Administrative Research Methods
PADM 212
Spring 2016
Instructor: Yeonji No
Office: CL 404B
E-mail: yeonji.no@sjsu.edu
Office Phone: (408)924-1356
Office Hours: Thursday 2:00 p.m. – 3:.00 p.m. (other times by appointment only)
Class Time: Thursday 6:00 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.
Classroom: Clark Hall 306
Notice: The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations may be
necessary. If a change does occur, sufficient notice will be given through Canvas and class
announcements or e-mail.
Course Description
This course is intended to develop practical quantitative skills for summarizing,
describing, and analyzing the types of data that enable public administrators to make
better decisions. We will focus on the presentation and interpretation of “quantitative”
data. We will use samples from the General Social Survey and the Office of Personnel
Management to perform univariate analysis, bivariate analysis, and multivariate
analysis.
Learning Objectives
Students will learn to:
1. Run basic statistical analysis using SPSS software.
2. Calculate and interpret absolute, relative, and cumulative frequency distribution.
3. Calculate, interpret, and distinguish among column, row, and total percentages.
4. Calculate the gamma and chi-square statistics.
5. Demonstrate the direction and strength of relationships between ordinal-level
variables, using both column percentages and the gamma statistic.
6. Determine when we can generalize a relationship from a sample to the
population from which the sample was drawn using the chi-square statistic.
7. Develop hypotheses, choose appropriate statistics to test them, and describe the
results correctly in a short research paper.
8. Calculate three measures of central tendency (mean, median, and mode) and
three measures of dispersion (range, variance, and standard deviation).
9. Use scatterplots and correlation coefficients to show the direction and strength of
relationships between interval-level variables.
10. Interpret regression coefficients on interval-level and dummy independent
variables in both bivariate and multiple regression.
11. Explain clearly what it means to hold a variable constant.
12. Discuss the strength of relationships using regression coefficients, standardized
regression coefficients (beta-weights), and the coefficient of determination (R2).
13. Determine when (and to what extent) we can generalize a relationship from a
sample to the population from which the sample was drawn, using both
hypothesis tests and confidence intervals.
Course Resources
Lecture Notes
There is no required textbook for this course. The lecture notes posted on Canvas
are the only required text. The following books are recommended for those interested in
more technical and rigorous explanations of concepts:
Meier, K., Brudney, J., & Bohte, J. (2012). Applied Statistics for Public and
Nonprofit Administration. 8th edition. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
SPSS Software
The Academic Technology Computer Center (ATCC), located on the first floor of
Clark Hall in room 102, provides installer files to students who come in with flash drives
with at least 1 GB of free space. The ATCC also sells install media on a DVD disk for $15
for either Mac or Windows. You need to bring your tower card to prove your affiliation.
Canvas
A class website on Canvas contains the course syllabus, lecture notes, SPSS data
sets for the homework assignments, and other resources.
Evaluation Items & Grading Scale
Assignment
Participation
Percentage of
Grade
10%
Homework Assignments
20%
Midterm Exam
20%
Final Exam
20%
Two Team Research Papers
30%
Grading Scale
A+
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
F
96 or Higher
92 – 95
90 – 92
86 – 89
83 – 85
80 – 82
76 – 79
73 – 75
59 or Lower
Participation
Your participation grade will be given on the basis of the frequency and
quality of participation in class. Participation includes asking and responding to
questions during the class, as well as presentations and discussions of class
assignments. Failure to come to class regularly will adversely affect your
participation grade.
Classroom Protocol
 Turn off your cell phones and put them away.
 Students are not allowed to use computers in class except in SPSS practice sessions.
 Failure to comply with the policies will lead to penalty on your class participation
grades.
Homework Assignments
There are four homework assignments over the course of the semester. I do not
accept late homework for any reason. Only hard copy is allowed, and
please staple them with your SPSS output when necessary. Though it is
encouraged to work with others, homework assignments must be your own work and in
your own words.
Exams
The midterm and final exam require calculation and interpretation of statistics.
The exams will be given in-class. Make-up exams will be allowed only in very rare
circumstances and only if I was informed before the beginning of the exam. Under no
circumstances will a make-up exam be given if the instructor is not
informed of the absence and reason for absence before the exam.
Team Research Papesr
Students will be assigned into teams of 2-3 students, and a team paper
assignment will allow you to demonstrate that you have learned how to use statistics in
policy analysis including: how to choose appropriate statistics to answer particular
questions, how to interpret those statistics, and how to write about your findings. Note
that students must submit a completed paper topic form on XX. The form
will be posted on Canvas. The research paper is presented in class on XX,
and the final paper should be submitted on XX. There will be a penalty of
one-half letter grade (e.g., A to A-) for each day late.
How to Succeed in this Course
Read the Lecture Notes
Lecture notes not only cover all the topics systematically but are easy to
understand. Be sure to read lecture notes before each class even if you don’t
immediately understand the material, having seen the subject before class will
help your understanding in class.
Do the Homework
You are expected to put in the necessary hours to complete the homework. The
homework is essential for understanding the material and doing well on the quizzes,
paper and examinations.
Come to Class & Review Session
This class builds steadily on material learned in previous class sessions. If you
fall behind because of absences, you will have difficulty catching up. If you do have to
miss a class, please arrange to get notes from another student. I am also willing to meet
with you one-on-one but only to discuss what you do not understand from the missed
class.
Collaborate with classmates
Consider your classmates one of your best resources. I strongly encourage you to
work with a partner or a group to complete and/or check your homework assignments.
However, this comes with a note of caution: do not rely too heavily on your group
members because tests are taken individually. Also, remember that you much turn
in your homework individually, not as a group.
Have Patience
Please be patient with your classmates when they need more time than you do to
understand concepts and to figure out the software. Furthermore, have patience with
yourself. Statistics is not easy for everybody, even the best of students. So give yourself
and others time to understand.
Class Schedule
This schedule is subject to change (with sufficient notice).
Week
Date
Topic(s)
Readings
Assignments Due
1
Jan 28
Class Introduction
2
Feb 4
Lecture Notes 1
3
Feb 11
Frequency Tables
Introduction to SPSS
Contingency Tables
4
Feb 18
Contingency Table Analysis
Lecture Notes 3
Research Topic Form
5
Feb 25
Chi-Square Test
Lecture Notes 4
HW 1
6
Mar 3
Chi-Square Test
Describing Distribution
Review Session TBA
Lecture Notes 5
7
Mar 10
Midterm
8
Mar 17
Conference- NO CLASS
9
Mar 24
Lecture Notes 6
10
Mar 31
Scatterplots and Correlation
Coefficients
Spring Break- NO CLASS
11
Apr 7
Bivariate Regression
Lecture Notes 7
12
Apr 14
Multiple Regression
Lecture Notes 8
13
Apr 21
Multiple Regression
Lecture Notes 9
14
Apr 28
Measuring Strength of Relationship
Lecture Notes 10
15
May 5
Hypothesis Testing
Lecture Note 11
16
May 12
Final Paper Presentation
17
May 19
Final Exam 17:15-19:30
Final Paper Submission
Lecture Notes 2
HW2
HW3
HW4
University Policies

Dropping and Adding
Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drop,
grade forgiveness, etc. Refer to the current semester’s Catalog Policies section at
http://info.sjsu.edu/static/catalog/policies.html. Add/drop deadlines can be found on
the current academic year calendars document on the Academic Calendars webpage at
http://www.sjsu.edu/provost/services/academic_calendars/. The Late Drop Policy is
available at http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/policies/latedrops/policy/. Students should be
aware of the current deadlines and penalties for dropping classes.
Information about the latest changes and news is available at the Advising Hub at
http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/.



Consent for Recording of Class and Public Sharing of Instructor
Material
Common courtesy and professional behavior dictate that you notify someone
when you are recording him/her. You must obtain the instructor’s permission to
make audio or video recordings in this class. Such permission allows the
recordings to be used for your private, study purposes only. The recordings are
the intellectual property of the instructor; you have not been given any rights to
reproduce or distribute the material.
Course material developed by the instructor is the intellectual property of the
instructor and cannot be shared publicly without his/her approval. You may not
publicly share or upload instructor generated material for this course such as
exam questions, lecture notes, or homework solutions without instructor consent.

Academic integrity
Your commitment, as a student, to learning is evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose
State University. The University Academic Integrity Policy S07-2 at
http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/S07-2.pdf requires you to be honest in all your
academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the
office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The Student Conduct and Ethical
Development website is available at http://www.sjsu.edu/studentconduct/.

Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need
to make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an
appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential
Directive 97-03 at http://www.sjsu.edu/president/docs/directives/PD_1997-03.pdf
requires that students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with
the Accessible Education Center (AEC) at http://www.sjsu.edu/aec to establish a record
of their disability.

Accommodation to Students' Religious Holidays
San José State University shall provide accommodation on any graded class work or
activities for students wishing to observe religious holidays when such observances
require students to be absent from class. It is the responsibility of the student to inform
the instructor, in writing, about such holidays before the add deadline at the start of
each semester. If such holidays occur before the add deadline, the student must notify
the instructor, in writing, at least three days before the date that he/she will be absent. It
is the responsibility of the instructor to make every reasonable effort to honor the
student request without penalty, and of the student to make up the work missed. See
University Policy S14-7 at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/S14-7.pdf.
Student Technology Resources
Computer labs for student use are available in the Academic Success Center at
http://www.sjsu.edu/at/asc/ located on the 1st floor of Clark Hall and in the Associated
Students Lab on the 2nd floor of the Student Union. Additional computer labs may be
available in your department/college. Computers are also available in the Martin Luther
King Library. A wide variety of audio-visual equipment is available for student checkout
from Media Services located in IRC 112. These items include DV and HD digital
camcorders; digital still cameras; video, slide and overhead projectors; DVD, CD, and
audiotape players; sound systems, wireless microphones, projection screens and
monitors.
SJSU Peer Connections
Peer Connections, a campus-wide resource for mentoring and tutoring, strives to inspire
students to develop their potential as independent learners while they learn to
successfully navigate through their university experience. You are encouraged to take
advantage of their services which include course-content based tutoring, enhanced
study and time management skills, more effective critical thinking strategies, decision
making and problem-solving abilities, and campus resource referrals.
In addition to offering small group, individual, and drop-in tutoring for a number of
undergraduate courses, consultation with mentors is available on a drop-in or by
appointment basis. Workshops are offered on a wide variety of topics including
preparing for the Writing Skills Test (WST), improving your learning and memory,
alleviating procrastination, surviving your first semester at SJSU, and other related
topics. A computer lab and study space are also available for student use in Room 600
of Student Services Center (SSC).
Peer Connections is located in three locations: SSC, Room 600 (10th Street Garage on
the corner of 10th and San Fernando Street), at the 1st floor entrance of Clark Hall, and
in the Living Learning Center (LLC) in Campus Village Housing Building B. Visit Peer
Connections website at http://peerconnections.sjsu.edu for more information.
SJSU Writing Center
The SJSU Writing Center is located in Clark Hall, Suite 126. All Writing Specialists have
gone through a rigorous hiring process, and they are well trained to assist all students at
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tutoring services, the Writing Center also offers workshops every semester on a variety
of writing topics. To make an appointment or to refer to the numerous online resources
offered through the Writing Center, visit the Writing Center website at
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SJSU Counseling Services
The SJSU Counseling Services is located on the corner of 7th Street and San
Fernando Street, in Room 201, Administration Building. Professional
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To schedule an appointment or learn more information, visit Counseling
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