Doctoral seminar in research methods i

Lectures: 1 session / week, 3 hours / session

Professor Lotte Bailyn
Professor Jesper B. Sorensen

This course is designed to lay the foundations of good empirical research in the social sciences. It does not deal with specific techniques per se, but rather with the assumptions and the logic underlying social research. Students become acquainted with a variety of approaches to research design, and are helped to develop their own research projects and to evaluate the products of empirical research.

Students will work in groups to design and carry out a small research project. Group results will be presented orally to the class at various points during the semester, with a final public presentation that will be open to the Sloan community. A group written report is due at the end of the semester. There will also be 2 individual assignments.

One text is available at the bookstore and also on reserve in the library:

Singleton, R. A., Jr., and Bruce C. Straits. Approaches to Social Research. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. ISBN: 0195105257. (S&S)

Readings will also be made available.

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