of the course meets from 4-6:40 on Monday afternoons. I expect all
students who are registered for the in-person section to attend every class meeting. However,
online students are very welcome to join us during that time as well. We have a large screen in
the classroom and will be able to both see and hear you. Of course, students registered in the
online section are not required to attend.
Textbook
Russell Schutt, Investigating the Social World, 8th edition. Sage Publications, 2014.
Various kinds of web links are shown in the margins of the textbook. These are all located on the
Student Resources site under the number and title of the chapter. Here are the locations of the
various links in the margins of the textbook:
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Audio Link: Video and Multimedia > Audio Resources
Encyclopedia Link: SAGE Reference Articles
Interactive Exercises Link: Interactive Exercise
Journal Link: SAGE Readings
Researcher Interview Link: Video and Multimedia > Researcher Interview
Research/Social Impact Link: SAGE Readings
Video Link: Video and Multimedia > Video Resources
But I’ve had a research methods course as an undergraduate…
And this one will be a bit different. We’ll cover the same topics and use a textbook that’s also
used in upper division undergraduate courses.
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So, about the textbook…. Some students in this course have not had an undergraduate
social scientific research methods course. I use the textbook to insure that everyone
shares the same language and the same basic understanding of the concepts. However, as
graduate students, you must go beyond the textbook to enhance your understanding of the
basic concepts.
Graduate education is different from undergraduate. People with undergraduate degrees
in sociology are not known as “sociologists”; people with graduate degrees are. You are
expected to be developing as an independent scholar who can critically evaluate the
sociological literature and propose and execute sound research. For this course, your
research proposal will be the main vehicle for demonstrating your progress toward this
goal. Also, some of the blogs call for critical evaluation of a research article.
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Your peers will be important in developing your knowledge. Most graduate courses are
run as seminars. The word “seminar,” according to dictionary.com refers to “a small
group of students, as in a university, engaged in advanced study and original research
under a member of the faculty and meeting regularly to exchange information and hold
discussions.” This description will refer to our online discussions and the on-campus
class meetings. In seminars, faculty members discuss along with the students. Professors
are important as facilitators and guides but are no longer sources of all subject matter
wisdom.
Another important point is that grading is different in graduate school. A grade below a B is
cause for concern and possible dismissal from a program (see the Graduate Student Handbook
for details). In this course, you must demonstrate levels of initiative and scholarly maturity
beyond what you did as an undergraduate. Basically, a grade of B represents having
demonstrated an adequate level of progress toward becoming an independent scholar, and a
grade of A represents an excellent level of progress. (See more details under “Grading
Standards” below.)
Office Hours
I conduct online office hours for a minimum of two hours per week, typically from 1:30-3:30 on
Tuesdays. I will post an announcement and send an email if I make any changes to this schedule.
I use Google Hangouts for online office hours. The permalink for my Google Hangouts office
hours is: https://hangouts.google.com/hangouts/_/vcu.edu/socy601. If this time is not convenient
for you, we can make other arrangements by appointment. You will need to have a webcam to
use Hangouts effectively. You can use Hangouts with mobile devices, but these need to be set up
in advance. See this link for information.
I do not hold regular on-campus office hours, but am often in my office from 3-3:45 p.m. on
Mondays when the in-person section meets. Email me in advance to confirm that you will be
coming so I'm not otherwise engaged.
The TA for this course, Sean Doody, will conduct weekly office hour/tutorial sessions. Sean is a
second-year sociology student in his final semester who has survived both 601 and 602 and is
finishing his thesis this semester. He will be an excellent source of expertise for questions about
both methodological concepts and research proposals and a regular contributor to the
discussions. Sean will not be participating in the grading process in any way and, like you, is in
the "student" role in Blackboard. He can't make any changes to the course website, but can
convey your suggestions to me. Sean's current office hour/tutorial sessions for both online and
on-campus students are: Monday 1-3 p.m., Wednesday 3-4 p.m., and Friday 1-3 p.m. The Friday
session will mainly be for undergraduate Senior Seminar students, but the Monday and
Wednesday sessions are mainly for 601. If these times are not convenient for you, contact Sean
to set up an appointment. If you are connecting remotely, use the same Google Hangouts link
shown above to meet with him.
ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING
Grading Standards
Some of the work in this course is graded "objectively," meaning that your answers must reflect
sound methodological knowledge. Quizzes, exams, and some chapter assignments or portions
thereof fall into this category. Other work, such as research proposals, discussions, and blogs are
graded more subjectively. That is, I must judge whether your work meets the general
expectations I have for graduate students at your level. Since graduate students are expected to
attain grades of B or better, a grade of 79% or lower represents unacceptable/poor work, and a
grade of 80% or higher represents acceptable work. I usually assign grades ending in 0 or 5 e.g., 80 or 85, but not 82 or 88. More precisely, I use these guidelines:
75 or lower - Unacceptable or worse, Very poor
80 - Poor
85 - Acceptable, Fair
90 - Good
95 - Very good
100 - Excellent
The final course grade will be calculated on a scale of 90-100%=A, 80-89%=B, etc. Any decimal
grade (e.g., 79.3%) will be rounded up to the next whole number (80% in this example).
Graded Assignments
You must submit all assignments to Blackboard or the Rampages course site as shown below. I
do not accept any work sent by email. If you anticipate that you will miss an assignment deadline
due to circumstances beyond your control, you must notify me in advance. Do not assume that I
will accept late assignments. The first five assignments shown below are on Blackboard in the
"Schedule - Assignments" section. The sixth (Blogs) is on the Rampages course site under
"Course Blogs."
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4.
Chapter Quizzes - 15% (Blackboard)
Course Exams - 15% (Blackboard)
Chapter assignments - 15% (Blackboard)
Research project proposals - 25% (Blackboard)
Either of the following:
 One mixed methods proposal (both qualitative and quantitative) (25%) on the
same topic
 One qualitative proposal (12.5%) and one quantitative proposal (12.5%), each on
different topics
5. Discussions - 15% (Rampages)
 Online students - Online discussion leading, facilitation, and participation
 On-campus students - Online and in-class discussion participation
6. Blogs - 15% (Rampages)
Assignment details are shown below.
1. Chapter Quizzes (Blackboard)
All quizzes are administered online and allow use of any desired materials ("open-book," in
other words). You will see one (or more) chapter quizzes under each week's schedule. Before
taking a chapter quiz, read the Quiz/Exam Instructions in the "Schedule - Assignments"
section on Blackboard. Quizzes are posted under the week during which they should be
completed. Click the quiz link and "Begin" to start a quiz. Each quiz is short (15 questions)
and draws randomly from a test bank. Each quiz is timed to allow 15 minutes for completion
and is submitted automatically to Blackboard when time expires.1 You can complete a quiz
as many times as you'd like. Your highest quiz grade for that chapter will count toward your
overall course grade. Only quizzes submitted by 11:59 p.m. on the last course date of the
semester will count toward your course grade (see Course Schedule below).
I have not had time to edit the test banks. If you find a question or correct answer that you
think is poor for some reason or incorrect, let me know. Your email to me must include:
 Date of the quiz/exam
 Time of the quiz/exam
 Question number
 Explanation supporting your contention
If I accept your explanation, I will increase your score accordingly. Scores will not change
for students who received the same question but do not send me the information above. If at
all possible, I will change or eliminate such questions before the next exam.
2. Course Exams (Blackboard)
Like the quizzes, the three course exams are administered online and allow use of any desired
materials. Each of exams will cover approximately 1/3 of the course content. The exams will
consist of multiple choice, true-false questions, and short-answer essay questions drawn
randomly from the test bank. Essay questions will ask about factual material from the
chapters, not opinions or evaluations. You will be allowed two attempts at an exam. Each
exam will be timed and submitted automatically after time has expired.2 Exam dates are
shown on the Course Schedule below.
3. Chapter Assignments (Blackboard)
You will find assignments for some of the textbook chapters in the "Schedule - Assignments"
section. These assignments are not timed and can be attempted and submitted multiple times.
1
The point of automatic submission is to promote the development of rapid facility in the recall of the basics of
research methods. You have unlimited attempts during the semester on each of the quizzes, so you should get faster
as you go along. I advise reviewing the text chapter between attempts, especially difficult parts. Even after you
attain a good grade on a quiz, continued attempts will allow you to see more of the test bank questions, which will
give you a major advantage on exams.
2
Here, my reasoning about recall is the same as for the quizzes. Also, you should submit multiple quiz attempts
before each exam to develop facility with the concepts.
I will grade only the last submission. Late assignments will be penalized. Do not wait until
the last minute to look at these. Some require planning and working in advance.
4. Research Project Proposal (Blackboard)
As we work our way through the course, you will gradually develop one or two research
project proposals, as follows:
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One research project (same topic), with two substantial data components, one
qualitative and one quantitative;
Two research projects (different topics), one qualitative and one quantitative.
If you decide to develop two research projects on different topics, all work submitted to me
on Blackboard must be in one document. Place your qualitative project as the first part of the
document and your quantitative project as the second.
These projects need to be well grounded in the theoretical, empirical, and methodological
literature relevant to the topic.
 Use of approximately 6-10 good references in the literature review should be
sufficient to satisfy this requirement. No internet sites will be accepted as references,
though you can download research reports from legitimate sources (e.g., U.S.
government departments). The bulk of your references must come from academic
books or peer-reviewed journal articles.
 The methods section has to be very detailed, and all choices need to be justified. I
expect to see several references, ~3-5, to methodological research articles, reports, or
books in this section that you have consulted to develop the details of your design.
The prohibition against internet sites also applies here.
 If you will be using any data collection instruments - e.g., questionnaires, interviews,
structured observation - you need to develop and pretest them and include them in an
appendix of your proposal.
 Your projects need to be feasible. For this course, "feasible" means the following:
o Students continuing to SOCY 602 during next fall semester will be required to
complete both the qualitative and quantitative projects during the course of
fall semester using resources available to them.
o Students not continuing to SOCY 602 will not be subject to the semester
timing limitation, but should be able to complete both projects using their own
resources.
At several points during the semester, you will be required to submit a draft of your proposal
first to a student partner for written comments and (constructive) suggestions and then to me.
Keep copies of the comments that you have made to your partner and your partner has made
to you. The form you will use to submit your proposal draft to me will ask you for the name
of your partner and copies of the comments you have made and received. I will write
comments and grade proposal submissions as: 2=All required sections submitted, 1=Missing
one or more required sections, and 0=Not submitted. Proposal submissions will count toward
your discussion grade. Also, I encourage you to discuss your proposals in any class session
or with me or the teaching assistant during office hours.
I will initially assign student partners randomly. If you would like to work with a different
partner, you will need to communicate with all parties involved and make other
arrangements. Inform me of any changes. If your partner does not send you written
comments in a timely fashion so that you can consider making revisions, you will be able to
note that on the submission form sent to me. Here's the way the student partner experience is
supposed to work.
1) You and your partner are aware that a draft is due to me in approximately two weeks.
2) Both you and your partner draft the proposal sections within one week's time.
3) You exchange drafts and send each other written comments within a few days time.
4) Both you and your partner consider these comments and decide whether and/or how
to revise the draft before submission to me. (You are not required to revise your draft
if you don't consider your partner's comments to be helpful.)
5) Both you and your partner submit your revised drafts to me before the deadline. You
will include the comments you exchanged on the submission form.
6) I return comments within a few days time, and you decide whether and/or how to
revise the draft before moving forward. (You are not required to revise your draft if
you don't consider my comments to be helpful.)
Your final proposal submissions will be graded according to the percentage grading scale
shown above in Grading Standards. I have provided a suggested proposal outline and other
useful materials on the website under Resources > Resources - Research Proposals.
5. Discussions (Blackboard)
a. Online discussions
Students who were in SOCY 502 last semester will recognize the basic structure of this
component of the course. Note, however, that a few things are different.
You will be expected to participate in weekly online discussions about the chapter readings
led by one of the online students.3 I will assign the discussion leader(s) for each week. The
discussion leader will initiate the discussion by asking a question about the methodological
concepts in the chapter. The question should be designed to encourage other students to give
a thoughtful response. Questions that ask for regurgitation of chapter contents do not
accomplish this. For example, let's say the chapter is about survey research methods. A
question like the following will not generate much student interest: "What do you think of the
chapter guidelines for asking survey questions? What are your favorite guidelines?" This
question asks students to go to the textbook and pick out a guideline that's shown there. A
better kind of question would ask students to give some thought to applying the chapter
concepts, for example: "Have you ever been asked to complete a questionnaire or interview?
Consider one or more of these experiences. What factors did you consider when deciding
3
Students in the online section have additional requirements with regard to discussion boards in order to make up
for the fact that they are not required to attend in-person classes.
whether or not to participate? Think about what you would do if you were on the other side
as a researcher. What would you do to try to convince someone to participate in a survey?" In
other words, discussion questions should ask students to reflect upon the chapter concepts
and consider how they would make decisions about methods if they were a sociological
researcher. In short, initial posts should ask thought-provoking questions related to the
methodological content of the chapter. After the initial post, the discussion leader is
responsible for facilitating ongoing discussion by asking follow-up questions throughout the
week.
Discussion leaders must post their initiating question(s) by 11:59 p.m. on the Tuesday of the
week devoted to that chapter. Both online and on-campus students will then submit
comments until the discussion closes on the following Sunday at 11:59 p.m. The discussion
will not be visible to you after that time, so it will be impossible to submit after the deadline.
Online students will lead two discussions during the semester by posting an initiating
question and continuing to facilitate ongoing discussion by asking follow-up questions
throughout the remainder of the week. Initial posts should ask thought-provoking questions
related to the methodological content of the chapter. Minimum standards for level of
participation in an online discussion assignment are:
 Online students who are discussion leaders for that week are required to respond a
minimum of eight times to other students' posts with detailed comments and
thoughtful follow-up questions.
 Online students who are not discussion leader for that week are required to respond a
minimum of four detailed times to the lead question posed.
 On-campus students are required to respond to a minimum of two detailed posts to the
lead question posed. On-campus students are not responsible for leading any online
discussions.
By "detailed comments/posts," I mean that your submissions must have substantial
methodological content and be of approximately paragraph length (100 or more words).
Though I do not usually grade on the basis of whether the methodological content is correct,
I will do so if incorrect posts become common. Also, the course teaching assistant will be
active on the board.
Discussions will begin on the second week of classes. Discussion leaders must post their
initiating questions by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday of the second week, and discussion closes the
following Sunday at 11:59 p.m. Most weeks will feature two discussion boards, each led by
an online student. If a week has two discussion leaders, the topics must be different from one
another. If two boards are posted, the requirements listed here for online and on-campus
students who are not discussion leaders may be fulfilled by participating in either one or both
boards. The discussion leaders are required to remain only on their board in order to continue
with follow-up questions and responses.
I will grade the discussions by the quality and extent of your contributions using the general
grading guidelines discussed above. In the final grading process, I will drop your lowest
online discussion board grade.
b. On-campus class discussions
The on-campus class sessions are held seminar-style. By definition, seminars involve
discussion. On-campus students are required to bring discussion topics to the in-person
class each week and actively participate with follow-up questions throughout the class
period. The word "discussion" means that you should talk about the topics with other
students and not direct your comments solely to me.
6. Blogs (Rampages)
Blogging will be conducted on the Rampages course site: http://rampages.us/socy601jhonn/.
Your first task here is to go to Course Blogs > Getting Set Up for Blogging. Be sure to read
this post carefully and use the form at the end to submit your blogging url to me so that I can
pull your blogs onto the course site. I have posted the first topic - an introductory blog which is due on January 24. Of course, you can submit before then also.
Blogging assignments will be posted at regular intervals throughout the semester. Due dates
for blogs are shown in the Course Schedule. Topics will be posted on the Rampages course
site under "Course Blogs." Blogs should be at least 500 words long and will be graded on the
basis of whether the methodological content is substantial, interesting, informative, and
correct. Provide links to materials that other students can use to learn more about the topic.
Some blogs call for critical evaluation of the academic research literature. Make sure that the
article you choose is from a peer-reviewed journal and include a link or pdf.
I will grade the blogs by the quality and extent of your contributions using the general
grading guidelines discussed above.
Grade of "Incomplete"
By university policy, an "Incomplete" grade is allowed only in situations in which a student has
completed a substantial amount of work in the course, but circumstances beyond the student's
control prevent completion of the course by the end of the semester. I will consider awarding an
incomplete only in cases of verified medical or personal emergencies. If you have such an
emergency, you need to notify me before I submit the final grades for the semester. Graduate
students must submit all work for incomplete grades by the last day of classes in the upcoming
fall or spring semester. If the student does not finish within this period, a grade of F for the
course will be automatically assigned.
RESOURCES
In the Resources section on Blackboard, I have posted several folders containing what I hope
will be useful information. You will find a link to the textbook publisher's Student Resources
site, a folder containing PowerPoints from the publisher for all chapters in the textbook, and a list
of selected research methods videos. Of special note are folders containing research proposal
resources and qualitative coding resources for a chapter assignment.
VCU HONOR SYSTEM STATEMENT
The VCU Honor System policy describes the responsibilities of students, faculty and
administration in upholding academic integrity, while at the same time respecting the rights of
individuals to the due process offered by administrative hearings and appeals. According to this
policy, "Members of the academic community are required to conduct themselves in accordance
with the highest standards of academic honesty and integrity." In addition, "All members of the
VCU community are presumed to have an understanding of the VCU Honor System and are
required to:
 Agree to be bound by the Honor System policy and its procedures;
 Report suspicion or knowledge of possible violations of the Honor System;
 Support an environment that reflects a commitment to academic integrity;
 Answer truthfully when called upon to do so regarding Honor System cases;
 Maintain confidentiality regarding specific information in Honor System cases."
More information can be found at in the VCU policy library under the Education and Student
Life tab.
In this course, you should complete all assignments independently, without giving or receiving
assistance from any other person. I will have a VCU Honor Code pledge statement as the first
question on all quizzes, exams, and chapter assignments. All of these assignments are openbook, open-notes, and open-course-website. You may use any of these materials to complete
these assignments. However, you may not seek assistance from any other person or offer
assistance to any other person in the completion of these assignments.
For the research proposal assignment, you are required to share your drafts with another student
and comment on the other student's drafts. Though you are required to read another student's
proposal and offer suggestions, you should not do their work for them and vice versa. In other
words, your work and your partner's work must be independently completed, but you and your
partner must offer constructive suggestions to one another.
MANDATORY RESPONSIBILITY OF FACULTY MEMBERS TO REPORT
INCIDENTS OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
It is important for students to know that all faculty members are mandated reporters of any
incidents of sexual misconduct/violence (e.g., sexual assault, sexual exploitation, and partner or
relationship violence). This means that faculty cannot keep information about sexual
misconduct/violence confidential if you share that information with them, and they must report
this information immediately to the university's Title IX Coordinator. In addition, department
chairs, deans, and other unit administrators are required to report incidents of sex or genderbased discrimination to the university's Title IX Coordinator.
Confidential reporting sources include staff in Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence at the
Wellness Resource Center, University Counseling Services and University Student Health
Services. The Policy on Sexual Misconduct/Violence and Sex/Gender Discrimination - Interim,
can be found in the VCU policy library and as a PDF here.
COURSE SCHEDULE
With the exception of the first week of the semester, the in-person course meeting is held on the first day of the weeks shown (green
font). The first week is shortened by the MLK holiday on the 18th, and there is no in-person class meeting, but assignments for
Chapter 1 are posted on Blackboard for that week. The last day of each week is the due date for all assignments under that week's
folder on Blackboard except for the chapter quizzes. You will have an unlimited number of attempts for the chapter quizzes, and all
chapter quizzes must be completed by the last date in the semester, which is May 9. I will post an announcement and email you if
there are any changes to this schedule. Except for the first and second blogs, due dates for these assignments are tentative.
Week
Textbook Chapter(s) Assigned
Assignments
Jan. 19-24 (No class
meeting on Jan. 18)
Chapter 1 - Science, Society, and Social
Research
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Chapter 1 Quiz
Week 1 – Blog #1 - Introductory Blog
Jan. 25-31
Chapter 2 - The Process and Problems
of Social Research
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Chapter 2 Quiz
Week 2 Discussions - Chapters 1 & 2
Feb. 1-7
Chapter 3 - Research Ethics and
Research Proposals
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Chapter 3 Quiz
Week 3 Discussions - Chapter 3
Research proposal(s) - First submission - Topic, research question
IRB CITI training
Week 3 Blog #2 - Reflections on IRB/CITI training course
Feb. 8-14
Chapter 4 - Conceptualization and
Measurement
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Chapter 4 Quiz
Week 4 Discussions - Chapter 4
Chapter Assignment - Conceptualization
Chapter Assignment - Indexes
Feb. 15-21
Chapter 5 - Sampling and
Generalizability
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Chapter 5 Quiz
Week 5 Discussions - Chapter 5
Week 5 Blog #3 - Sampling
Week
Textbook Chapter(s) Assigned
Assignments
Feb. 22-28
Chapter 6 - Research Design and
Causation
Chapter 7 - Experiments
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Chapters 6 & 7 Quizzes
Week 6 Discussions - Chapters 6 & 7
Chapter Assignment - Experiments
Exam #1 - Chapters 1-5
Feb. 29-March 6
Chapter 8 - Survey Research
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Chapter 8 Quiz
Week 7 Discussions - Chapter 8
Research proposal - Second submission - Topic, research question,
literature review, conceptual framework, statement of the problem
March 14-20
Chapter 9 - Quantitative Data Analysis
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Chapter 9 Quiz
Week 9 Discussions - Chapter 9
Chapter Assignment - GSS 2014 analysis
Week 9 - Blog #4 - TBA
March 21-27
Chapter 10 - Qualitative Methods
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Chapter 10 Quiz
Week 10 Discussions - Chapter 10
March 28-April 3
Chapter 11 - Qualitative Data Analysis
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Chapter 11 Quiz
Week 11 Discussions - Chapter 11
Chapter Assignment -Qualitative Data Analysis
Exam #2 - Chapters 6-10
April 4-10
Chapter 12 - Evaluation and Policy
Research
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Chapter 12 Quiz
Week 12 Discussion - Chapter 12
Week 12 - Blog #5 - TBA
Research proposal - Third submission - Topic, research question,
literature review, conceptual framework, statement of the problem,
methods, contributions
March 7-13 (Spring
break; no class)
Week
Textbook Chapter(s) Assigned
April 11-17
Chapter 13 - Historical and Comparative 
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Research and Content Analysis
Assignments
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Chapter 13 Quiz
Week 13 Discussion - Chapter 13
Chapter Assignment - Content Analysis
April 18-24
Chapter 14 - Secondary Data Analysis
and Big Data
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Chapter 14 Quiz
Week 14 Discussion - Chapter 14
Week 14 - Blog #6 - TBA
April 25-May 1
Chapter 15 - Mixed Methods
Chapter 16 - Summarizing and
Reporting Research
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Chapters 15 & 16 Quizzes
Week 15 Discussion - Chapter 15
May 2-4
Proposal discussions and blogs
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May 2 proposal discussion for on-campus students. Come prepared.
Week 16 - Blog #7 - Research proposal summary
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Exam #3 - Chapters 11-15
Research proposal(s) due by May 9
All chapter quizzes due by May 9
May 5-9 (Finals
week; no class)
May 9 is the last day for completing all course assignments.
REQUIRED STATEMENTS FOR SYLLABI AND BLACKBOARD PAGES
(Some of these will apply to you and others will not.)
Campus emergency information\
What to know and do to be prepared for emergencies at VCU:
 Sign up to receive VCU text messaging alerts. Keep your information up-to-date. Within
the classroom, the professor will keep his or her phone on to receive any emergency
transmissions.
 Know the safe evacuation route from each of your classrooms. Emergency evacuation
routes are posted in on-campus classrooms.
 Listen for and follow instructions from VCU or other designated authorities. Within the
classroom, follow your professor's instructions.
 Know where to go for additional emergency information.
 Know the emergency phone number for the VCU Police (828-1234).
 Report suspicious activities and objects.
 Keep your permanent address and emergency contact information current in eServices.
Class registration required for attendance
Students may attend only those classes for which they have registered. Faculty may not add
students to class rosters or Blackboard. Therefore, if students are attending a class for which they
have not registered, they must stop attending.
Important dates
You can view important dates for the semester in the academic calendar.
Military short-term training or deployment
If military students receive orders for short-term training or for deployment/mobilization, they
should inform and present their orders to Military Student Services and to their professor(s). For
further information on policies and procedures contact Military Student Services at 828-5993 or
access the corresponding policies.
Student conduct in the classroom
According to the Faculty Guide to Student Conduct in Instructional Settings, "The university is a
community of learners. Students, as well as faculty, have a responsibility for creating and
maintaining an environment that supports effective instruction. In order for faculty members
(including graduate teaching assistants) to provide and students to receive effective instruction in
classrooms, laboratories, studios, online courses, and other learning areas, the university expects
students to conduct themselves in an orderly and cooperative manner." Among other things, cell
phones should be turned off while in the classroom. The Student Code of Conduct also prohibits
the possession of or carrying of any weapon. For more information see
http://register.dls.virginia.gov/details.aspx?id=3436.
Student email policy
Email is considered an official method for communication at VCU because it delivers
information in a convenient, timely, cost-effective, and environmentally aware manner. Students
are expected to check their official VCU email on a frequent and consistent basis in order to
remain informed of university-related communications. The university recommends checking
email daily. Students are responsible for the consequences of not reading, in a timely fashion,
university-related communications sent to their official VCU student email account. This policy
ensures that all students have access to this important form of communication. It ensures students
can be reached through a standardized channel by faculty and other staff of the university as
needed. Mail sent to the VCU email address may include notification of university-related
actions, including disciplinary action. Please read the policy in its entirety here.
Student financial responsibility
Students assume the responsibility of full payment of tuition and fees generated from their
registration and all charges for housing and dining services, and other applicable miscellaneous
charges. Students are ultimately responsible for any unpaid balance on their account as a result of
the University Financial Aid Office or their third party sponsor canceling or reducing their
award(s).
Students representing the university – excused absences
Students who represent the university (athletes and others) do not choose their schedules. Student
athletes are required to attend games and/or meets. All student athletes should provide their
schedules to their instructors at the beginning of the semester. The Intercollegiate Athletic
Council strongly encourages faculty to treat missed classes or exams (because of a scheduling
conflict) as excused absences and urges faculty to work with the students to make up the work or
exam.
Students with disabilities
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990,
as amended, require that VCU provide "academic adjustments" or "reasonable accommodations"
to any student who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life
activity. To receive accommodations, students must register with the Disability Support Services
Office on the Monroe Park Campus (828-2253) or the Division for Academic Success on the
MCV campus (828-9782). Please also visit the Disability Support Services website and/or the
Division for Academic Success website for additional information.
Once students have completed the DSS registration process, they should schedule a meeting with
their instructor (s) and provide their instructor (s) with an official DSS accommodation letter.
Accommodation letters will outline the required classroom accommodations. Additionally, if
coursework requires the student to work in a lab environment, the student should advise the
instructor or a department chairperson of any concerns that the student may have regarding
safety issues related to a disability. Students should follow this procedure for all courses in the
academic semester.
VCU Mobile
The VCU Mobile application is a valuable tool to get the latest VCU information on the go. The
application contains helpful information including the VCU directory, events, course schedules,
campus maps, athletics and general VCU news, emergency information, library resources,
Blackboard and more. To download the application on your smart phone or for more
information, please visit http://m.vcu.edu.
Withdrawal from classes
Before withdrawing from classes, students should consult their instructor as well as other
appropriate university offices. Withdrawing from classes may negatively impact a student’s
financial aid award and his or her semester charges. To discuss financial aid and the student bill,
visit the Student Services Center at 1015 Floyd Avenue (Harris Hall) and/or contact your
financial aid counselor regarding the impact on your financial aid.