Syllabus for PSCI 2074:
A Weekly Course Outline.
Week
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
- Give Jeff Hayes your student ID number.
- Send Prof. McIver an e-mail from your class account!
Course Overview.
Introduction to the Unix/X-Windows computing environment, including SPSS, e-mail and Internet access.
Social Science Data Lab Web Page
Introduction to the SSDL (PDF file)
Getting Started w/the NT Server (PDF file)
Accessing Disk Shares (PDF file)
Tasks for Thursday:
Logic of (Social) Scientific Inquiry: Research in Political Science and Related Disciplines
Johnson et al., Political Science Research Methods , Chapters 1 & 2.
- (Also see the supplemental materials in the PSRM web page)
Additional electronic texts are available. See...
Concepts, Variables, Variation and Hypotheses
Johnson et al., Political Science Research Methods , Chapter 3.
The Wide Ranging Effects of Super Bowl
Downs, Chapter 3 (excerpts) (PDF file)
Downs, Chapter 14 (excerpts) (PDF file
NOTES:
Measurement (Conceptualization)
Johnson et al., Political Science Research Methods , Chapter 3.
HyperStat Online (an e-Textbook), Chapter 1
Also read material from other sites connected to Chapter 1 (esp. Statsoft - Elementary Concepts, Glass - Measurement Level, Sarle - Measurement Theory)
Revisiting Downs: Theoretical Variables
Click here for Downs model and information about the 1992 National Election Study.
Recommended Readings:
Stephen Jay Gould, The Mismeasure of Man, New York: W.W. Norton. Chapters 1-3.
Eugene Webb et al., Unobtrusive Measures Chicago: Rand McNally
Measurement (Operationalization)
Validity and Reliability
Johnson et al., Political Science Research Methods , Chapter 4.
HyperStat Online (an e-Textbook), Chapter 1
Also read material from other sites connected to Chapter 1 (esp. Statsoft - Elementary Concepts, Glass - Measurement Level, Sarle - Measurement Theory)
Revisiting Downs: Operationalizing Variables.
Click here for ways in which the Downs model can be operationalized using the 1992 National Election Study Setups data file.
SPSS Tranformations: COUNT and MEAN.#
Research Designs
Johnson et al., Political Science Research Methods , Chapter 5.
NOTES:
Comparison of Research Designs
A Sample Experimental Design: Feline Reactions to Bearded Men
No Class on Thursday October 4th, 2001 -- FALL BREAK.
Data Collection & Sampling
Johnson et al., Political Science Research Methods , Chapters 7-10.
M&M's and Sampling Theory:
Descriptive Statistics
Johnson et al., Political Science Research Methods , Chapters 11.
Rice Virtual Lab in Statistics -- Simulations
Mean, Variance, Standard Deviation
Mean, Variance, Standard Deviation - Grouped Data
Keeping a Lab Notebook: Guidelines
Crosstabulation Methods for Quantitative Analysis
Reading:
Johnson et al., Political Science Research Methods , Chapters 12 (pp. 338-347).
Walter Stone and David Davis, An Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods.Chapter 1 - Bivariate Analysis
Notes:
Examples:
Indick et al (2000) "Gender Differences in Moral Judgment: Is Non-Consequential Reasoning a Factor?" Current Research in Social Psychology.
Tests of Significance
Readings:
Johnson et al., Political Science Research Methods , Chapters 12 (pp. 357-363)
Notes:
Measures of Association
Readings:
Johnson et al., Political Science Research Methods , Chapters 12 (pp. 347-357).
Notes:
Multivariate Analysis: 3 or More Variables (2 weeks)
Reading:
Johnson et al., Political Science Research Methods , Chapters 13.
Walter Stone & David Davis, An Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods. Chapter 2 - Multivariate Analysis
Notes:
Charting/Graphing Results
No Class on Thursday, November 22nd, 2001 - Thanksgiving Break
Other Bivariate Techniques (Difference of Means, ANOVA, Regression)
Readings:
Johnson et al., Political Science Research Methods , Chapters 12 (pp. 363-385).
Notes:
Student Research: Writing a (Social) Scientific Paper (2 weeks)
Johnson et al., Political Science Research Methods , Chapter 14.
A sample outline using Downs' Theory as a paper topic: outline.
-
Ethical Dilemmas in Social Scientific Research
Recommended Readings:
Controversial Behavior:
Stanley Milgram (1969) Obedience to Authority, New York: Harper & Row.
Laud Humphreys (1970) Tearoom Trade: Impersonal Sex in Public Places. Chicago: Aldine
Nuremberg War Crimes - Indictements for Medical Experimentation
Federal Rules Governing Research on Humans and Commentary:
FINAL EXAM: Monday December 17, 2001, 7:30AM-10:00AM