SemesterSpring Semester, 2020
DepartmentInternational Doctor Program in Asia-Pacific Studies, First Year International Doctor Program in Asia-Pacific Studies, Second Year International Doctor Program in Asia-Pacific Studies, Third Year
Course NameResearch Methods
InstructorHOLM DAVID LEOPOLD
Credit3.0
Course TypeRequired
Prerequisite
Course Objective
Course Description
Course Schedule

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



 



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)



 



Week 3: Ethics in Research



Readings: Babbie, ch. 2



Topics: * ethics in research



* politics in research



* posting assignment (due before class in week 4)



 



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



 



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



 



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



 



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



 



 



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



 



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



 



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



 



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



 



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



 



Week 13: Secondary Data and Policy Analysis



Readings: Babbie, chapter 10




  1. & 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



 



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



 



Week 15: Publishing in SSCI journals



Readings: Glatthorn & Joyner, chapters 5, 13



Topics: * journal house styles



* quotation, paraphrase, and plagiarism



 



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



 



Week 17: Bringing it Together; presentations (1)



 



Week 18: Bringing it Together; presentations (2)



 


Teaching Methods
Teaching Assistant

n.a.


Requirement/Grading

Synopsis 15%



Book review 10



Initial Proposal 15



Proposal presentation 5



Ethics posting 5



Research Proposal 30



Proposal presentation 10



Attendance 10


Textbook & Reference

(1) Earl Babbie (2012). The Practice of Social Research, Wadsworth Publishing; 13th edition. (or later) . ISBN-13: 978-1133-04979-1



(2) H. Russell Bernard (1994). Research Methods in Anthropology: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches, Walnut Creek: AltaMira Press. ISBN 0-8039-5244-9



(3). Allan A. Glatthorn, Randy L. Joyner. (2005). Writing the Winning Thesis or Dissertation: A Step-by-Step Guide. Corwin Press, 2nd edition. ISBN-13: 9780761939610


Urls about Course
n.a.
Attachment