Syllabus: Social Research Workshop
Sociology 312
University of Virginia
Fall 2001
Lectures: Cabell 345, Mon & Wed 8:30-9:45
Instructor: Kenneth Oman
Office Hours: Mon & Wed 10:00-11:00
TAs: Elizabeth Williamson & Na Zhao
kjo2x@virginia.edu
Overview:
Your dedication and effort can make this course one of the most rewarding of your college career.
As a workshop in research methods, it will give you the opportunity to apply what you have already
learned in your study of sociological theory and inquiry. In addition, it will give you a chance to
pursue your special interests by formulating research questions and by planning and conducting
research in your chosen areas.
Social Research Methods is an introduction to the methods and principles of social research. If
you are planning a career in the social sciences, this course will help prepare you to do research
and to evaluate research done by others. If you are planning a career in another field, the course
will provide an array of analytical skills and techniques that can enhance your appeal to potential
employers and increase your effectiveness on the job. The Social Research Workshop will
introduce you to research concepts and methods that have broad applicability in business, law,
politics, education, and many other areas. Furthermore, this course will equip you to critically
assess the validity and value of social research you encounter in everyday life, such as market
research, evaluation research, and political polls.
A good deal of what we will study will be the thought processes of social research. How do we ask
the right questions? How do paradigms, concepts and theories inform and facilitate the research
process? How do we form plausible hypotheses about the questions? What observations or
measurements will be useful in testing the hypotheses? How do we effectively interpret the data
that we collect or analyze?
In the process, we will introduce you to a veritable toolkit of research methods, both quantitative
and qualitative. We’ll learn how to select the appropriate tool for a given project. We’ll learn the
assumptions, strengths, and weaknesses of various approaches. We’ll become especially familiar
with a large sociologically related survey (the General Social Survey or GSS) and we’ll gain
valuable experience in the use of software packages, particularly SPSS (Statistical Package for the
Social Sciences).
Out of this study will come a project: your own research project based on the GSS survey and
using statistical analysis performed using the SPSS software package. Many of the class
assignments will relate directly to your project and you will work progressively on your project
throughout the entire semester. As you work on this project, you’ll learn effective strategies and
techniques for designing and conducting your research and for writing clearly, persuasively, and
scientifically.
Sociology 312 is a challenging experience: you’ll be introduced to a wide array of new concepts,
techniques, and methods. In addition to the lectures on Monday and Wednesday, you will attend a
weekly laboratory session. To keep things interesting, we’ll constantly illustrate course topics with
issues of sociological and public policy interest.
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Social Research Workshop
Sociology 312
Fall 2001
Syllabus
As your instructor, I’m committed to helping you make this a worthwhile experience. Don’t hesitate
to ask me and your TA questions, send me emails about your project, or take advantage of special
exam review sessions. We want to help you meet your goals in this course.
Revisions: The course syllabus is subject to revision. Please check the Instructional Toolkit for
the current version. This version is dated 8/16/01.
Textbooks (required):



Babbie, Earl. 2001. The Practice of Social Research (9th Edition). Wadsworth.
Wagenaar, Theodore & Earl Babbie. 2001. Practicing Social Research (9th Edition).
Wadsworth.
Babbie, Earl; Fred Halley & Jeanne Zaino. 2000. Adventures in Social Research (For use
with SPSS Base 9.0 and 10.0). Pine Forge Press.
The primary textbook is The Practice of Social Research. Wagenaar/Babbie offers activities
and study help for the textbook. Adventures in Social Research provides an introduction to
SPSS (the statistical software package) and the GSS (General Social Survey). We’ll use it
extensively in our laboratory sessions.
General Policies:
Prerequisites:
Sociology 311 except by special permission of the instructor.
Attendance Requirements:
Attendance is required at all lectures and laboratory sessions. Attendance will be taken and
factored into the laboratory participation segments of the grade. If an emergency forces an
absence, contact the instructor (in advanced if possible) by email.
Grading:
Weekly homework
Weekly labs
Midterm
Final Exam
Research Project
25%
10%
20%
25%
20%
Assignments and research projects that are handed in late will be subject to a grading penalty.
Generally, the penalty will be 10% of the maximum score for each week they are late.
Honor System:
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Social Research Workshop
Sociology 312
Fall 2001
Syllabus
Group review and study is encouraged for lecture topics and SPSS skills. The analysis of data,
interpretation, and writing of your research project must be your work alone. You will be asked to
“pledge” all exams, assignments, and papers.
Laboratory Sessions:
There is a weekly lab session associated with this course. Attendance is required. Your TA will
assign a grade for your performance in the lab sessions.
Out of courtesy to the instructor and the other students, do not use your workstation during
laboratory sessions unless directed to do so by the instructor. Unrelated software (i.e. word
processing, instant messaging, Internet browsers, etc.) should only be used when required for
laboratory exercises.
Course Schedule
The Logic of Scientific Inquiry
1. Introduction to Scientific Inquiry
Week of September 3
Read Babbie (textbook) Chapter 1
Read Babbie and Halley (SPSS book) Chapter 1
2. Social Research and Social Theory
Week of September 10
Read textbook Chapter 2
Read SPSS book Chapter 2
3. Causality
Week of September 17
Read textbook Chapter 3
Read SPSS book Chapter 3
The Structure of Inquiry
4. Research Design
Week of September 24
Read textbook Chapter 4
Read SPSS book Chapters 4 and 5
5. Conceptualization, Measurement,
and Operationalization
Week of October 1
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Social Research Workshop
Sociology 312
Fall 2001
Syllabus
Read textbook Chapters 5
Read SPSS book Chapters 6 - 8
Midterm Exam
October 10
Fall Break
October 13-16
6. Quantifying Information: Scales and Indices
Week of October 15
Read textbook Chapters 6 and 14
Read SPSS book Chapters 9 & 10
7. Scientific Sampling
Week of October 22
Read textbook Chapter 7
Strategies of Social Research
8. Univariate & Bivariate Analysis
Week of October 29
Read textbook Chapters 15 & 17
Read SPSS book Chapters 13 - 15
9. Multivariate Analysis –
the Elaboration Model
Week of November 5
Read textbook Chapter 16
Read SPSS book Chapters 17 & 19
10. Experiments
Week of November 12
Read textbook Chapters 8 and 18
Read SPSS book Chapter 11
11. Survey Research
Week of November 19
Read textbook Chapter 9
Read SPSS Book Chapter 12
Thanksgiving Break
November 21 - 25
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Social Research Workshop
Sociology 312
Fall 2001
Syllabus
12. Qualitative Research
Week of November 26
Read textbook Chapter 10
13. Unobtrusive Measures & Evaluation Research
Week of December 3
Read textbook Chapters 11 & 12
Research Paper Due
December 7
Final Exam (in Cabell 345)
December 11, 2:00 PM
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