SOC SCI 3A LEC B:COMP RES IN SOC SCI(70125)
SYLLABUS
SOCIAL SCIENCE 3A
COMPUTER BASED RESEARCH IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
Text:
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Goals of this class:
In lab,you will be taught Microsoft Word,Excel,and SPSS.You will also learn APA format.In lecture,you will be taught how to approach your research and analysis with an emphasis on understanding the implications of the questions you ask and a clear understanding of the results.
Ask:
Ask questions if you don’t understand.Feel free to ask in class.Interrupt me if you want to (as long as it’s on the material).However,many of you would rather fail than ask a question in front of 300+ people.If this is the case,please feel free to ask me after class,or ask me in my office hours.I
WANT people to come to office hours;if you don’t,P’ll have to sit and clean it-it is usually a mess. Feel free to visit the TAs also,and you don’t have to be constrained to“your”TA.
Class Tests:
There are five tests.There is no final.Each of the five tests is worth 50 points.Only the four highest test scores will be counted.(The lowest score is dropped.)This results in a total of 200 possible points. The tests are short answer:some will involve identifying something,some will require an explanation,and some may
be multiple choice.Each of the five tests covers the two previous weeks of material.If you think a test has
been mis-graded,you have one week from the date the test is returned to resubmit it for re-grading. You will
do this by returning the test to the person who graded it with an attached note explaining what is wrong.The
TA will then take it home and evaluate it again and return it to you.If you are still unhappy with the grading,
you can bring the test to me,but only after it has gone through this process.We will not consider any case,no
matter how legitimate,after that week.Furthermore,we will only consider re-grading tests that have been
written in ink.When going over a test,you should also make sure that your score is added up correctly.It is
also suggested that you keep your test as proof of your score.In rare instances bookkeeping mistakes occur.
If your score is mis-recorded,we will only be able to change the score if we have proof that it was mis-
recorded.Of course,this means that you have to pick up your tests.
Test Times:
The class tests will occur the Wednesday of every even week (meaning the second,fourth,sixth, eighth,and
tenth weeks of class).Once you finish the test,you may (in fact,have to)leave the classroom.It is possible
that a test or two may be re-scheduled to the Friday of the week.
Missed Tests:
If you miss a test,most likely you will simply receive a zero for that test,but don’t despair,because everyone
gets to drop her or his worst score.Generally speaking,I only let people make up tests if they have a schedule
already set up which will cause them to miss more than one test.You must make me aware of this schedule
before the first test.You should try to make every test.
Homework:
There is no weekly homework,but there is a research paper that will be worked on throughout the quarter
Most of this work will be done at home,but it will be discussed in lab.There will be two assignments to
gauge your progress on the final paper.These assignments may be called homework.
Final Paper:
The final paper is a hypothetical research paper.No data will be collected,and no data will
be analyzed.However,you will have to think of an original topic to discuss.It is not to be merely
measuring the association between two variables,but,rather,you need to identify some situation or condition.Then you need to hypothesis about the process that could have caused such a condition. After this is done,you need to design an experiment that could distinguish your process from other
potential processes that could also explain the condition.You will NOT then do this experiment.This is a freshman class and the techniques to do this will be taught to you in other classes.Rather,you
need to discuss what you would conclude based on the different potential results you could get from
this experiment.A literature review is required,and the writing has to meet certain standards as well. This will be discussed more in lecture and in labs.It is worth 100 points.The 100 points willbe
made up from two 10-point paper exercises (Homework)and a final 80-point paper.
Labs:
Labs meet twice a week in a computer lab.The total lab time is three hours per week.This is a lab– based
class.Every week there are assignments that are done in the lab and you will be taught how to use various programs.You will need a USB flash drive.The lab is also the time you should discuss your research paper with your TA.
Lab Schedule:
The following is only an approximation.There may be slight deviations.
Week 1:Orientation &Word
Week 2:Word
Week 3:Excel
Week 4:Excel
Week 5:Excel
Week 6:Excel
Week 7:SPSS
Week 8:SPSs
Week 9:R
Week 10:R
Lab Test:
There are five tests.Each of the five tests is worth 50 points.Onlythe four highest test scores will be
counted.
(The lowest score is dropped.)This results in a total of 200 possible points.They will be done in your second lab of the week during the even weeks (meaning the second,fourth,sixth,eighth,and tenth weeks of class).
Grades l:
There are three sources of points:(1)Class Tests (200 points possible);(2)Lab Tests(200 points possible);
and (3)Research Paper(100 points possible).This gives us a grand total of 500 possible points.
Grades ll
A+: 500 B+: 435 C+: 385 D+: 335
A: 465 B: 415 C: 365 D: 315
A-: 450 B-: 400 C-: 350 D-: 300
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