Download Methods of Social Research

Professor:
Office:
Office Phone:
Email:
Office Hours:
Annette Nierobisz
234 Leighton Hall
(507) 222-4114
[email protected]
Mondays: 2-3pm; Tuesdays: 10:30-noon; Wednesdays: 2:10-3:40pm;
or by appointment
Methods of Social Research
There are neither good nor bad methods but only methods that are more or less effective
under particular circumstances in reaching objectives on the way to a distant goal. For this
reason a general, in science as in warfare, is lost if his thinking is rigid. He must be a master of
timing; what has served him well in the past may get in his way now.
Course Objectives
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Homans 1949: 330
How do we know what we know about socio-cultural phenomena? This course is broadly directed
toward understanding how the research methods used by sociologists and anthropologists shape
our perceptions of the world. As we review some of the key research methods used, the underlying
logic will be emphasized as well as the fundamentals of research design, data collection, and data
analysis. In acquiring greater insight into the tools used to translate theoretical questions into
empirically testable propositions, you will ultimately be able to make informed judgments about
which research methods are most suitable for particular socio-cultural questions.
This course satisfies one of the requirements for the SOAN major. The skills acquired in this course
will help you conceptualize and complete your comps research, and provide you with the tools to
evaluate empirical evidence and navigate claims made in the socio-cultural world.
Student Learning Outcomes
The Department of Sociology and Anthropology has specified six student learning outcomes (SLOs)
that we want our students to acquire (http://apps.carleton.edu/curricular/soan/major/slos/). In
this course, we focus on these two SLOs:
1. Formulate appropriate sociological and/or anthropological research questions about sociocultural phenomena;
2. Select (and apply) appropriate sociological and/or anthropological research methods to
study socio-cultural phenomena;
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Course Texts
Four books are required for this course:
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Allison, Paul D. 1999. Multiple Regression: A Primer. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.
Miller, Jane E. 2004. The Chicago Guide to Writing about Numbers. Chicago: University of
Chicago Press.
Rubin, Herbert J. and Irene S. Rubin. 2011. Qualitative Interviewing: The Art of Hearing
Data, 3rd Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Singleton, Royce A. and Bruce C. Straits. 2010. Approaches to Social Research, 5th Edition.
New York: Oxford University Press.
These books are available in the College bookstore. A series of journal articles and book chapters
also are on e-reserve or available online (JSTOR, Google books, etc.). This material is provided to
enhance your understanding of course topics, sharpen your methodological thinking, and further
class discussion. So that you can participate in discussion, please complete the assigned readings
for each class before class.
Course Requirements
Your grade in this course will be calculated according to your performance on four assignments and
class participation. See Table 1 for a summary of dues dates, points awarded, etc.
Assignments
Assignment 1 asks you to write your comps proposal and you will be working on this assignment
throughout the term. Assignment 2 asks you to design a survey that will eventually be
administered to Carleton alums living in Northfield, MN. Assignment 3 asks you to write up your
findings from a multiple regression analysis that we will conduct in class. Assignment 4 asks you to
conduct qualitative interviews with Carleton alums living in Northfield, MN.
Participation
Student participation is vital to learning research methods and will be considered when computing
your final grade. The participation grade is based on a combination of involvement in the class and
professional conduct. I encourage you to share your intellectual insights during class discussions,
even if you are uncertain or nervous about doing so. A lively and animated class makes for a
wonderful learning experience from which we will all benefit. Students are, however, asked to
refrain from using cell phones and other disruptive technology during class time. I expect all
students in the class to be present, both in body and mind, and to be actively engaged in the
creation of an intellectually stimulating experience for all. Given the highly technical content of this
course, punctuality and class attendance is also essential. Students who are consistently tardy
and/or miss three or more classes will forfeit their class participation grade. No exceptions will be
made unless appropriate formal documentation is presented (e.g. note from a doctor, class dean,
athletic coach, etc.).
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Table 1. Summary of Class Requirements*
Assignment
Distribution Date
Due Date*
1. Comps Proposal
April 4
April 12 (topic & question)
Points
Awarded
5 points
May 17 (methods plan)
10 points
2. Creating a survey
April 16
4. In-depth interview paper
May 11
3.Multiple regression paper
5. Class participation
May 1 (literature review)
May 29 (complete proposal)
May 8
May 2
May 22
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June 4
10 points
10 points
20 points
15 points
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20 points
10 points
* No extensions will be provided. Late submissions will have a ½ point deducted for each day late.
Grade range: “A” = 90-100%; “B” = 80-89%; “C” = 70-79%; “D” = 60-69%; “F” <= 59%
Accommodations
Students who require disability accommodation should meet with me privately to discuss their
needs. The office of Disability Services for Students will also help coordinate reasonable
accommodations for students with documented disabilities; please visit this URL to learn more:
https://apps.carleton.edu/campus/wellness/disability_services/
Academic honesty
Carleton’s procedures and regulations regarding academic honesty are available at this URL:
http://apps.carleton.edu/campus/dos/asc/academic_regs/?policy_id=21359. I expect my students
to practice academic honesty so please review these documents to understand what practices
constitute academic dishonesty.
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Course Outline 1
1. The Fundamentals of Social Inquiry
3/26
Introducing Methods of Social Research
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3/28:
Singleton and Straits, Chapter 1: Introduction
Miller, Chapter 1: Why Write About Numbers
Arnett, Jeffrey. 2004. “The Road Through College, Twists and Turns.” Pp. 119141 in Emerging Adulthood. New York: Oxford University Press (e-reserve).
Ross, Jenna. 2012. “In Tough Times, Liberal Arts Colleges Defend Their Value.”
Star Tribune, March 20, 2012, online version
http://www.startribune.com/local/143419966.html (also on e-reserve).
Getting Started: The Scientific Underpinnings of Social Research
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Singleton and Straits, Chapter 2: The Nature of Science
Durkheim, E. 1908/1982. “The Method of Sociology.” Pp. 245-247 in The Rules
of Sociological Method. New York: The Free Press (available on Google books:
http://books.google.com/books?id=dM01B9O6s8YC&printsec=frontcover&sour
ce=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false).
Reynolds, John. And Chardie Baird. 2010. “Is there a Downside to Shooting for
the Stars? Unrealized Expectations and Symptoms of Depression.” American
Sociological Review 75(1): 151-172 (e-reserve).
3/30:
“Science, Meet Research Ethics”
4/2:
The Ethical Requirements of Social Research: Where the Rubber Hits the Road
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Singleton and Straits, Chapter 3: Research Ethics
Humphreys, Laud. 1975. “Public Settings for ‘Private’ Encounters” and
“Methods: The Sociologist as Voyeur.” Pp. 1-44 in The Tearoom Trade:
Impersonal Sex in Public Places. New York: Aldine De Gruyter (e-reserve).
Please review Information about the IRB at Carleton. Available at
https://apps.carleton.edu/governance/institutional_review_board/Info/
American Anthropology Association. Code of Ethics of the American
Anthropological Association (http://www.aaanet.org/issues/policyadvocacy/upload/AAA-Ethics-Code-2009.pdf)
American Sociological Association. ASA Code of Ethics.
(http://www.asanet.org/about/ethics.cfm)
Please note that this syllabus is subject to change.
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4/4:
Elements of Research Design
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4/6:
4/9:
Assignment 1 distributed
Measurement
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Singleton and Straits, Chapter 5: Measurement
You will be assigned one of the following articles, which you will present to your
classmates:
1. Fisher, Gordon. 1992. The Development of the Orshansky Poverty
Thresholds and Their Subsequent History as the Official U.S. Poverty
Measure. Available at:
http://www.census.gov/hhes/povmeas/publications/orshansky.ht
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2. Seashore, Stanley. 1974. “Job Satisfaction as an Indicator of Quality
of the Employment.” Social Indicators Research 1:135-169 (JSTOR).
Sampling
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4/11:
Singleton and Straits, Chapter 4: Elements of Research Design
Mills, C. Wright. 1959. “On Intellectual Craftsmanship.” Pp. 195-225 in The
Sociological Imagination. London: Oxford University Press (PDF available at
http://archivingthecity.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/mills_on_intellctual_craft
manship.pdf).
Singleton and Straits, Chapter 6: Sampling
Ericksen, Julia. 1998. “With Enough Cases, Why Do You Need Statistics?
Revisiting Kinsey’s Methodology.” The Journal of Sex Research 35: 132-140
(JSTOR).
Workshop: Critiquing a Journal Article
o DeKeseredy, W. and K. Kelly. 1993. “The Incidence and Prevalence of
Woman Abuse in Canadian University and College Dating Relationships.”
Canadian Journal of Sociology 18: 137-159 (JSTOR).
Reviewing the Literature Review (class will meet in Library 306)
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Singleton and Straits, Chapter 17: Writing Research Reports
Miller, Chapter 2: Seven Basic Principles
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2. Quantitative Methods of Data Collection and Analysis
4/13:
Experiments
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4/16-23
Singleton and Straits, Chapter 7: Experimentation
Singleton and Straits, Chapter 8: Experimental Designs (read pages 235-243 and
250-258)
Miller, Chapter 3: “Causality, statistical significance and substantive significance”
Pager, D. 2003. “The Mark of a Criminal Record.” American Journal of Sociology
108: 937-975 (JSTOR).
Surveys
4/16
• Singleton and Straits, Chapter 9: Survey Research
• Rossi, Peter H., James D. Wright and Andy B. Anderson. 1983. “Sample surveys:
History, current practice, and future prospects.” Pp. 1-20 in Handbook of survey
research. San Diego, CA: Academic Press (e-reserve).
• Prewitt, Kenneith. 1983. “Management of survey organizations.” Pp. 123-144 in
Handbook of survey research. San Diego, CA: Academic Press (e-reserve).
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Assignment 2 distributed
4/18
• Singleton and Straits, Chapter 10: Survey Instrumentation
• Miller, Chapter 4: “Technical but important: Five more basic principles”
• Arnett, Jeffrey. 2004. “Work. More than a Job.” Pp.143-163 in Emerging
Adulthood. New York: Oxford University Press.
4/20
• Fink, Arlene and Jacqueline Kosecoff. 1998. “The Survey Form: Questions,
Scales, and Appearance.” Pp. 9-26 in How to Conduct Surveys: A Step-by-Step
Guide. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
4/23
Accessing Survey Data (class meets in Library 306)
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Singleton and Straits, Chapter 15: Data Processing and Elementary Data Analysis
(read pages 497-509).
Geraci, Diane, Chuck Humphrey, and Jim Jacobs. 2004. “Statistics? Data? What
Are We Talking About?” Pp. 1.1-1.18 in Data Basics: An Introductory Text
(available at http://3stages.org/class/2010/pdfs/c01_statsvsdata2008.pdf)
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4/25,27:
Analyzing Survey Data I: Elementary Statistics (class meets in CMC110)
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Singleton and Straits, Chapter 15: Data Processing and Elementary Data Analysis
(read pages 510-532)
Miller, Chapter 4: Technical but Important, Five More Basic Principles
Miller, Chapter 5: Types of Quantitative Comparisons
4/30:
MIDTERM BREAK
5/2:
Analyzing Survey Data II: Bivariate Analyses (class meets in CMC110)
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5/4,7:
Allison, Chapter 1: What is Multiple Regression
Assignment 3 distributed
Conducting Multivariate Analyses (class meets in CMC110)
5/4
• Singleton and Straits, Chapter 16: Multivariate Analysis
• Allison, Chapter 2: How Do I Interpret Multiple Regression Results?
5/7
• Allison, Chapter 3: What Can Go Wrong with Multiple Regression?
• Allison, Chapter 4: How do I Run a Multiple Regression?
• Allison, Chapter 5: How does Bivariate Regression Work?
• Allison, Chapter 6: What are the Assumptions of Multiple Regression?
5/9:
Presenting Statistical Findings (class meets in CMC110)
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Miller, Chapter 8: Choosing effective examples and analogies
Miller, Chapter 9: Writing about distributions and associations
Miller, Chapter 10: Writing about data and methods
McPherson, Miller, Lynn Smith-Lovin and Matthew Brashears. 2006. “Social
Isolation in America: Changes in Core Discussion Networks over Two Decades.”
American Sociological Review 71: 353-375 (JSTOR).
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3. Qualitative Methods of Data Collection and Analysis
5/11:
The Logic of Qualitative Research
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5/14-18:
Rubin & Rubin, Chapter 1: Listening, Hearing, Sharing
Daniels, A. Kaplan. 1999. “Standing on the Threshold and Tripping:
Awkwardness in Becoming a Field-Worker.” Pp. 169-180 in B. Glassner and R.
Hertz (eds.) Qualitative Sociology as Everyday Life. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine
Forge Press (e-reserve).
Sehgal, Meera. 2009. “The Veiled Feminist Ethnographer: Fieldwork amongst
Women of India's Hindu Right.” In Martha Huggins and Marie-Louise Glebbeek
(eds.), Women Fielding Danger: Negotiating Ethnographic Identities in Field
Research, Rowan & Littlefield Publishers, Boulder (e-reserve).
Assignment 4 distributed
In-depth Interviewing
5/14
• Rubin & Rubin, Chapter 2: Research Philosophy and Qualitative Interviews
• Rubin & Rubin, Chapter 3: Qualitative Data Gathering Methods and Style
• Rubin & Rubin, Chapter 4: Designing Research for the Responsive Interviewing
Model
• Rubin & Rubin, Chapter 5: Designing for Quality
5/16
• Rubin & Rubin, Chapter 6: Conversational Partnerships
• Rubin & Rubin, Chapter 7: The Responsive Interview as an Extended
Conversation
5/18
• Rubin & Rubin, Chapter 8: Structure of the Responsive Interview
• Rubin & Rubin, Chapter 9: Designing Main Questions and Probes
• Rubin & Rubin, Chapter 10: Preparing Follow-up Questions
5/21:
Focus Groups and Interviews in Cross-Cultural Context
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Briggs, Charles. 1986. “Interview Techniques vis-à-vis Native
Metacommunicative Repertoires; or, on the Analysis of Communicative
Blunders.” Pp. 39-60 in Learning How to Ask. New York: Cambridge University
Press (e-reserve).
Tonkiss, Fran. 2004. “Using Focus Groups.” Pp. 194-206 in Clive Seale (ed.),
Researching Society and Culture. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications (ereserve).
Blommaert, Jan and Dong Jie. 2010. “The Sequence 2: In the Field.” Pp. 24-62 in
Ethnographic Fieldwork: A Beginners Guide. Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters. (ereserve).
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5/23:
Participant Observation Fieldwork
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Emerson, Robert, Rachel Fretz and Linda Shaw. 1995. “Fieldnotes in
Ethnographic Research.” Pp. 1-16 in Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes. Chicago:
University of Chicago Press (e-reserve).
Gillespie, Maria. 1995. “Living Fieldwork – Writing Ethnography.” Pp. 48-75 in
Television, Ethnicity and Cultural Change. London: Routledge (e-reserve).
5/25:
Analyzing Qualitative Data
5/28:
Presenting Qualitative Data
5/30:
Wrapping up Methods of Social Research
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Rubin & Rubin, Chapter 12: Data Analysis in the Responsive Interviewing Model
Rubin & Rubin, Chapter 13: “Sharing the Results”
Mendenhall, Ruby, Ariel Kalil, Laurel J. Spindel, and Cassandra M.D. Hart. 2009.
“Job Loss at Mid-life: Managers and Executives Face the ‘New Risk Economy’.”
Social Forces 87: 185-209 (ProQuest:
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdlink?did=1599550871&Fmt=7&clientId=44460&
RQT=309&VName=PQD ).
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