John W. Creswell, Research Design, 2nd edition (Sage 2003)

Floyd J. Fowler, Jr. Survey Research Methods, 3rd edition (Sage, 2001).

 Robert K. Yin, Case Study Research. 3rd edition (Sage 2003)
 

Available from Amazon.com, Sage Publications, or other booksellers

Requirements

Note: please get in the habit of bringing a hand calculator (with square root key) and diskette (or CD or Zip disk) to class every week.

 In this class, the topics we discuss become more advanced as the semester proceeds.  Therefore, it is essential that you attend every class and keep up with the reading and assignments. To ensure you are keeping up with data analysis methods we discuss in class, homework assignments completed late will not receive full credit.  Should you miss more than 3 classes during the semester, you will receive a grade of “incomplete” and be required to repeat the class.

• Critically Assessing Published Research

Four homework assignments will require you to evaluate examples of published research.  This will require that you understand research methodology, the data analytic techniques employed and to evaluate whether the conclusions reached are warranted. They will be graded on a scale from 1 to 10 based on the quality and thoroughness of your assessment, and your ability to explain it clearly and succinctly. These are due one week after assigned, and comprise 20% of your final grade.

• Applying Research and Data Analysis Techniques 

This set of  4 homework assignments require you to carry out data analytic techniques.  In most cases, these will include problems presented at the end of chapters in the text and/or data analysis using the SPSS statistical analysis software, which we will do together in the computer lab.  Each will be graded on a scale from 1 to 10, based on a demonstration of your understanding of what you are being asked to do, the extent to which all elements are addressed, and whether or not it was turned in on time.  These are due one week after assigned, and comprise 20% of your final grade

• Developing a Research Prospectus

This assignment requires you to develop a proposal for conducting a research project of your choice.  There are two steps to this project. It is important that you complete each on time in order to ensure the final piece is fully completed before the end of the semester.

•  Step 1: Literature Review

By Sept. 15 you need to identify a research topic (i.e., question to be answered) for discussion in class. You will then conduct library research in order to identify a minimum of 8 articles that are relevant to your study, and compile them into a narrative summary, not to exceed  5 pages (see style sheet for more detail). The literature review is due Oct. 20, and will comprise 20% of your final grade.

•  Step 2: Written prospectus

Armed with an understanding of previous research in your topic area, and an understanding of research methodology and analytic techniques, you will  write a  prospectus describing  how you propose to carry out the research in order to answer your research question.  It will address such things as your specific hypotheses, the theory supporting those hypotheses, the means by which you intend to collect the data, the variables you will be measuring and how you will operationalize them, and your strategy for analyzing the data. This product, which will include the literature review you completed in Step 1 should not exceed 10 pages. The prospectus is due on Dec. 1. The purpose of the page limits is to give you practice in writing very succinctly. Public managers are busy and don't have time to read long papers!

•  Verbal presentation of your prospectus

The final two weeks of class will be devoted to student presentations of the prospectus. You will need to develop a briefing that highlights the key points of your research proposal. Presentations will be limited to 10 minutes. This is also because public managers are busy and don't have time to listen to long briefings!  Regardless of when you do your presentation, you must attend both presentation class sessions.

Your grade for your written prospectus and verbal presentation will comprise 30% of your final grade

•  Working with a team project to do survey research and analysis

Another important skill to learn in this program is how to work effectively with a team. I will assign you to a team with whom you will conduct a research project using survey research.  This will also provide you with an opportunity to design a survey instrument, collect original data and analyze it using SPSS. A draft of your survey instrument is due Oct. 13. The report on your survey results is due on Nov. 17. This is worth 10% of your final grade.