SYA 7933 RESEARCH DESIGN AND PRACTICE
BARBARA ZSEMBIK
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY AND CRIMINOLOGY & LAW
3109 Turlington Hall zsembik@ufl.edu 2947190
SPRING 2015 MONDAYS PERIODS 3-5
OFFICE HOURS: Fridays 10am-12noon and by appointment
COURSE WEBSITE:
http://lss.at.ufl.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Required course for first-year graduate students in Sociology. It
is the study of major social science research designs and techniques of conducting
empirical inquiry into social phenomena. It is useful to more advanced sociology
graduate students, and to graduate students in other social science programs, for
development of a research agenda or development of a dissertation or thesis proposal.
PURPOSE OF COURSE: The purpose of this course is to orient students toward the core
research designs and techniques of social science, including contemporary debates and
emergent techniques. The course is more practical than theoretical: the critical skills of
evaluation of completed research and preparation to conduct original empirical
research are emphasized. Course themes are the nature of social relationships,
selecting observations, and conceptualization-measurement. Qualitative, quantitative,
and mixed methods are covered.
COURSE GOALS AND/OR OBJECTIVES:
Goals:
(1) demonstrate broad understanding and application of sociological research methods
(2) Demonstrate competencies in conducting independent empirical research with
scientific integrity
(3) Demonstrate competencies in applying substantive sociological knowledge in critical
thinking, analysis, and communication
Student Learning Objectives:
Describe, explain, and compare-contrast multiple major research designs and analytical
techniques
Engage in weekly discussions of key concepts, issues, and techniques in
prominent and emergent research designs used by social scientists
Construct and deliver a team-led learning module about a major research design
Lead a discussion of empirical research that uses a distinctive research technique
not covered in the course
Construct a portfolio of research activities that lead to a detailed research proposal
“Using Administrative Data as Collateral Support” : explore www.census.gov to
find governmental data and reports to use in 1 of the 4 précis.
“Précis” : write 4 précis of potential projects.
“Research Proposal”: write a detailed proposal that builds from 1 of the 4 précis.
“Research Presentation” : Prepare and deliver a 20-minute presentation that
outlines your research agenda and provides the details of your research proposal
Use research designs and analytical techniques to establishment a professional research
identity and set of professional research skills
Conduct a content analysis of ASA job market postings
Serve on a peer-review panel to review course proposals
“Research Identity Worksheet” : specify core research questions, preferred
analytical approaches, primary theoretical orientations, and ASA specialty areas
“Research Agenda Map” : diagram of completed, current and future projects
“Research Statement” : construct a 3 page research statement that is based on
research projects and specifies your research agenda for graduate school and the
first 2 years of a job or postdoctoral fellowship
COURSE MATERIALS :
Belcher, WL. 2009. Writing Your Journal Article in 12 Weeks. SAGE: Thousands Oaks CA.
Miles, MB, Huberman, AM, & Saldaña, J. 2014. Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods
Sourcebook. Edition 3. SAGE: Thousand Oaks, CA.
In the course schedule, the chapter(s) to be read from Belcher is indicated by B and the
chapter(s) to be read for Miles, Huberman and Saldaña is indicated by MHS.
All other materials will be available online.
COURSE POLICIES:
ATTENDANCE POLICY: Approach this seminar (and all seminars) professionally. Career
professionals attend all meetings, arrive on time, complete all work conscientiously and
punctually, and arrive to meetings prepared to engage mindfully and civilly with
colleagues.
OTHER POLICIES: Details on course assignments (i.e., essay, proposal, etc) will be
provided. Failure to complete assignments on time and according to specifications may
result in grade penalties. Inadequate class participation will result in grade penalties.
UF POLICIES:
UNIVERSITY POLICY ON ACCOMMODATING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Students
requesting accommodation for disabilities must first register with the Dean of Students
Office (http://www.dso.ufl.edu/drc/). The Dean of Students Office will provide
documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the
instructor when requesting accommodation. You must submit this documentation prior
to submitting assignments or taking the quizzes or exams. Accommodations are not
retroactive, therefore, students should contact the office as soon as possible in the term
for which they are seeking accommodations.
UNIVERSITY POLICY ON ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT: Academic honesty and integrity are
fundamental values of the University community. Students should be sure that they
understand the UF Student Honor Code at http://www.dso.ufl.edu/students.php.
GRADING POLICIES AND ASSIGNMENTS:
Assignments (all due by 4pm on the specified date)
Complete a research identity worksheet (due 1.9)
Participation in weekly discussions
Work in a team to construct and deliver a learning module about a major design (2.9 &
2.16)
Lead a discussion on a technique not covered in the course (3.16 & 3.30)
Administrative data (present display in class on 1.26)
Conduct a content analysis of ASA job market postings
Outline qualifying exam answer
Complete a review panel evaluation of 2 proposals, taking the lead on one of the
proposals (final written reviews due 4.2)
4 Précis (#1 due 2.12, #2 and #3 due 2.27, #4 due 3.12)
Research proposal (due to review panel 3.20)
Final research proposal (due 4.20 or 4.27)
Research presentation (due 4.13 or 4.20)
Research Agenda Map (due 3.19)
Research statement and agenda (due 4.30)
% of final
Course
grade
5
5
10
5
5
5
5
10
5
10
5
15
5
5
5
GRADING SCALE: A 93-100%, A- 90-92%, B+ 87-89%, B 83-86%, B- 80-82%, C 75-79%, E
0-74%
COURSE SCHEDULE:
Date
1.12.2015
Topic
Reading
(Complete
BEFORE this
class period)
Course Overview;
B: 1, 10
Proposals;
MHS: 1, 3
Assignment
Research identity
worksheet due
1.8.2015
Administrative Data
1.19.2015
MLK Day, no class
1.26.2015
Conceptual Models
and Causation
B: 2, 3, 5
MHS: 2
Administrative
data display
Interviewing
2.2.2015
Measurement and
Sampling
B: 6, 7
MHS: 4, 5
2.9.2015
Ethnographies
Learning Module: xxx,
xxx, xxx
Surveys Learning
Module xxx, xxx, and
xxx
2.16.2015
HistoricalComparative Learning
Module :
Précis # 1 due 2.5
Xxx, xxx, and xxx
Experimentation
Learning Module : xxx
and xxx
2.23.2015
Mixed Methods
Reviewing
3.2.2015
Spring Break
3.9.2015
Evaluation Research
B: 4, 8, 9
Précis # 2 and # 3
due 2.2.27
Précis # 4 due 3.12
Action Research
Case Study
3.16.2015
Additional Technique
(AT)
AT 1: Name, technique
AT 2: Name, technique
AT 3: Name, technique
AT 4: Name, technique
AT 5: Name, technique
Qualifying Exams
3.23.2015
Peer Review of
Proposals
No class meeting
Each panel meets
separately with BZ for
Research proposal
for review panel
due 3.20
2 ½ hour session
scheduled for that
week
3.30.2015
Additional Technique
(AT)
AT 6: Name, technique
B: 11, 12, X
Final written
reviews due
4.2.2015
AT 7: Name, technique
AT 8: Name, technique
AT 9: Name, technique
AT 10: Name,
technique
AT 11: Name,
technique
Research Statements
4.6.2015
Content Analysis
4.13.2015
and
4.20.2015
Research
Presentations
4.30.2015
Final proposal due
1 week after
presentation (4.20
and 4.27)
Research
Statement due
Disclaimer: [Include a statement that this syllabus is subject to change as the need
arises.] This syllabus represents my current plans and objectives. As we go through the
semester, those plans may need to change to enhance the class learning
opportunity. Such changes, communicated clearly, are not unusual and should be
expected.