Home > Teaching > SYG 3300

Course Overview

As social science majors, you probably have a natural curiosity about the social world.  Maybe you're interested in politics, religion, gender, or health care.  Maybe you have questions about poverty, ethnicity, or criminal behavior.  Whatever your specific questions, the toolkit of social research can help you find answers that avoid some of the everyday errors in reasoning.  This course is designed to equip you with the basic elements of that toolkit.

We will cover four broad topics in this introduction to social research methods: the foundations of social science, research design, data collection, and data analysis. In discussing each topic, we will also consider the ethical implications of social research. Social research is a craft, and like any other craft, it takes practice to do it well. Therefore, our approach will be hands-on right from the start. You will have opportunities to learn by doing in all aspects of the course -— in class meetings, the computer lab, and out-of-class assignments. By the end of the course, you should be able to:

1. Formulate good research questions and design appropriate research.
2. Collect your own data using a variety of methods.
3. Analyze both qualitative and quantitative data using computer-based skills.
4. Critically evaluate your own research and that of other social scientists.

You should check this web site frequently for important announcements, details on assignments, and links to supplementary materials.  Also look for lecture notes and an up-to-date version of the course syllabus.  Some course information will be available only on the web site.  Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.