Why Take Research Methods?

A research methods course is required in all social science disciplines. In this class, we will continue to develop your critical thinking skills that help you think like a scientist. Thinking like a scientist will help you to evaluate information, make decisions, and solve problems in your future career and in your everyday life. The skills you learn in this class will help you design studies to answer the research questions you are interested in. Even if you never conduct your own research, these skills will be useful in any applied setting, allowing you to consume and evaluate the research that informs your practice.

Course Approach
Class time is split between lecture, activities, and work on research proposals. Students get a chance to practice what they are learning during class time, where I can give immediate feedback and answer questions.

Exams

Students complete essay exams that ask students to apply what they have learned to a variety of scenarios.
Research Proposal
Students work in teams throughout the semester to create a research proposal from literature review to proposed results. At the end of the semester students will create and present posters for their proposals.

Reflections and Discussions

As part of this course, students engage with articles, book chapters, or videos on topics relevant to the reality of doing research. 


Summer 2020 Sections:
online, summer session II