Social Science Research Techniques - Spring 2009
PSYC 4731.01

Administrative Information

Class

Monday and Wednesday from 9:00 am - 10:20 am Bayou Building Room 1302

Instructor

S. Camille Peres, Ph. D.
Office: B-2617.09
Phone: 281-283-3412
Email: PeresSC@uhcl.edu
Office Hours: (this can be an office meeting, by telephone, or through instant messaging)
      Monday 10:30a - 12:00p
      Thursday 10:00a - 2:00p
      or Evenings by appointment

Textbook and Materials

Required
• Methods in Behavioral Research by Paul C. Cozby (McGraw Hill)
       web sites designed to support this book: http://methods.fullerton.edu/; http://www.mhhe.com/cozby9
• Online Statistics: A Multimedia Course of Study (this is a free site) http://onlinestatbook.com
• WebCT for assignments, announcements, and discussions

Course Objectives

This course has been designed to introduce you to the scientific method and how it is used in the Social Sciences (e.g., Psychology, Sociology). While most of you will not conduct research in the future, a solid understanding of the scientific method will prepare you for critically evaluating problems and research in your daily life and field of study.

Specifically, the objectives of this class are for the student to:

Research Design
• Establish an understanding of the scientific method and research procedures
• Develop an understanding of how research informs your field of study
• Develop an understanding of how variables are identified and isolated in order to predict human behavior

Resource Identification and Utilization
• Develop the ability to utilize resources for the evaluation of scientific material (e.g., journals)
• Develop the ability to identify new resources for information gathering
• Develop the ability to utilize new resources for information gathering

Goals

Performance of the following goals will indicate that the student has successfully achieved the objectives of the course:
• Be able to critically analyze scientific research literature
• Be literate in social science methods and designs
• Become familar with the process of social science research by participating in research endeavors (data collection and dissemination of findings)

Assessment/Evaluation Procedures (All assessment procedures are subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. Any changes made, however, will be announced in class and posted on the class web site)

• Review of Social Science Research—You will be required to critically review two times during the semester. The first review will be of a journal articles (from academic journals) in your area of study. The second review will be of research presented at the Student Research and Creative Arts Conference at UHCL in April (the 22nd and 23rd)

• Participation—a participation grade will be assigned that will be based on the following:
    Participation in 3 hours (credits) of social science research through UHCL's participant pool
    Attending UHCL's Student Research and Creative Arts Conference

• Homework—Homework assignments covering material discussed in class will be assigned regularly and should be completed using all of the information resources you have available EXCEPT other students in the class.

• Mid-term/Final Exams—there will be a mid-term and a final in this class. Both will evaluate your understanding of the topics and information presented as well as your ability to apply this knowledge.

• Extra Credit—extra credit will be awarded for students who participate in social science research above and beyond the 3 hour/credit requirement (2 points for each additional hour). Further, extra credit will be awarded for students who identify journal articles containing concept being discussed in class that week (5 points per paper, providing the connection between the paper and the concept being discussed in class is correct)

Grade Calculations:

•All grading is done on a point system (500 total possible):

•The grades are calculated by adding together the points awarded on each assignment. The final grade will be based on the following point distribution (rounding will occur to the nearest whole number).

450-500 A
445-449 A-
440-444 B+
400-439 B
395-399 B-
390-394 C+
350-389 C
345-349 C-
300-344 D
Below 300 F

An incomplete: Generally, no incompletes are given. The only exception to this is if you are passing and it is near the end of the semester when a substantial problem develops.

If you want to question the score you receive on a particular assignment, you are welcome to do this. However, you must do this within 10 working days of receiving the score. There will be no exceptions to this policy.

Course Information and Communication Policy
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Adjustments to the schedule and assignments will be given during class or posted online. It is EACH STUDENT'S responsibility to find out about any such changes and/or assignments given if you are absent or late to a regularly scheduled class.

Further, you are required to regularly check all of the postings made on WebCT. It is each student's responsible for the material on these postings, specifically, if something is posted on WebCT, I assume that you will know the information on the posting.
NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE REGARDING THIS POLICY!
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Reading Assignments
• Reading assignments will be given during class and should be followed. Being familiar with the reading assignments will be part of a student’s “participation” grade. If it becomes apparant that the class is not doing the reading before class, there will be in-class quizzes covering the reading material assigned for that day. These quizzes will be very short and given out promptly at the beginning of class. You will have approximately 5 minutes to complete them. If you do not attend class or are late, you cannot make up the quiz grades.

Written Assignments
•All assignments are to be your own work unless explicitly indicated by the professor. Submission of another's work as your own is a violation of the university honesty code and will result in disciplinary action (see below).

•For all assignments, you are bound by the university honesty code. Failure to follow this code will result in having the grade for that assignment or exam withheld and your name sent to the Dean of Academic Affairs, in your school, for disciplinary action.

1. Preamble and Code
Academic honesty is the cornerstone of the academic integrity of the university. It is the foundation upon which the student builds personal integrity and establishes a standard of personal behavior. The University can best function and accomplish its mission in an atmosphere of the highest ethical standards. The University expects and encourages all students to contribute to such an atmosphere by observing all accepted principles of academic honesty. This policy is designed to encourage honest behavior and is jointly administered by faculty and students.

2. Honesty Code
The Honesty Code is the university community's standard of honesty and is endorsed by all members of the University of Houston-Clear Lake academic community. It is an essential element of the University's academic credibility. It states: I will be honest in all my academic activities and will not tolerate dishonesty.

Attendance
•Although attendance will not be taken each day, you should attend all lectures. It is extremely difficult to keep up with this type of course or get all of your participation points without attending class. Additionally, class will start on time, so please arrive on time. If, for some reason, you are not attending class regularly and punctually, I suggest that you drop the course.

•In the event of an absence, it is necessary that you find out what was covered and what announcements were made in the class you missed. You can do this by calling or e-mailing another student to get the assignments and notes missed during your absence. The instructor and IAs will not be able to provide this information to you.

•If a student misses the mid-term, it will only be possible to take a make-up exam if the absence is due to a documented medical or family emergency. There will be no execptions to the possible.

Six Drop Rule Limitation
•Students who entered college for the first time in Fall 2007 or later should be aware of the course drop limitation imposed by the Texas Legislature. Dropping this or any other course between the first day of class and the census date for the semester/session does NOT affect your 6 drop rule count. Dropping a course between the census date and the last day to drop a class for the semester/session will count as one of your 6 permitted drops. You should take this into consideration before dropping this or any other course. Visit www.uhcl.edu/records for more information on the 6 drop rule and the census date information for the semester/session.

Learning Disabilities
•Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments or accommodations is requested to speak with me during the first two weeks of class. All discussions will remain confidential. Students with disabilities should also contact Disability Services in the Student Services Building.

Also see the Outline and Calendar

Home | Syllabus | Outline and Calendar | Lecture Notes

email: peressc@uhcl.edu