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

2147483647. & 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)

n.a.

Synopsis 15%

Book review 10

Initial Proposal 15

Proposal presentation 5

Ethics posting 5

Research Proposal 30

Proposal presentation 10

Attendance 10

(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