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RM Syllibus
RM Syllibus
Course Goals: By the end of the course, I expect each student to gain the following:
(1) A clear understanding of ethical guidelines when conducting research.
(2) Skills to generate conceptual, research, and statistical hypotheses
(3) An understanding of the differences between random sampling and random
assignment
(4) A substantive understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methods
(5) Ability to describe the fundamental differences between experimental and
nonexperimental designs
(6) Recognize the difference between scientific and literary writing
Research Methods 2
Course Guidelines: There are a number of requirements for this class. If you find any of
them infeasible, please see me or consider taking this class at another time.
(1) It is critical that you attend each class. I cannot stress this point enough. Exams will
cover both material presented in the text, as well as information presented in
lecture; thus, missing class will have a direct effect on your grade.
(2) Do not be late. It is very disruptive for students to come in late (and leave early). Be
considerate and come to class on time.
(3) It is also critical that you have read the assigned chapters before class. Being
prepared will allow you to ask questions that you might have regarding the
materials and it will allow us to have more in-depth conversations.
(4) Check Blackboard at least twice a week. I use Blackboard as a way of giving you
information outside of the classroom. In addition, you will find a copy of the syllabus
there, as well as assignments, and postings from other students.
(5) In the classroom, I encourage comments and questions; however I insist that each
class member be treated with respect. If any class member feels he or she has not
been treated with respect, please see me immediately.
Grading: There will be 3quizzes, 1 final exam, 4 papers and a research proposal. Three of
your assignments are part of your research proposal.
Quizzes 30%
Final exam 30%
Paper 20%
Assignments 20%
The following scale will be used for all projects, exams, and your final grade:
A 93-100 C 73-76
A- 90-92 C- 70-72
B+ 87-89 D+ 67-69
B 83-86 D 63-66
B- 80-82 D- 60-62
C+ 77-79 F 0-59
Pass-fail Option: Students taking this course with the pass-fail option must maintain a C-
average (70%) to receive a passing grade.
Grade disputes: All grade disputes must be submitted in writing (typed) and will be
accepted up to one week following the return of the quiz, assignment or examination. The
written grading dispute should clearly articulate your justification, or principled argument,
for the grade adjustment. Points may be added, subtracted, or remain unchanged.
Research Methods 3
Make-up exams: NO make-up exams will be permitted for the midterms. If you have a
problem with taking one of the midterm exams, I will use the other midterm as the higher
of the two scores. The testing center does not have the resources and availability to offer
“make-up” exams, so I am accommodating this problem by offering the exams online via
Blackboard. My standard rule is that no final can be made up unless you have a
documented situation. Illness is not considered as a valid excuse. If I do allow a final to be
made up then you will have to see if the testing center will proctor your exam – they
require the student, not the instructor, to make the appointment.
Quiz/Exam Format: Quizzes and final exam will be multiple choice and short answer. The
multiple choice midterm exams will be on Blackboard. You will have 1 hour to take the
midterm exams on the days designated on the syllabus. You will be allowed to take the exam
up to 5:00 p.m. on the day the exam is due. If you do not complete the exam on the required
day, you will not have an opportunity to make it up. **Just a reminder – once you start the
exam you will only have one hour to complete the exam. You cannot stop and start the exam
– once you start you must finish it within the allotted timeframe** The final exam will be
cumulative; in addition, all materials presented in this class may be on any of the exams.
Paper: Each student will be required to submit a research proposal. More specifically,
students will develop research questions and design an empirical research study. Final
papers must be double-spaced, 12 font, and APA format. Keep in mind, these are academic
papers, not opinion papers. Use your best formal writing skills in this paper.
Late Policy: All assignments will be due at the beginning of class (9:15 a.m.) on the
identified due date. If an assignment arrives any time after that or if the assignment is
placed in my mailbox, your grade on the assignment will be zero. If you feel an illness
coming on, I suggest you look at when the assignment is due and turn it in ahead of time.
Keep in mind, absolutely NO assignments will be accepted late or via email. If I accept one
paper late, then I have to accept everyone’s late and that is not fair.
Disabilities and Special Needs: If you have a disability and/or require any special
assistance, please make arrangements to meet with me the first week of the quarter.
Please do not wait until a problem arises to speak to me. All such conversations will
remain confidential and consistent with Disability Resource Center (DRC) policy. It is very
important that you consult with the DRC (Smith Center, 725-4150), so please meet with
Research Methods 4
DRC immediately so that we can make adjustments to best fit your needs. Please also note
that the Center for Student Health & Counseling provides a wealth of resources to students
http://www.shac.pdx.edu/
Student Conduct: All aspects of this course are bound by the University’s Code of Student
Conduct. I will rigorously enforce this policy and expect honest, respectful and attentive
behavior from every class member. Cheating or plagiarism on written assignments and/or
tests will lead to immediate and serious academic consequences. (The Conduct Code can be
viewed online at the following address: http://www.pdx.edu/dos/conduct.html).
Appointments: My office hours are Thursdays from noon until 1. If my designated office
hours do not work, feel free to email me at brannan@pdx.edu or on Blackboard and I will
try to accommodate your schedule. In addition, anyone who receives a C or lower on their
mid-terms should make an appointment to see me. My goal is to see that you succeed in
this class, so if you feel that you are not performing at a level that you would like and/or
you are not understanding the material, let’s meet so that we can we figure out a way to
help you be successful.
Introduction
Did you present a brief but thorough presentation of the research topic?
Did you provide a thorough, but not exhaustive review of existing research and theory
pertinent to the social problem and focus of your paper?
Is your review of the literature organized?
Is your introduction typed and double-spaced page?
Is your argument logical (i.e., supported from the research covered ) for the proposed
hypothesis
(10 points)
Methods
Did you make the case for your research questions? Do they naturally flow from the review
of previous studies and theory?
Were your methods congruent with your hypothesis?
Did you address recruitment?
Did you give a complete description of the procedure?
How did you obtain data? Survey methods, etc.
(20 points)
Discussion
Identify the strengths of the study
Identify limitations
Potential for future research
(10 points)