QUANTITATIVE APPROACHES TO APPLIED
ANTHROPOLOGY
(ANTH 630)
Michael Paolisso
Associate Professor
Department of Anthropology
Spring Semester 2012
Wednesday 6:00-8:40pm
Woods Hall 0104 and Computer
Lab 4, LeFrak 0234
Office Hours:
Wednesday 11:00-1:00pm and by appointment
Woods Hall 0131
Telephone 301-405-1433.
Email: mpaoliss@umd.edu.
Course Overview
In developing this course, I have tried to imagine what a graduate student in applied
anthropology would need to know to use quantitative and statistical methods. With this
in mind, my goals for the class are:
 To provide students with an understanding of why, when and how one should
quantify cultural and socio-economic information;
 To provide students with a basic foundation in sufficient enough for students to
participate in quantitative research, whether it be designing and implementing surveys
or reviewing and interpreting existing quantitative data;
 To help students achieve a level of professional comfort with the basics of statistical
theory and methods, which includes knowing when and where to seek the assistance
of professionals with specialized and expert knowledge; and finally,
 To focus on the anthropological use of quantitative data and analysis, emphasizing
how our holistic and ethnographic orientations affect our use of quantitative and
statistical methods, particularly in applied settings.
The course will use lectures, case studies, hands-on use of SPSS, homework assignments
and exams to help students learn the concepts and methods underlying the use of
quantitative and statistical approaches in anthropology.
Required Readings
Field, Andy (F)
2009
Discovering Statistics: Using SPSS for Windows. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage Publications, Inc. 3rd Edition.
Salkind, Neil J. (S)
2011
Statistics for People Who (Think They) Hate Statistics. Thousand Oaks,
CA: Sage Publications, Inc. 4th Edition.
Additional course materials will be posted on Blackboard (www.elms.umd.edu)
Class Schedule
Part 1: Quantification, SPSS, Descriptive Statistics and Probability
Lecture No. and Dates
1. Jan 25
Quantification and Statistics in Anthropology; Samples,
Populations and Variables
Reading: S: 1; F: Preface, pgs. 1-18
2. Feb 1
Measurement, Validity and Reliability, and Using SPSS
Reading: S: 6, Appendix A; F: 3
3. Feb 8
Describing Variables, Distributions and Crosstabs
Reading: S: 2, 3; F: pgs. 18-24
4. Feb 15
Graphing Data
Reading: S: 4; F: 4
5. Feb 22
Questionnaires and Survey
Readings: S: 21
Selected materials posted on Blackboard
6. Feb 29
Probability and Hypothesis Testing
Reading: S: 7, 8
7. Mar 7
Probability and Testing Significance
Readings: S: 9; F: 2, 5
Selected materials posted on Blackboard
2
Part 2: Inferential Statistics and Multivariate Analysis
8. Mar 14
Analyses of Differences (Nonparametric)
Readings: S: 17; F: 18
Selected materials posted on Blackboard
[note: we meet in Lab 3]
March 19-23
Spring Break
Mar 28
IN-CLASS FIRST EXAM
9. Apr 4
Analyses of Differences (T-test)
Reading: S: 11, 12; F: 9
Selected materials posted on Blackboard
10. Apr 11
Analyses of Differences (ANOVA)
Reading: S: 13, 14; F: 10
Selected materials posted on Blackboard
[note: we meet in Lab 3]
11. Apr 18
Analyses of Relationships: Correlations
Reading: S: 5, 15; F: 6
Selected materials posted on Blackboard
12. Apr 25
Analysis of Relationships: Simple Linear and Multiple Regression
Reading: S: 16 ; F: 7
Selected materials posted on Blackboard
13. May 2
Team Presentations of Quantitative Findings
May 9
IN-CLASS SECOND EXAM (and possible further discussion of
research project findings)
May 16
Final Quantitative Reports Due
3
Grades
The final grade will be based on the following:
Research Project
50%
First Exam (multiple choice and yes/no questions)
25%
Second Exam (multiple choice and yes/no questions) 25%
Research Project
Students will complete a team research project. The focus of this team research will be
student schoolwork and how students use campus libraries. This topic is a continuation
of an ethnographic study completed by graduate students in my Methods in Cultural
Analysis course (ANTH606) this past fall semester. The students produced an
ethnography that will provide us with a number of research themes and topics, within the
broader focus on schoolwork and libraries. (Note, eight students enrolled in this class
were part of this student ethnography, and they will be very helpful in assisting other
students to understand this background research.)
As was the case last semester, this will be an evolving research project, and I will work
with students to develop their research protocols, collect their data, complete their
statistical analyses, and interpret their data. The results of this quantitative research will
be shared with campus administrators and faculty who are developing plans to redesign
McKeldin Library.
At this point, I can envision the following steps in the research project, all subject to
adjustment as the research situation requires.
1) Divide into four teams, with each team having two individuals who were involved in
the qualitative ethnography.
2) Identification of the qualitative themes in the library ethnography that will be
converted into quantitative variables.
3) Develop a questionnaire and sampling strategy to collect data on identified variables,
complete data collection, and enter data into SPSS.
4) Complete descriptive statistical analyses, including the use of tables and graphs.
5) Complete Inferential and multivariate analyses of data
6) Write and present results
4
7) Package results into a quantitative ethnography.
A tentative schedule for this project is the following:
Identification of qualitative themes by Feb. 15th
Develop questionnaire by Feb. 29th
Collect and enter data, and complete descriptive statistical analysis by April 4th
Complete inferential and multivariate analysis by May 2nd; Present initial findings to
class.
Final report due May 16th.
Special Needs
If any student has any special study or test-taking needs (e.g., test anxiety, dyslexia, poor
vision or hearing, special seating requirements, etc.), please let me know as soon as
possible so that we can make your participation in this course a rewarding one. In
addition, I will gladly make students aware of special services/facilities on this campus
that might be of assistance in the course of your studies here at UMCP.
5