KING'S UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT

SOCIOLOGY 2206b (formerly Soc206b) Sec572

RESEARCH METHODS IN SOCIOLOGY

Fall 2011

Instructor: Prof. Patricia Pakvis

Office: DL240
Telephone: (519) 433-3491
E-mail: pakvis@uwo.ca
Website: http://publish.uwo.ca/~pakvis/

Dates: Sept. – Dec. 2011

Day/Time: Tuesday, 12:30 – 3:30 pm

Location: King's BH103

Office Hours: Tuesday, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm

or by appointment at other times.

TA: Catherine Gelinas

Email: cpgelina@uwo.ca

TA hours and office: Wednesdays 1:30 – 2:30 pm in DL224

Tutors are available for this course if needed. The cost for tutoring is your responsibility.

For tutoring, please contact: Catherine Gelinas cpgelina@uwo.ca

Antirequisite(s): The former Sociology 231, Social Work 2205

Prerequisite(s): At least 60% in Sociology 020 or 021E.

Drop Date: Oct. 18, 2011

IMPORTANT MESSAGES (check this space regularly!):

***NO CLASS TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6***

*NEW* FINAL EXAM INFORMATION

Click Here for methods texts available for salE

Course Description:

Sociology 2206a/b will introduce students to basic social research methodology through the use of lectures, hands-on practice and video. Methods topics include theory and hypothesis formation, measurement, data collection, data analysis procedures, research ethics, and reporting of results. Both qualitative and quantitative methods will be discussed. Evaluation in the course will consist of a brief research assignment, a midterm and a final exam. Regular attendance at lectures is highly recommended.

Required Reading:

Neuman, W. Lawrence and Karen Robson. 2009. Basics of Social Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches, First Canadian Edition. Pearson Education Canada (ISBN: 0205441769)

OR Neuman and Robson, 2012. Basics of Social Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches (ISBN: 978-0-205-76740-3) 2nd Can. Edition.

Course Evaluation:

Midterm (Oct. 18): 35%

In Class Mini Assignments 10% (5 assignments x 2% each)

Research Assignment (Nov. 29): 15%

Final Exam (TBA Dec. 10-21): 40%

Schedule of Lecture Topics and Readings:

a detailed schedule of lecture topics and readings can be found by clicking the link below. Readings should be completed before the start of class. You will also find the lecture outlines here (click on each topic) as well as occasional supplementary online readings. Note that: Although laptop use will be permitted in the classroom during lectures, King's University Policy specifies that "Students found to be using laptops for purposes not directly related to the class may be subject to sanctions under the Student Code of Conduct. See http://www.kings.uwo.ca/files/file/about/code_of_conduct 2003.pdf"

Link To Topics and Readings

Midterm Test:

The midterm is worth 35% of the final mark and will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 18 during the first hour of class. The test will be a multiple choice quiz of approximately 60 questions. It will cover only the material from the beginning of the semester until the midterm. The materials will be drawn from the assigned readings and all material covered in class. The use of electronic devices is not permitted during exams. If a student is absent from the midterm for legitimate medical (i.e. illness) or non-medical (i.e. funeral) reasons, documentation must be provided to the Academic Dean' office as soon as possible and the student will be allowed to write a makeup midterm on the Friday immediately following the missed midterm (Oct. 21 in SA151 at 1:15 p.m.) If the absence is undocumented, the missed midterm will be given a mark of "0." Please see the Policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness (https://studentservices.uwo.ca/secure/index.cfm) for more information.

Final Exam:

The final exam, worth 40% of the final mark, will be held during the December exam period (Dec. 10 – 21.) It will focus on the last half of the semester, although some questions may be cumulative. The format will be approximately 80 m/c questions and is similar to that of the midterm. Accommodation for a missed final examination will be provided once documentation for legitimate medical or non-medical reasons is provided to the Academic Dean's office (see Midterm section above for more detail and a link to the Policy on Accommodation.) The use of electronic devices is not permitted during the exam.

ADDITIONAL NOTE REGARDING ACCOMMODATION:

Accommodation for religious reasons may also be granted. For more detail on this policy, please see http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/ and http://www.uwo.ca/equity/docs/mfcalendar.htm

Please be advised that students must give proper written notice for such an accommodation in accordance with the directives in the 2011 UWO Academic Calendar.

Research Assignment:

A research assignment, worth 15% is required for this course. The assignment consists of developing a problem statement and writing an annotated bibliography on a research problem of your choice.

Instructions: (Follow these guidelines carefully!!)

1. First, write a short, suitable introduction to your chosen topic area.

2. Then, write a brief statement describing a specific issue or problem in sociology that interests you, including why you think it is important. Guidelines for writing a good problem statement will be given in class.

3. Next you will research your topic of interest and find five full journal articles (not books) that pertain directly to your topic. The articles should provide a variety of perspectives on the topic (i.e. should not all be by the same author(s.))

4. Read the articles carefully, making notes as you go.

5. Then write a brief (two-three paragraphs) annotation for each article (five annotations in all.) Follow the instructions in your text on writing an annotation exactly. According to the authors of your textbook, an annotated bibliography is a "list of sources pertaining to a specific topic, which includes full citation information, a summary of the article (including research methods employed) and its findings, as well as evaluative comments about the quality of the research" (Neuman, W. L. and K. Robson, 2012, p. 74) There is a detailed example of an annotated bibliography in Chapter 4 of Neuman and Robson's Basics of Social Research, 2^nd Canadian edition. If you are using the 1^st Canadian edition of the text, see me and I will provide you with a photocopy of the relevant material.

The assignment is due at the beginning of class Tuesday, Nov. 29^th, 2011.

Please use ASR or ASA style for your citations. Information about these styles can be found here:

LINK TO ASA STYLE GUIDE at UWO library: http://www.lib.uwo.ca/files/styleguides/ASA.pdf

The assignment should be on 8.5x11" paper, be double-spaced, and stapled and have a cover page with a title, course name, my name, your name and student number. More details will be provided in class.

A late penalty of 2%/day will be applied to late papers unless appropriate documentation has been submitted to the Academic Dean's office (see Midterm section above for more detail.) Late assignments may be dropped off in the green mailbox, located in the Annex by SA150 in an envelope addressed to me.

The assignment must be your own work. Plagiarism is a serious academic offence. Scholastic offences are taken seriously and students are directed to read the appropriate policy, specifically, the definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offence, at the following Web site:

http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf

In Class Mini Assignments:

You will complete 5 out of 6 mini assignments during class time in randomly selected classes. The mini assignments will be handed in at the end of class and are worth 2% each, for a total of 10% of your final grade. The best 5 out of 6 mini assignment marks will count toward the mark. The assignments are linked to the day's lecture material and will vary: they may consist of a response to a video, answering an essay or multiple choice style question, conducting and recording an interview, or analyzing data. Note: there are no makeup mini assignments; hence, regular class attendance is crucial.