Introductory Quantitative Methods Modules
Available to Y1 Philosophy Students as Options in 2015/16
Many social science students graduate with very basic quantitative skills and little confidence in using
and applying them. Yet, skills in quantitative methods (QM) are highly transferrable and marketable,
and graduates with quantitative skills are increasingly sought by employers across all sectors –
academia, government, charities and business.
Philosophy students now have the opportunity to study quantitative methods by taking one or both of
the following option modules: Please note that you will be taught alongside students from Politics and
International Studies and Sociology and that numbers are limited.
QS104
Introduction to Quantitative Methods for the Social Sciences I
TIMING & CATS
This module runs in the Autumn Term and is worth 15 CATS.
PRE-REQUISTE
None
MODULE DESCRIPTION
This module offers you flexibility and choice to expand your interest in the social sciences and improve your
employability and further education prospects.
This module will introduce you to the importance of quantitative methods in the social sciences. Our aim is
to help you to develop a basic awareness of the quantitative research process by introducing you to the
tasks of conceptualisation, operationalization and measurement. We will also cover topics such as
descriptive statistics and the principle of statistical inference in order to introduce you to the quantitative data
analysis process. This will enable you to use statistical computing software to conduct basic quantitative
analysis using secondary survey data and help you to begin interpreting and critically engaging with
quantitative findings in published research.
LEARNING OUTCOMES OR AIMS
By the end of the module the student should be able to:
1) Understand basic elements of core descriptive statistics;
2) Conduct basic quantitative analysis using secondary survey data;
3) Begin to critically engage with quantitative findings in social science journal articles,
4) Understand the relevance of quantitative methods to future employment or further study.
(http://www.britac.ac.uk/policy/Stand_Out_and_Be_Counted.cfm)
CONTACT TIME
For this module students must attend a 1 hour lecture followed by 2 hours of seminars/computer laboratory
sessions per week.
Lectures for 2015-16:
Monday, 9-10AM
Seminars for 2015-16:
Monday, 12-2PM
Monday, 4-6PM
ASSESSMENT METHODS
This module is assessed in the following way:
10% In-class e-assessment (multiple-choice test)
90% technical report at the end of term 1, 2500 words
BACKGROUND READING AND TEXTBOOKS
•
Acock, Alan C. 2014. A Gentle Introduction to Stata, Fourth Edition, Stata Press
•
Agresti, A. and B. Finlay. 2008. Statistical Methods for the Social Sciences, 4th ed. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
•
Bryman, A. 2008. Social Research Methods, 4th ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
•
Coolidge, Frederick L. 2012. Statistics: A Gentle Introduction. Sage
•
Diamond, Ian and Jefferies, Julie. 2000. Beginning Statistics: An Introduction for Social Scientists.
Sage
•
Frankfort-Nachmias, Chava. 2008. Research methods in the social sciences, 7th edition, New York:
Worth Publishers.
•
Gill, Jeff. 2006. Essential Mathematics for Political and Social Research, Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
•
Hamilton, Lawrence. 2008. Statistics with Stata - International Edition. Stata Press
•
Lomax, Richard G. and Debbie L. Hahs-Vaughn. 2012. An Introduction to Statistical Concepts, 3rd
edition. Routledge
QS105
Introduction to Quantitative Methods for the Social Sciences II
TIMING & CATS
This module runs in the Spring Term and is worth 15 CATS.
PRE-REQUISTE
Students must have successfully completed QS104 before commencing this module.
MODULE DESCRIPTION
This module builds on QS104 “Introduction to Quantitative Methods for the Social Sciences I” and provides
an opportunity to learn new and transferable quantitative skills. This module aims to introduce you to the
basic methods of inferential statistics in order to understand their empirical application and carry out simple
bivariate and multivariate analyses. You will then be able to use statistical computing software to conduct
your own bivariate tests. You will also build on your introductory knowledge of the basic quantitative
research process and continue to learn how to critically engage with quantitative findings in published
research and conduct basic quantitative analysis using secondary survey data.
LEARNING OUTCOMES OR AIMS
By the end of the module the student should be able to:
1) Understand basic elements of inferential statistics,
2) Conduct basic quantitative analysis using secondary survey data,
3) Begin to critically engage with quantitative findings in social science journal articles,
4) Understand the relevance of quantitative methods to future employment or further study.
CONTACT TIME
For this module students must attend a 1 hour lecture followed by 2 hours of seminars/computer laboratory
sessions per week
Lectures for 2015-16
Monday, 9-10AM
Seminars for 2015-16
Monday, 1-3PM
Monday, 4-6PM
ASSESSMENT METHODS
This module is assessed in the following way:
10% In-class e-assessment (multiple-choice test)
90% technical report at the end of term 1, 2500 words
BACKGROUND READING AND TEXTBOOKS
•
Acock, Alan C. 2014. A Gentle Introduction to Stata, 4th Ed., Stata Press
•
Agresti, A. and B. Finlay. 2008. Statistical Methods for the Social Sciences, 4th ed. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
•
Brady, Henry E. 2010. Rethinking Social Inquiry: Diverse Tools, Shared Standards, 2nd edition.
Rowman & Littlefield
•
Brians, Craig L., Lars Wilnat, Jarol B. Manheim and Richard C. Rich. 2010. Empirical Political
Analysis. Pearson
•
Bryman, A. 2008. Social Research Methods, 4th ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
•
Coolidge, Frederick L. 2012. Statistics: A Gentle Introduction. Sage
•
Diamond, Ian and Jefferies, Julie. 2000. Beginning Statistics: An Introduction for Social Scientists.
Sage
•
Frankfort-Nachmias, Chava. 2008. Research methods in the social sciences, 7th edition, New York:
Worth Publishers.
•
Gill, Jeff. 2006. Essential Mathematics for Political and Social Research, Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
•
Hamilton, Lawrence. 2008. Statistics with Stata – Int. Edition. Stata Press
•
Lomax, Richard G. and Debbie L. Hahs-Vaughn. 2012. An Introduction to Statistical Concepts, 3rd
edition. Routledge
•
Studenmund, A. H. 2006. Using Econometrics: A Practical Guide. Fifth ed. Boston: Pearson.
•
Tufte, E. (1983) The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. Cheshire, CT: Graphics Press.
For those who wish to build on the quantitative skills gained in the first year introductory
modules, intermediate level modules are expected to be available as options in Y2.
For any queries, please email q-step@warwick.ac.uk in the first instance.