"Chance favors the prepared mind" - Louis Pasteur

WHAT DO YOU THINK SCIENCE IS?

THERE’S NOTHING MAGICAL ABOUT SCIENCE. IT IS SIMPLY A SYSTEMATIC WAY FOR CAREFULLY AND THOROUGHLY OBSERVING NATURE AND USING CONSISTENT LOGIC TO EVALUATE RESULTS. WHICH PART OF THAT EXACTLY DO YOU DISAGREE WITH? DO YOU DISAGREE WITH BEING THOROUGH? USING CAREFUL OBSERVATION? BEING SYSTEMATIC? OR USING CONSISTENT LOGIC?

DR. STEVEN NOVELLA

Sociology 380 is an upper division level research methods course in which we will critically evaluate core methodological concepts and approaches in the social sciences and apply what we have learned to the principal work product of the semester: a research proposal which in content and scope is similar to proposals submitted to funding agencies such as the National Science Foundation, Department of Justice, the National Institute of Justice and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

While this course is listed in the Sociology Department, historically it attracts students from psychology, political science, communications and journalism, biology, engineering, law and medicine.

Central to your proposal is the literature search and review. I will place some material on Learn on how to write a literature review and as for the search part of the process, we'll engage with the Library and have two sessions on narrowing the research topic and searching, both in-house and web sources. Finally, we will have a specialized library session on how to write a literature review.

Additionally, Learn has material on how to write a proposal as well as sample proposals from previous semesters. You may be thinking "why doesn't he just give us a point-by-point guide to writing the proposal?" The answer is that while there are commonalities among all research proposals, no one rubric fits them all. They all have a literature review but they may not all have independent and dependent variables. They all have ethical considerations but they may not all be concerned with causation. So, your best bet is to read the materials I have provided, read the sample proposals and pay very close attention in class when I am discussing the research proposal.

Critical Thinking/Reasoning

If you're fortunate, you have had a course from the Philosophy Department on critical thinking or reasoning. There is a very strong link between critical thinking and the scientific method. There is a very high correlation, and I am confident causal in nature, between the quality of a student's questions and their final grade. "By your questions you shall be known."

Thinking is not driven by answers but by questions. Had no questions been asked by those who laid the foundation for a field — for example, Physics or Biology — the field would never have been developed in the first place. Furthermore, every field stays alive only to the extent that fresh questions are generated and taken seriously as the driving force in a process of thinking. To think through or rethink anything, one must ask questions that stimulate our thought.

Questions define tasks, express problems and delineate issues. Answers on the other hand, often signal a full stop in thought. Only when an answer generates a further question does thought continue its life as such.

This is why it is true that only students who have questions are really thinking and learning.

Deep questions drive our thought underneath the surface of things, force us to deal with complexity. Questions of purpose force us to define our task. Questions of information force us to look at our sources of information as well as at the quality of our information.

Questions of interpretation force us to examine how we are organizing or giving meaning to information. Questions of assumption force us to examine what we are taking for granted. Questions of implication force us to follow out where our thinking is going. Questions of point of view force us to examine our point of view and to consider other relevant points of view.

Questions of relevance force us to discriminate what does and what does not bear on a question. Questions of accuracy force us to evaluate and test for truth and correctness. Questions of precision force us to give details and be specific. Questions of consistency force us to examine our thinking for contradictions. Questions of logic force us to consider how we are putting the whole of our thought together, to make sure that it all adds up and makes sense within a reasonable system of some kind.

Dead Questions Reflect Dead Minds

Unfortunately, most students ask virtually none of these thought stimulating types of questions. They tend to stick to dead questions like "Is this going to be on the test?", questions that imply the desire not to think.

Don't be one of these students!

And don't be like her:

What are the Prerequisites for This Course?

Sociology 101, Introduction to Sociology

Students with additional coursework in sociology, psychology and criminology will find themselves better prepared for this course.

Grading -



I used to put this section of the syllabus later, but most students are very concerned about how they will be graded, so I have moved the section up to the front.

Before moving on to describe how I will grade in this class, I provide my definition of the traditional A-F scale:

A - Clearly stands out as excellent performance. Has unusually sharp insight into material and initiates thoughtful questions. Sees many sides of an issue. Articulates well an writes logically and clearly, and integrates ideas previously learned from this and other courses and disciplines; anticipates next steps in the progression of ideas. Example: "A" work should be of such a nature that it could be put on reserve for all students to review and emulate. The "A" student is, in fact, an example for others to follow. As you might imagine, few "A" grades are awarded. The "A+" grade is even rarer, but does happen occasionally.

B - This student grasps subject matter at a level considered to be good to very good. Is an active listener and participant in class discussions. Speaks and writes well. Accomplishes more than the minimum requirements. Work in and out of class is of high quality. Example: "B" work indicates a high quality performance and is given in recognition for solid work; a "B" should be considered a high grade.

C - Demonstrates a satisfactory comprehension of the subject matter. Accomplishes only the minimum requirements, and displays little or no initiative. Communicates orally and in writing at an acceptable level and has a an understanding of all basic concepts. Example:"C" work represents average work. A student who receives a "C" has met the requirements.

D - Quality and quantity of work in and out of class is below the average and barely acceptable. Example:"D" work is not passing.

F - Quality and quantity of work in and out of the class is unacceptable. Example"F" work does not qualify the student to progress to a more advanced level of work.

I do not grade on a curve. Curve grading tends to foster competition, not cooperation, among class members. The only relativism in grading exists because an "A" grade only has meaning since there is an "F" grade. My assumption from the first day of class is that everyone has an "A" and it is yours to keep or lose.

Your final grade is determined by the average of the following:

Research Proposal             50%
Two Exams              25%
Assignments    25%

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**** VERY IMPORTANT ****

YOU MUST RECEIVE A PASSING GRADE ON THE FINAL PROPOSAL TO PASS THE CLASS. IN OTHER WORDS, NOT TURNING IN THE PROPOSAL IS NOT AN OPTION. NOT TURNING IN THE PROPOSAL WILL RESULT IN A GRADE OF "F" REGARDLESS OF YOUR GRADE ON THE ASSIGNMENTS OR EXAMS

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ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Regents' Policy Manual - Section 4.8: Academic Dishonesty

Adopted Date: 09-12-1996
Amended: 06-12-2012

Applicability

This policy applies to all students at the University with regard to academic activities and professional activities related to academic work.

Definition

"Academic dishonesty" includes, but is not limited to, dishonesty in quizzes, tests, or assignments; claiming credit for work not done or done by others; hindering the academic work of other students; misrepresenting academic or professional qualifications within or without the University; and nondisclosure or misrepresentation in filling out applications or other University records.

Policy

Each student is expected to maintain the highest standards of honesty and integrity in academic and professional matters. The University reserves the right to take disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, against any student who is found guilty of academic dishonesty or who otherwise fails to meet the expected standards. Any student judged to have engaged in academic dishonesty in course work may receive a reduced or failing grade for the work in question and/or for the course.

Extra credit will be given for the following:

Oral presentation of your proposal accompanied by Powerpoint slides - the presentation is by reservation only and on a first-come, first-served basis. So while the earlier you request a place (there are a total of nine) the better, be very sure you will follow through. It is a disservice to your peers to make a reservation only to default later thus depriving them of the opportunity for extra credit.

The extra credit option below, unlike most coupon offers, can be combined with the oral presentation to receive double extra credit!!

This option involves taking advantage of the CAPS OWL, Online Writing Lab. Writing a quality article is difficult even for good writers and a well written article will not only improve your grade but can be used by you as an example of your writing ability. This could be important for those applying to graduate school or for a position that requires writing.

For those unfamiliar with OWL, “Tutors will help with structure, style, format, grammar, and thesis organization.” You submit a draft of your proposal to OWL and tutors will provide feedback. You may submit the draft more than once. Note that OWL will not proofread your paper so you should expect to do this before submission. Regarding turnaround time, OWL says “Under normal circumstances, your undergraduate paper will be reviewed and returned to you within 48-72 hours, Monday through Friday. That is, if you submit a paper on Friday afternoon, you can expect a response by the end of the day on Wednesday. Please check the CAPS Calendar for holidays or special occasions that may delay the return of your work.”

Submitting your paper requires two steps, the first step need be done only once. Here are the instructions:

1.    Go to http://caps.unm.edu/programs/online-tutoring/online-writing-lab.php.
2.    At the bottom of this page you'll find a form or link to complete to submit your paper to OWL
3. *** Be sure to complete the Instructor Notification Form *** to receive your extra credit
4.    This is not a one time option and you should resubmit your paper after any significant revision

To anticipate your question, how "extra" is the extra? If you give a successful oral presentation and your final grade is on the bubble between two grades, you receive the higher grade. Just to be clear, if your final grade is a D and you receive extra credit, your grade does NOT jump to a B.

Grade Components:

Research Proposal -

From the text, page 88 "A research proposal is the launching pad for a formal research project, and it serves the very important function of forcing a researcher to set out a problem statement and a research plan-to think through the details of what you are trying to accomplish and how you will go about that as well a to think through procedures for the protection of human subjects." Further, a research proposal is just that-it is what you propose to do. First, you need to think what it is you propose or intend to research.   The early stage of problem formulation is often the most difficult step in the entire process. The next step is to explain why you would do it. What is the point? What do you hope to achieve? This is not always obvious and needs to be explicitly stated. You must justify your proposal in light of the literature and what this indicates about the state of knowledge in your field. This is commonly known as the "gap" in our knowledge Once you have done this, the next step is to describe how you will conduct the research. Simply, your research proposal should reflect:

What you are going to research (the research question/problem)
Why you are going to research this particular area (what is your motivation? Theory? Policy? Personal>)
What is the significance of researching this area (to what does your research contribute?)
How you are going to conduct the research (how will you collect the data?) and
How will you handle any ethical issues?

The most important advice I can give you is to start the proposal as early as possible in the semester.

Resources: "Essential Ingredients of a Good Research Proposal" is on Learn under Reserves Materials. It's a detailed article and guide on how to write a research proposal.

Also there is a shorter document on Learn titled "Crafting a Research Proposal"

Also on Learn you'll find several folders of previous research proposals from past years. These range in Grade from "A+" to "C."

The proposal must be submitted through UNM Learn. The proposal will be processed by Safe Assign, a plagiarism checker and you will receive the same report I get on the extent, if any, to which your proposal contains material from published or otherwise copyright sources or other student papers. You will see a percent number attached to the "overall match." Here is the guideline for interpreting this number:

The overall SafeAssign score indicates the probability that the submitted paper contains matches to existing sources. This score is a warning indicator only.

Scores below 15 percent: These papers typically include some quotes and few common phrases or blocks of text that match other documents. Typically, these papers don't require further analysis as there is no evidence of plagiarism.
Scores between 15 percent and 40 percent: These papers include extensive quoted or paraphrased material, or they include plagiarism. Review these papers to determine if the matching text is properly referenced.
Scores over 40 percent: A very high probability exists that text in these papers was copied from other sources. These papers include quoted or paraphrased text in excess, and need to be reviewed for plagiarism.

YOU MAY ONLY SUBMIT THE PROPOSAL ***ONCE*** TO LEARN.

>>>>>> Proposal must require collection of empirical data using one of these research methods: Experiments (Chapter 7), Survey (Chapter 8), Qualitative (Chapter 10), Evaluation and Policy (Chapter 12), Historical and Comparative (Chapter 13) <<<<<<

**** Submit your proposal to Learn in the MS Word .doc or .docx format ONLY ***

"Sage on the stage" or "Guide on the side" This cliche need some discussion which we have on the second meeting of the class.
==========================================================================================================

GROUP WORK - Not required, but it is possible to complete the assignments and proposal as a group. These rules apply:

1. Group cannot be larger than four students
2. Each group member receives the same grade regardless of the effort or outcome.
3. Once a group is formed, it cannot be disbanded except for exceptional circumstances, e.g., one member drops the class, has a serious illness, etc.

Rule #2 is very important so don't take it lightly. Group work sounds like a good deal but many, most probably, groups fail for two reasons: first, the group is composed of friends and not skills and second, each member of the group does not do their share of the work. Groups work best if they are composed of complementary skills. So, if you're thinking of forming a group and you're good at research, choose someone who is good at writing.

Rule #3 is for your own good. Lets say the group stays together and completes the three assignments, hands in the prospectus and then decides to disband. At this point only one of the group can continue on with the chosen topic and the others have to select a new topic, do the literature review and the work of the assignments (but they don't have to resubmit them). In short, this seldom works and the only one to benefit is the one that retains the original topic.

Even with these rules, group work is ** strongly ** encouraged as it usually results in a better proposal and higher grade.
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Midterm Exam - This semester there is no midterm exam (hold your applause).

Two Exams - Each exam covers approximately one-half of the semester. The questions are multiple choice and come primarily from the Schutt chapters but may also include lecture material and other required readings.

The exams are on learn.unm.edu and are available for 24 hours beginning at 11:00am on the day of the scheduled exam. Each exam, once started, is available for 50 minutes. As it would be if you took the exam in class, you are *** NOT *** allowed multiple attempts.

Makeup exam is not automatic and permitted subject to legitimate documentation justifying your absence

There is a review for the exam 1-2 class meetings before the day of the exam. The review is oral and only on the day so indicated. Previous experience is that if you miss the review session, your exam grade will be 1-2 letter grades lower than if you had attended the review.

*** It is strongly recommended that you take the exam from a stable Internet connection (ideally on campus). If your connection is broken during the exam, you will NOT be able to restart the exam without assistance and that assistance will not immediately be available. ***

Assignments - The assignments all come from the chapters in the text. At the end of each chapter there is a section titled "Developing a Research Proposal." The questions in this section are intended to build toward a successful completion of your research proposal by the end of the semester.

***** Be sure to look at the Sample Assignments under Course Documents on Learn *****

Late assignments are penalized one letter grade.

Assignment, Prospectus and Final Proposal Submission Guidelines:

For the three assignments from the text, prospectus and Proposal:

Submit all as MS Word documents only; no other file formats will be accepted.

**Include your full name and the course in the saved file name and the document. Only one document from a group is necessary but it must contain the name of each group member. Assignments with no names will not receive credit.***

All assignments are to be emailed to me at stgeorge@unm.edu

The Prospectus is emailed to me at stgeorge@unm.edu

The proposal is submitted to Learn

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ADA Policy

In accordance with University Policy 2310 and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), any student who, because of a disability, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact the instructor as soon as possible to make necessary accommodations. It is the responsibility of the student to request accommodation for individual learning needs. For further information, contact the Accessibility Resource Center at 277-3506. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Requirement to Report Gender Discrimination and Sexual Misconduct

“In an effort to meet obligations under Title IX, UNM faculty, Teaching Assistants, and Graduate Assistants are considered “responsible employees” by the Department of Education (see pg 15 - http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/qa-201404-title-ix.pdf). This designation requires that any report of gender discrimination (which includes sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, and sexual violence) made to a faculty member, TA, or GA must be reported to the Title IX Coordinator at the Office of Equal Opportunity (oeo.unm.edu). For more information on the campus policy regarding sexual misconduct, see:https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/2000/2740.html

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Text:

Under the Inclusive Access program, your course materials will be available through your Blackboard account by clicking a course material link within this course. You will have free access to the material during the evaluation period, which is the add/drop without penalty period. For a full Fall semester course, this period is three weeks in duration. One week before the add/drop deadline, you will be sent instructions for opting out of the program, which is your right; if you determine the material or the price is not for you, you may elect to not participate. Note that the purchase of any low-cost print upgrade will nullify your ability to opt out, as low-cost print upgrades are restricted to participants only.

If you are still enrolled in the course, and if you have not opted out of the program, your Bursar Student Charge account will be billed for the digital content after the add/drop period. If you drop the course or opt out (without purchasing a print upgrade), you will not be charged for the material, and your access to the content will be stopped.

Students need to check their “email of record” with the UNM Registrar’s office. The bookstore uses a FERPA compliant email tool to message students enrolled in your courses, but the email associated with that account is the one on file with the registrar. Students must commit to checking this email for the whole semester.

The Bookstore will send a welcome message on the first day of class, which will be wordy, but which students need to read. It will include the course material prices and the procedure for opting out.
The Bookstore will send an opt out reminder shortly before the opt out deadline of 2/2/18 for full-Spring courses and 1/26/18 for 1^st 8 week Spring courses.
Billing will occur in February, 2018.
The Bookstore will send an email to students who have been billed, those who have opted out, and those who have been billed as a result of purchasing a print upgrade if they thought they opted out of digital.

You will receive email from the Bookstore detailing this process.

For this course, if you opt-in, the digital materials are in Learn under "Course Information"

If you do not opt-in, my advice is to shop around for the best deal on a hard copy of the text. Also, sources such as Amazon and the publisher often have deals on renting the text digitally. The campus Bookstore may or may not have hard copies.

Attendance -

I don't take attendance. Well, that's not exactly true. My assumption is that you and I both show up where and when we are supposed to and if for a legitimate reason (medical, car trouble, etc.), we can't make it, we inform each other via email with as much advance notice as possible. As long as this works, fine, but when the day comes that I notice you are simply not coming to class, I take attendance. From that day on, if I record five absences for you, I will drop you from the class or impose a penalty of two letter grades.

Listserv

This section of Sociology 380 has an official Listserv discussion list which is used by me to notify the class of changes in the syllabus, cancellation of class and the like. The list may also be used by the class to ask questions about course content or to engage in discussions with class members. The name of the list is soc380-L and details of how to subscribe and post to the list follow.
Everyone in the class MUST subscribe to the Listserv by the end of the first week of class. Failure to do so is reason to drop you from the class.
You may subscribe to the list by sending an email message to:
listserv@maillist.unm.edu
Leave the subject field blank.
In the body of the message type (with no other text):
subscribe SOC380-L Firstname Lastname
Once I have approved you, a notification will be emailed to you.
Once you have been approved, to communicate with the class simply address email messages to SOC380-L@unm.edu
Do NOT send messages to listserv@maillist.unm.edu - this address is reserved for you to use in making requests such as subscribing, unsubscribing, reviewing the list members and so on.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, pay close attention to where the mail is being sent if you use the "reply-to" function. Every semester, students are embarrassed to discover that the message they thought was being sent to the original sender was, in fact, being sent to the entire class.


   What do I expect of you? -

Lets not kid ourselves: while there may be one or two of you out there taking this course as an elective or who are really interested in the subject matter, most of you are captive and have to take this course in order to get the degree. But, this doesn’t mean the class can’t be enjoyable. To accomplish this, I need your cooperation. Specifically, I need your participation, not your passivity. I know the class is too large for many informal conversations, but there is nothing you nor I can do about it. However, we can make an effort to keep the class alive by reading the material in advance and asking good questions. I don't want to spend the semester lecturing any more than you want to spend the semester just listening and taking notes.

Advice to incoming students - At the conclusion of my Sociology 481 class, I asked the students to write "advice to incoming students." This is practical advice on what to do and not to do in order to survive the semester. It's from students who have taken the course and survived. While it reflects a course no longer offered, it may give you some insight into how I teach the course and what students recommend to successfully pass the course. I have placed the advice on Learn under Course Documents.

Previous Sociology 380 Semester's Evaluation Comments:
FROM LAST SEMESTER:

• The professor's lack of attendance taking because it allowed me to teach myself the course material without going to class and wasting my time with his memes.
• Hilarious!! there is something to be said for life experience--every day began with slides ENTIRELY UNRELATED to research! They ranged from road signs that literally made no sense; to cartoons.
For me the benefit of this is the unexpected, research techniques are tedious and sometimes a bit hard to follow. Humor is rarely hard to comprehend. Art's willingness to post readings, slides, lecture notes, basic 'heads up' attention notices, and anything that helps us get through the process is invaluable! There is so much to absorb in this section, there is no way one can take handwritten notes fast enough. He was never without a minute after class to engage with individual students concerning specific issues. I haven't completed the final project at this point so I can't comment on if I "got" what I was supposed to learn. If I didn't, it was not for his lack of technique!! THIS IS NOT THE EASIEST INSTRUCTOR AS FAR AS EXPECTATIONS FROM HIS STUDENTS. It is nice to know he cares to share what WE NEED out in the real world. I would take another section from him in a heartbeat!
• Having the librarians come in to help explain things was useful.
• His stories were relevant and gave good examples for how the methods and theories applied.
• I liked how the assignments in the beginning of the semester helped with the proposal at the end. Everything we did was leading up to the proposal which consisted of most of our grade. I also liked
the guest speakers. They were very helpful in being able to access information from the online libraries and give suggestions.
• Being able to ask questions
• Humor about the topic and in-depth knowledge.
• Seminars in the library and Assigned readings
• The research proposal was a good assignment because knowing how to write and compose a research proposal is a very practical and important.
• Questioned answered accurately and timely. Flexibility and understanding about student's needs. Provision of clear and concise instructions and expectations.
• -The use of slides in class to review the information that is needed for the research paper was helpful. -Having librarians and an OWL representative was great because they talked about the help they can offer and tips on how to do good in this class. -Having days to work on our paper was also really appreciated. -The book was also very helpful and useful.
• He was always available to answer questions and he was very responsive and quick to respond over email.
• The option to complete the research proposal with a partner was very helpful. It made me feel much less panicky about facing the task alone.
• What I found most helpful in learning the material was reading the textbook. The instructor's lectures were helpful, however, I felt as if they moved too quickly. I could only learn a couple of things each day.
• I had plenty of readings to guide me through the instruction.
• St. George is freaking cool. He has a down-to-earth personality and common sense which is hard to come by these days. He responds to emails so quickly--it's like he knew you were going to send him one. He actually gives you feedback if you need it. Oh and he is hilarious.
• In class lectures and time in the library.
• Very clear on what he expects in terms of research proposal.
• I really enjoyed the funny slides he would start the class with. i also like that he had notes of each chapter online if you knew where to access them. Having many examples of papers was also helpful.
• Professor St. George is very knowledgeable and is able to apply his experience effectively in the classroom setting. He listens to his students and is able to answer questions well on an individual basis, which is very important in a class like this where all students must complete an individual proposal on a topic of their choice.
• He gives assignments in order to build our final and gives specific and direct feedback about each of our assignments in order to make future ones stronger.
• Trying to develop a research question.
• He made all the assignments and exams straight forward with great reviews for the exams. He gives good feedback on assignments.
• i liked how we went to the library and had a chance to discuss our topics with the librarian and the instructor.
• The assignments St. G gave weren't just busywork; they were very helpful in the construction of the final proposal.
• Learning how to construct a research proposal.
• I love how he started each class with some comedy because he knows the material is really boring and dry, no matter how important the content is. Also he detailed the learning objectives in relation to the course schedule perfectly. Great resources and response time for help with the class material or the paper.
• He explains the concepts that are needed for the proposal well but I would like for him to go step by step on how to approach the proposal
• The PowerPoint slides were very helpful, however a little overwhelming at times.
• He answers questions clearly and explains things in a way that are easy to comprehend.
• He was always available and always answered emails. He is straight forward and to the point. He cares about what he does and knows we have lives outside of school. Best prof EVER.
• I really like how this course was set up. I feel like I learned more through his actual experience and having to write a proposal myself.
• I enjoyed the freedom of the course; most of the learning was completed on your own with guidance. Some may find this difficult, but I enjoyed the structure of the course, and there was not 'busy work,' everything you did contributed to the final assignment, which was the purpose of the course. Dr. St George always broke up the classes with jokes and humor, and I found the environment
relaxing.
• St. George tested our ability to conduct research and develop a proposal. I appreciate how difficult his course is bc it really tested my determination and ability to put together a well written paper.
• Professor Art St. George made it easy to follow the course and his style of teaching and his humor made him very approachable.
• Enjoyed the teachers sense of humor and how he applied his own opinions, ideas, and experiences to explain course material.
• The extra help with the writing
• The professor was very helpful and interesting. It was also very helpful that he brought in the librarian.
• The test's were online
• I think the three assignments helped tremendously in helping to generate ideas of how the research proposal should be written. I also thought the lecture slides were of good quality. His prompt replies to my emails were also helpful even if he was a bit curt.
• St. George did a very good job throughout the semester preparing us for the final proposal. Opening class with his pictures from his travels was also a great way to begin each class. The days spent in the library really helped with planning for the proposal. I came into this class very nervous having only heard bad things about how hard it was, I feel very confident that I can finish with a passing
grade.
• Use of powerpoints and library sessions
• Kept class interesting even thought we had a quite crowd. Really appreciated all the helpful tips/links he sent throughout the semester. Really looks out for the best interest of his students.
• The paper
• Well laid out power point topics that kept your attention on the lecture.

Proposal Prospectus -

Around the middle of the semester, you are asked to turn in a prospectus for the research proposal. This is a 1-3 page document which outlines your intended proposal. It should contain :

Statement of the problem being researched and its significance/importance

Identification of the dependent variable

Identification of possible independent variables

Hypothesis for each independent variable

Three references to demonstrate you can find background literature on the topic

*** Note that the above list reflects an explanatory model; another model would result in a different list. We will cover this in class ***

The prospectus is graded "OK" or "RR" for revise and resubmit. You cannot turn in the proposal until your prospectus is graded "OK." Once your prospectus receives an "OK," you may change proposal topics without resubmitting another prospectus.

The prospectus is to be emailed to stgeorge@unm.edu

UNM Learn. This course is on UNM Learn and it is a hybrid course. This means that while there are class materials on Learn, we still meet as a f2f class. Begin by logging into learn.unm.edu, locating this class and viewing the syllabus.

You will find on Learn, chapter resources from the text, including sample quizzes. These are NOT required and are NOT part of your grade.

Submitting Materials -

All assignments, exams, prospectus and the proposal are submitted electronically. The assignments and prospectus are emailed to stgeorge@unm.edu while the exams and proposal are submitted via Learn.

   Anticipated Calendar of Events -

A syllabus is not a contract between us, just a guide to what I would like to cover by a certain date. But as in life, all things change, so with this in mind what follows is set in wet concrete as of the first day of the semester. However, it is your responsibility to check for changes throughout the semester.

WEEK ONE
January 15 - January 19

NO CLASS MONDAY, JANUARY 15

MARTIN LUTHER KING HOLIDAY

Introduction to course; discussion of requirements; administrativia (yes, I know this is not a real word).

Friday we'll go over the syllabus in detail and begin talking about Sociology, Science and Research

For the next class, come prepared to answer the question: "for a serious life choice (e.g., Should I get pregnant? Should I have an abortion? Should I marry this person? Should I divorce this person?) to whom or what do you first turn for advice and counsel?".

I also want to begin discussing Sociology as a Science. In preparation for this, read the chapter in the text and be prepared to discuss it.

Reading: Text, Chapter One, pp. 2-25

WEEK TWO
January 22 - January 26

The Process and Problems of Social Research

Reading: Text, Chapter 2, pp. 31-57

Assignment One: Question 1 on page 62 of the text under "Developing a Research Proposal" DUE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16th

NOTE *** For subsection "c" of question one, DO NOT send your answers to the class but ONLY to the professor ***

Be sure to look at a sample of this assignment on Learn

Assignment Two relies on Assignment One so although the latter is not due until February 9th, you are encouraged to turn it in sooner and use the feedback to assist you with the former.

***Remember*** assignments are NOT on Learn and they are emailed to me at stgeorge@unm.edu. They are NOT submitted to Learn.

WEEK THREE
January 29 - February 2

Research Ethics and Research Proposals

Assignment Two: Question 1 on page 98 of the text. DUE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23rd

Reading: Text, Chapter 3, pp. 64-94

Ereserves Folder in Learn

Project Camelot

Mindful Ethics

The Researcher as Hooligan

WEEK FOUR
February 5 - February 9

Conceptualization and Measurement

Reading: Text, Chapter 4, pp. 100-141

NOTE: this is a long and complicated chapter but it is very critical to any research. It is also of very high importance to your research proposal, so read the material carefully and several times if necessary to grasp the fundamentals of measurement in the social sciences.

In Ereserves Folder in Learn:

Homicide and a Regional Culture of Violence

Southern Violence

Measuring Evangelicalism

Toward a Sociology of Racial Conceptualization

Measurement of Romantic Love

Spread of Academic Success

Assignment Three: List five (5) variables that will be measured in your proposed research. They should not all be socio-economic/demographic. For each variable, write both a conceptual and operational definition.

If you are doing a qualitative proposal, consider how you will collect the data, e.g., observation (overt or covert, participant or not), interview, etc.. Then think of what you will be observing (not people but something about the people) and how you will measure this. If necessary, read ahead to Chapter 10.

DUE MONDAY, MARCH 5th

WEEK FIVE
February 12 - February 16

Sampling and Generalizability

Reading: Text: Chapter 5, pp. 147-181

Wednesday and Friday we meet in B30 (basement) of Zimmerman Library (the building that houses Starbucks) for a session with library faculty on how to narrow down your research topic - Attendance is required

***B30 capacity is less than our enrollment so I will divide the class in half - 1/2 for Wednesday and 1/2 for Friday. The half that is not in the library has the day off.***

The division will be communicated via email so be sure to check your mail before the library session

WEEK SIX
February 19 - February 23

Research Design and Causation

Monday we wll have a brief presentation about Teach for America

Reading: Text, Chapter 6, pp. 186-211

WEEK SEVEN
February 26 - March 2

Experiments

Reading: Text, Chapter 7, pp. 218-246

***Wednesday, 2/28 we will review for Exam One

***Friday, March 2, Exam One begins at 11am and is available for 24 hours until Saturday, March 3***

Exam covers Chapters 1-7

WEEK EIGHT
March 5 - March 9

***Monday, March 5th*** we will have a in-class session from Lori Townsend, Library Faculty, on the why, what and how of your literature review. This is a critically important session to attend and attendance will be taken.
Wednesday and Friday we meet again with library faculty in B30 for a session on literature searching - Attendance is required

***B30 capacity is less than our enrollment so the same halves that met before will meet again this week.***Monday and Wednesday we meet again with library faculty in B30 for a session on literature searching - Attendance is required

Survey Research

Reading: Text, Chapter 8, pp. 252-299

EMAIL ME YOUR PROSPECTUS NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, MARCH 9th

Incomplete prospectuses will not be read so make sure yours is complete, including literature citations.
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WEEK NINE

March 12 - March 16



WEEK TEN

March 19 - March 23

Qualitative Methods

Reading: Text, Chapter 10, pp. 354-392

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WEEK ELEVEN
March 26 - March 30

MONDAY MARCH 26 WE WILL HAVE A VISIT FROM OWL

Evaluation and Policy Research

Reading: Text, Chapter 12, pp. 442-470

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WEEK TWELVE
April 2 - April 6

MONDAY APRIL 2 REVIEW FOR EXAM TWO

***EXAM TWO*** Covers Chapter 8, 10 and 12 only

WEDNESDAY APRIL 4 IS EXAM TWO

EXAM TWO IS ON LEARN.UNM.EDU AND IS AVAILABLE FOR 24 HOURS BEGINNING AT 11:00am, Wednesday, APRIL 4

You have two attempts and each attempt is limited to 50 minutes

WEEK THIRTEEN
April 9 - April 13

Week reserved for informal class discussion of your proposals. We will go around the room and every student will give a brief presentation of their proposal. I'm not assuming at this point you have a finished proposal so just provide a summary of were the proposal stands now, i.e., your topic, why it is important/significant, your principal method of data collection, any ethical issues, and so on

WEEK FOURTEEN
April 16 - April 20

week reserved for one-on-one assistance with proposals

WEEK FIFTEEN
April 23 - April 27

week reserved for one-on-one assistance with proposals

WEEK SIXTEEN
April 30 - May 4

Monday and Wednesday of this week are reserved for extra credit oral presentations of your proposal. Presentations must be accompanied by slides. There are 3 slots each day and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Proposal is due in Learn no later than midnight on Friday, May 4th

REMEMBER TO SUBMIT IT TO LEARN - YOU CAN ONLY SUBMIT IT ONCE

WEEK SIXTEEN
May 7 - May 11

FINAL EXAMS