Week 1: Scientific Inquiry, Research Areas, Research Topics, Research Questions
Readings Babbie, chapter 1
Topics * course objectives, requirements, overview
* knowledge and science
* purposes of research (see also Babbie, pp.90-93)
* science as a social enterprise
* research areas vs. research interests vs. researchable topics
Student workload Class: 3 hours Outside class: 6 hours
Week 2: Getting to Know the Journals in your Field
Topics * disciplines in Asia-Pacific Studies
* journals in Asia-Pacific Studies
* recent and past discourses in your research area
* methods in use in your research area
* posting assignment (due before class in week 4)
Student workload Class: 3 hours Outside class: 6 hours
Week 3: Ethics in Research
Readings: Babbie, ch. 2
Topics: * ethics in research
* politics in research
* posting assignment (due before class in week 4)
Student workload Class: 3 hours Outside class: 6 hours
Week 4: The Basic Building Blocks of Theory and Research
Readings: Babbie, chapter 3 (especially pp.71-79); Glatthorn & Joyner, chapters 2, 6, and 9
Topics: * Why theory? What is theory?
* paradigms, theories, models and hypotheses
* key concepts: variables, concepts (also, Babbie, p.164)
* inductive versus deductive inquiry (also, Babbie, 21-23)
* criteria for causality (also, Babbie, 93-95)
* what is a “contribution to knowledge?”
* analytical frameworks versus literature review
* research and dissertation topic formulation processes
Student workload Class: 3 hours Outside class: 6 hours
Week 5: The Basic Building Blocks of Empirical Research II;
Understanding Research Design
Readings: Babbie, chapter 4;
Glatthorn & Joyner, chapters 12, 15 (Proposal and Dissertation outlines)
Topics: * purposes of inductive research; criteria of success
* purposes of deductive research; criteria of success
* issues in research design
* examples in Asia-Pacific Studies
Student workload Class: 3 hours Outside class: 6 hours
Week 6: Conceptualization, Operationalization and Measurement
Readings: Babbie, chapter 6
Topics: * conceptualization
* operationalization
* levels of measurement
* validity, reliability
* examples in Asia-Pacific Studies and other relevant disciplines
Student workload Class: 3 hours Outside class: 6 hours
Week 7: Indices; Presentation of Research Proposals
Short Presentation of Research Topics.
Readings: Babbie, chapter 7 (esp. 201-215, 217)
Topics: * indices and Likert-scales
* examples in Asia-Pacific Studies and other relevant disciplines
* presentation of sample research proposals
Student workload Class: 3 hours Outside class: 6 hours
Week 8: Sampling
Readings: Babbie, chapter 8;
Glatthorn & Joyner, chapter 4, 11, and 18 (Methods Selection)
Topics: * samples in research
* probability and non-probability samples
* key concepts: sampling frame, sampling error, types of bias
Student workload Class: 3 hours Outside class: 6 hours
Week 9: Survey Research
Readings: Babbie, chapter 11;
Glatthorn & Joyner, chapters 3, 10, and 17 (Literature review)
DUE: Initial Proposal.
Topics: * role of surveys in research
* self-administered surveys; mail and internet
* telephone and interview surveys
Student workload Class: 3 hours Outside class: 6 hours
Week 10: Field Research
Readings: Babbie, chapter 10
Glatthorn & Joyner, chapters 2. 16, and 19 (Writing the Introduction)
Topics: * topics appropriate for field research
* roles of observers
* use of focus groups
* examples in Asia-Pacific Studies and other relevant disciplines
Student workload Class: 3 hours Outside class: 6 hours
Week 11: Field Research (2)
Readings: H. Russell Bernard, Research Methods in Anthropology, chapters 9-11
Topics: * observing other cultures
* field notes: how to take and manage them
* unstructured and semi-structured interviewing
* direct observation
* dealing with language barriers
* audio and video recording
* use of GPS and digital cameras
Student workload Class: 3 hours Outside class: 6 hours
Week 12: Evaluation Research
Readings: Babbie, chapter 12
Glatthorn & Joyner, ch. 19-20 (Writing the Results chapter)
Topics: * program evaluation from start to finish
* selection of research questions and methods
* program evaluation as a learning; presenting results
* from evaluation to optimization
Student workload Class: 3 hours Outside class: 6 hours
Week 13: Secondary Data and Policy Analysis
Readings: Babbie, chapter 10
- & Joyner, chapters 1, 24-25 (Challenges….)
Topics: * availability of secondary data
* strengths and weaknesses of secondary data
* secondary data and policy analysis
* examples in Asia-Pacific Studies and other relevant disciplines
Student workload Class: 3 hours Outside class: 6 hours
Week 14: Experiments and Quasi-Experiments
Readings: Babbie, chapter 9
Glatthorn & Joyner, chapters 14, 8 (Academic Style, Technology)
Topics: * the importance of control and research design
* threats to validity
* double-blind experiments
* strengths and limitations of the experimental design
Student workload Class: 3 hours Outside class: 6 hours
Week 15: Publishing in SSCI journals
Readings: Glatthorn & Joyner, chapters 5, 13
Topics: * journal house styles
* quotation, paraphrase, and plagiarism
Student workload Class: 3 hours Outside class: 6 hours
Week 16: Oral Presentations of Research Findings
Topics: * conference presentations and posters
* presentation style
* using powerpoints (PPTs) effectively
* handouts
Activities: Individual consultations with Professor upon appointment
work on final report
Student workload Class: 3 hours Outside class: 6 hours
Week 17: Bringing it Together; presentations (1)
Student workload Class: 3 hours Outside class: 6 hours
Week 18: Bringing it Together; presentations (2)
DUE: Research Proposal
Student workload Class: 3 hours Outside class: 6 hours
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