TKUC LogoTHE KING'S UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

COURSE NUMBER: SSCI 309
COURSE TITLE: Methods of Inquiry and Analysis in the Social Sciences
NAME OF INSTRUCTOR: Dr Randolph Haluza-DeLay
CREDIT WEIGHT AND WEEKLY TIME DISTRIBUTION: credits 3 (hrs lect 3 - hrs sem 0 - hrs lab 2)
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION: Introduction to the methods of research design, data collection and data processing techniques used by social scientists. Includes and examination of the relationship between theory and method, research values and ethics and measurement issues as they pertain to experimentation, survey research, field research, content analysis and historical/comparative analysis.

Students with credit in PSYC 305 cannot receive credit in SSCI 309.

Same as SOCI 309.

Prerequisites: Three credits of a designated social science course
REQUIRED TEXTS: Chambliss, Daniel F. & Russell K. Schutt. 2015. Making sense of the social world: Methods of investigation (5th  Edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press. 
MARK DISTRIBUTION IN PERCENT:
Quizzes (2) 36%
Lab Assignments 30%
Final Exam 34%
100%
COURSE OUTLINE:
  • Sept 2,7,9 Intro: Why do Research? What could you get from this class?
  • Sept 12-16 Theory and philosophy of doing research; Epistemology and Faith Types of Research, Methods
  • Sept 19,23 The theory of doing research continued; What is a Research problem & Research Question? 
  • Sept 26-30 Getting Started - Developing Research Questions
  • Oct3-7 Research Proposals; Literature reviews. 
  • Oct 12&14 Choosing Methods; Life and operationalizing it to research it. Ethics
  • Oct 17-21 METHODS: Interviews, Oral History
  • Oct 24-28 METHODS: Inobtrusive (“non-reactive”)
  • Oct31-Nov4 METHODS:  Survey; Sampling; Statistical Analysis
  • Nov 7,9  METHODS: Participant-Observation, Ethnography, Action Research Data Analysis
  • 12 Nov 14-18 Data Analysis
  • 13 Nov 21-25 METHODS: Experimental; Evaluation
  • 14 Nov 28-Dec2 Making Public the Research (“publishing” - writing, presenting)
  • 15 Dec 5,7 What gets done with research? What should be done with it? Is there a “duty” to help action occur on the data and conclusions? Epistemology and Faith Concluding the course

© The King's University College
Maintained By Glenn J Keeler, Registrar