STH 333 Research Methods and Decision Analysis for Tourism and Hospitality
Fall 2013
1. INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
Contact info: Dr. Bonnie Canziani, Bryan 473, bmcanzia@uncg.edu
Office hours: MW 8:30 to 10; 11 to 12 and by appointment
2. CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
Review of primary and secondary research methods; types and sources of data relevant
to tourism and hospitality decisions. Critical evaluation of research findings based on
validity, reliability, and probability principles. Credits 3:3
3. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
1. Describe the importance of research and data analysis activities to effective tourism
and hospitality decision making.
2. Differentiate primary and secondary research methods in the tourism and
hospitality sectors.
3. Identify primary sources of public and commercial secondary data utilized by major
tourism and hospitality organizations.
4. Apply primary research methods in the context of a tourism and/or hospitality issue.
5. Evaluate secondary sources of data in the context of a tourism and/or hospitality
decision.
4. GRADING PLATFORM:
Graded Activity
Points
Details
Methods exams (individual work)
75 pts
Statistics review quizzes (individual work)
Group project (one per group)
Total points possible for final grade
20 pts
50 pts
145 pts
3 exams (25 Q each objective exams
on BB)
(4 X 5 pts each on BB)
(see breakdown below)
Project Assignment 1: Research Proposal
Project Assignment 2a &b: Survey Instrument and Data Spreadsheet
Project Assignment 3: Final Written Project
Project Assignment 4: Final Project PowerPoint and Oral Presentation
Project Assignment 5: Evaluations
1
(10 points)
(10 points)
(15 points)
(10 points)
(5 points)
SLOs
covered
1-5
1, 4
1, 4
5. ASSIGNMENT POLICY:
Due to the format of the class, no work is accepted outside of class [or outside of BB channels, e.g.,
tests on BB]—do NOT email, put under my door, or in my mailbox any work assignments.
a. All tests cover material after the previous test—regular tests are not comprehensive. No
make-ups of tests 1-3 will be given for any reason. A comprehensive 25-pt opt-in test will
be posted during last week to replace lowest test score of the semester – optional.
b. Student evaluations of the course will be via a link in the course to a Bryan School central
and confidential website and are not conducted by the instructor [moi].
You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. To receive credit for the course, you must earn
a letter grade of D- or higher on the weighted total of all assigned course work (e.g., exams,
assignments, group work, etc.). Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade
equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:
145-141 A+
140-135 A
134-131 A-
130-127 B+
126-120 B
119-116 B-
115-112 C+
111-106 C
105-102 C-
101-98 D+
97-91 D
90-87 D-
86-0 F
6. REQUIRED TEXTS/READINGS/REFERENCES:
Lussier, R. Research Methods and Statistics for Business; ISBN: 97815776666585
Canziani, B. Research Project Handbook on Blackboard c. 2006
7. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY
Each student is required to follow the Academic Integrity Policy on all major work submitted for the
course. Refer to the UNCG Undergraduate Bulletin or go to:
http://sa.uncg.edu/handbook/academic-integrity-policy/
8. ATTENDANCE POLICY:
You have three free passes for necessary absences—don’t have to notify me re: the first three. 5
points deducted from final grade for each recorded absence after that.
Validated health or formal approved UNCG documentation, e.g., sport team travel, must
accompany all requests for consideration of special circumstances.
9. FINAL EXAMINATION:
No final exam is given. Final exam period reserved for group presentation overflow—attendance on
all presentation days will be part of project grade.
10. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
a. Students with documented disabilities requiring accommodation need to notify the instructor at the
2
beginning of the semester or as soon as accommodation request is authorized by UNCG.
3
Week
starting
August 19
W
F
August 26
W
F
September 2
W
F
In-class Topic
September 9
Syllabus overview
Basic research concepts
Online
Formulating questions
Annotating resources
Online
Holiday no class
Group set ups for projects
Online
Research Designs
W
F
September 16
W
F
September 23
W
F
September 30
W
F
October 7
W
F
October 14
W
F
October 21
W
F
October 28
W
F
November 4
W
F
November 11
W
F
November 18
W
F
November 25
W
F
December 2
Qualitative & Quantitative
Online
Generalizing from samples
Randomness in sampling
At conference
Observation studies
Inspections & standards
Online
Personal interviews
Review of proposals
Online
Survey Implementation
Questionnaire Design
Location TBD by group
Fall break no class
Response rates
Location TBD by group
Validity & reliability
Pilot test of group surveys
Location TBD by group
Scale construction
Psychometrics & HR
Online
Spreadsheet formatting
Data entry practice
Location TBD by group
Data analysis
Graphing & tables review
Location TBD by group
Discussing results
Location TBD by group
Oral summary reports
Oral summary reports
Holiday no class
Holiday no class
Oral summary reports
Text Sections
& Manual (M)
(Tests &
Online Stats
Quizzes)
Mandatory Group
Activities &
Deliverable Due Dates
Look over manual
1.1-1.5
Stats review quiz 1
9.2
2.1-2.4; M4-11
Stats review quiz 2
9.3-9.4
MUST BE PRESENT
Be familiar w/ manual
9.5
3.5 4.1-4.2; M16-18;
40-42
4.3-4.4
Stats review quiz 3
TEST 1 ONLINE
5.1-5.3; M12-15; 29-33
5.4-5.6
No assignment
6.1-6.3
Stats review quiz 4
9.6
6.4-6.7; M34-36
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
TEST 2 ONLINE
7.1-7.2
7.3; M19-29
Group work—Questionnaire
SURVEY INSTRUMENT DUE
Group work--Questionnaire
7.4
8.1-8.4; M37-39
TEST 3 ONLINE
9.1
Group work—Collect data
Group work--Collect data
Group work--Collect data
Group work--Collect data
Group work--Collect data
FORMATTED SPREADSHEET
Group work—data entry
9.7
Group work—graphing
Group work—prep reports
REPORT & ORAL W/PPT HO
ADDITIONAL ORALS/PPT HO
ADDITIONAL ORALS/PPT HO
4
5