POLITICAL SCIENCE 301
EMPIRICAL POLITICAL INQUIRY
Professor Kim Fridkin
Coor 6752
Office Hours: Office Hours: 10:30-11:00TTh and by appt
Fall 2006
TTh 9:15-10:30
Classroom: PS H152
The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to research methods in
the social sciences. We will take up matters of design, data collection,
measurement, and data analysis. Students will be expected to complete the
required reading and to participate in class discussions. There will be no
make-up exams (except for extraordinary reasons substantiated with proper
documentation) and each student must complete each exam to pass the
course. Missed examinations will receive failing grades. Participation, which
includes class participation, class attendance, announced and unannounced
quizzes, will count for 5% of the final grade.
The requirement for this course are
Course Requirement
Hourly Exam #1
Hourly Exam #2
Hourly Exam #3
Final Examination
Participation
Percentage of Grade
20%
20%
20%
35%
5%
Date
September 19th
October 12th
November 14th
December 7th(7:40am-9:30am)
Required Reading
1. Textbook: Earl Babbie The Practice of Social Research (Eleventh Edition).
2. Workbook:
Theodore C. Wagenaar and Earl Babbie Practicing Social
Research. (Eleventh Edition)
Schedule of Topics
I.
Introduction to Inquiry and Theory (Week of August 21st)
Babbie Chapters 1-2
II.
Research Design (Week of August 28th)
Babbie Chapter 4
III.
Measurement (Week of September4th)
Babbie Chapter 5
IV.
Indexes and Scales (Week of September 11th)
Babbie Chapter 6
HOURLY EXAM #1 (September 19th)
V.
Sampling (September 21, September 26)
Babbie Chapter 7
VI.
Experiments (September 28, October 3)
Babbie Chapter 8
VII.
Surveys (October 5, October 10)
Babbie Chapter 9
HOURLY EXAM #2 (October 12)
VIII. Field Research (Week of October 16th)
Babbie Chapter 10
IX.
Unobstrusive Research (Week of October 23rd)
Babbie Chapter 11
X.
Evaluative Research (Week of October 30th)
Babbie Chapter 12
XI.
Introduction to Analysis (Week of November 6)
Babbie Chapter 14
HOURLY EXAM #3 (November 14)
XII.
Social Statistics (November 16th, November 21st, November 28th)
Babbie Chapter 16
XIII. Ethics (November 30th)
Babbie Chapter 3
XIV
Review (December 5th)
FINAL EXAMINATION: December 7th (7:40am-9:30am)