This course covers the fundamentals of sociological research design, including the formation of research questions and testable hypotheses, the relationship between theory and empirical research, issues of measurement and sampling, the choice of appropriate data collection methods and analytic techniques, causal inference, assessment and critique of research, and the writing of research proposals. Emphasis is placed on principles that are applicable in various kinds of research, such as surveys, participant observation, comparative historical studies, experiments, qualitative interviews, and secondary data analysis. By the end of this course, students will have developed a concrete research proposal for their master's thesis.
Course Attributes: