INTA 295 -- CROSS-NATIONAL RESEARCH METHODS (Spring 2005)
Dr. Chris Blake
Maury 207 -- 568-6344 -- BLAKECH@JMU.EDU
Office Hours: M 4-5:30; Tu 3-5:30; W 4-5 and by appointment
COURSE HOME PAGE: http://www.jmu.edu/polisci/bios/blake/295/
This course introduces students to quantitative and qualitative approaches to research and writing in the field of international affairs. The computer
lab will enable students to develop basic skills in statistical analysis; lab exercises also reinforce and hone research and writing skills. With the
guidance of the instructor, students will construct a research project that integrates the skills developed in the course and lab assignments.
EVALUATION:
Lab Assignments
Test #1
Test #2
Research Project
Final Exam
-- 15%
-- 15%
-- 15%
-- 30%
-- 25%
PROCEDURES:
As a point of fairness to your classmates, the honor code must be observed at all times & written work must be handed in promptly. Tests must be
handed in at the end of the class period. Lab work and written work handed in late will be penalized 5 points plus an additional 5 points for every
additional 24-hour period. All work is to be original work done specifically for this course. Make-up exams will be given only under exceptional
circumstances: do not assume that you will be permitted to take a make-up test. Readings should be completed by class time of the date listed. The
professor reserves the right to alter this course outline as circumstances demand. For further discussion of course policies, see the appropriate portion
of the course web site.
TEXTS:
Babbie, Earl. The Practice of Social Research. 10th ed., New York: Wadsworth, 2004.
Additional readings will be made available in online form.
COURSE OUTLINE:
Part I: Basic Issues in Systematic Research
WEEK ONE: Introduction
Jan. 10 – Introduction
Jan. 12 – Introduction to the Scientific Method == Babbie, pp.3-29
LAB (1/12/04): introduction to the Maury 203 lab
Jan. 14 – Induction & Deduction; Theories & Hypotheses ==Babbie, pp.43-57
WEEK TWO: From Hunches to Hypotheses
Jan. 17 – KING HOLIDAY: no class today
Jan. 19 – From the Literature Review to the Research Design ==Babbie, pp.107-114
LAB (1/19/04): MicroCase exercise #1 in handout (introduction to MicroCase)
Jan. 21 – Conceptualization and Levels of Measurement ==Babbie, pp.119-140
WEEK THREE: Measurement
Jan. 24 – Reliability & Validity == Babbie, pp.140-146
{Research Topic & Preliminary Bibliography DUE at 9:05am on 1/24}
Jan. 26 – Units of Analysis; The Role of Time == Babbie, pp. 94-107
LAB (1/26/04): MicroCase exercise #2 in handout (levels of measurement)
Jan. 28 – Causal Models & the Need for Control == Babbie, pp. 90-94
WEEK FOUR: Research Design
Jan. 31 – Experimental Approaches to Control == Babbie, pp. 221-239
Feb. 2 – Quantitative Approaches to Control == Babbie, pp. 422-436
LAB (2/2/04): MicroCase exercise #3 in handout (quantitative approach to control)
Feb. 4 – Qualitative Approaches to Control == HANDOUT
{Causal Models DUE at 9:05am on 2/4}
WEEK FIVE: Research Design (cont.)
Feb. 7 – RESEARCH WORKSHOP discussion of research using qualitative approach
Feb. 9 – TEST #1
LAB (2/9/04): Research Protocol exercise in handout
Part II: Data Collection
Feb. 11 -- Qualitative Secondary Sources == READING posted on the Course Documents section of the Blackboard site
(OVER)
Part II: Data Collection
WEEK SIX: Aggregate Data and Sampling
Feb. 14 – Cross-National Aggregate Data == Babbie, pp. 324-332
Feb. 16 – Unobstrusive Measurement plus start of SAMPLING discussion == Babbie, pp. 314-324
LAB (2/16/04): MicroCase exercise #4 in handout (measurement workshop I)
Feb. 18 – The Basics of Sampling == Babbie, pp. 179-215
WEEK SEVEN: Survey Research
Feb. 21 – The Basics of Survey Research == Babbie, pp. 243-277
Feb. 23 – Asking Questions in Survey Research == Babbie, pp. 396-399, review pp. 243-277
LAB (2/23/04): Survey Construction exercise in handout
Feb. 25 – Measuring Attitudinal Intensity in Surveys == Babbie, pp. 151-175
{Partial Draft DUE at 9:05am on 2/23}
WEEK EIGHT: Survey Research (cont.)
Feb. 28 – Interpreting Surveys: an example == HANDOUT
Mar. 2 – TEST #2
LAB (3/2/04): MicroCase exercise #5 in handout (measurement workshop II)
Mar. 4 – Measurement Workshop
Mar. 7-11 – SPRING BREAK: no class…
Part III: Quantitative Research Approaches
WEEK NINE: Descriptive Statistics
Mar. 14 – Frequency Distributions; Measures of Central Tendency ==Babbie, pp.400-405
Mar. 16 – Measures of Dispersion ==Babbie, p.401-402; review Babbie, pp.191-199
LAB (3/16/04): Excel exercise #1 in handout (using formulas)
Mar. 18 – Project Troubleshooting
WEEK TEN: Inferential Statistics
Mar. 21 – Crosstabulation == Babbie, pp. 406-415
Mar. 23 – Statistical Significance Tests: Chi-Square ==Babbie, pp.458-468
LAB (3/23/04): preparation re: upcoming group presentations
Mar. 25 – Nominal Measures of Association: Lambda & Cramer’s V == Babbie, pp. 442-445
WEEK ELEVEN: Inferential Statistics with Interval/Ratio Variables
Mar. 28 – Ordinal Measures of Association: gamma, Kendall’s tau, & Somer’s D == review Babbie, pp. 445-447
Mar. 30 – Correlation (r, r2) & Bivariate Regression (scatterplots, the regression line, outliers) == Babbie, pp. 447-450
LAB (3/30/04): MicroCase exercise #6 in handout (nominal & ordinal statistics)
Apr. 1 – Multiple OLS Regression: R, R2, beta coefficients, F, t == Babbie, pp. 450-451
WEEK TWELVE: Working with Multiple Regression
Apr. 4 – Decisions about Multiple Regression: dummy variables, degrees of freedom, regression assumptions == review Babbie, pp. 442-446
Apr. 6 – Interpreting Multiple Regression: One Example == HANDOUT
LAB (4/6/04): MicroCase exercise #7 in handout (multiple regression)
{optional REGRESSION ANALYSIS EXERCISE assigned}
Apr. 8 – RESEARCH WORKSHOP: discussion of research project using regression analysis
WEEK THIRTEEN: Research Presentations
Apr. 11 – Group I: Presentation of Research Article (done w/ PowerPoint) and class discussion
Apr. 13 – Group II: Presentation of Research Article (done w/ PowerPoint) and class discussion
LAB (4/13/04): lab time to work on optional Regression Exercise; the lab exercise for this week is the presentation
Apr. 15 – Group III: Presentation of Research Article (done w/ PowerPoint) and class discussion
WEEK FOURTEEN: Research Presentations & discussion of individual research projects
Apr. 18 – Group IV: Presentation of Research Article (done w/ PowerPoint) and class discussion
Apr. 20 – RESEARCH WORKSHOP: discussion of individual research projects
LAB (4/20/04): lab time to work on research projects
Apr. 22 – RESEARCH WORKSHOP: The Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches revisited {optional LAB EXERCISE due at 9:05 on 4/22}
WEEK FIFTEEN: Applied Review using Class Survey Project
Apr. 25 – Survey Data Analysis {RESEARCH PROJECT DUE at 9:05am on 4/25}
Apr. 27 – Review Session re: statistics
LAB (4/27/04): no new lab exercise  lab time for review using survey data
Apr. 29 – Course Wrap-Up
**FINAL EXAM: Monday 5/2/05 8am to 10am**