ES 321/AMS 360 – Research Methods - Gorkem Atsungur

December 13, 2013

 

                                                           AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ASIA

 EUROPEAN STUDIES DEPARTMENT

 

Spring 2013

                                                  

   ES 321& AMS 360 – Research Methods

                                                                               Course ID: 2610 (1713)

                                         Course Schedule: Tuesday 10.50 – 12.05 & Thursday. 10.50-12.05

 

Assistant Professor Görkem Atsungur

Office: #317 – European Studies Department.

Office Hours: Tuesday: 14.00-16.00

E-mail: atsungur_g@auca.kg

 

I. COURSE DESCRIPTION

* Required European / American Studies Departmental Course

Number of Credits: 3cr.

Course Description:

   This course is a general introduction to research methods, particularly in social science and humanities and will cover some basic topics such as the foundations of social science, research design, and data collection. The topics to be covered include the Meaning of Research, Research Process and Design, Components of Research Proposal, Literature Review, Research Strategies (Survey, Case Study, Action Research and Ethnography), Sampling Analysis, Questionnaire Design, Data Collection, Research Ethics, Qualitative and Quantitative Data Analysis and Report Writing.

 

 

Course Aim and Objectives:

   The purpose of this course is to provide initial and basic instruction on how to make a scientific research in the student’s area of interests.

   This course aims to help students improve their skills in scientific thinking from two different perspectives: Consumer of Research and Producer of Research. As a consumer of research, this course is to develop students capacity for critically evaluating ‘’scientific knowledge’’ by academic journals, mass media, and other reports. Moreover, as a producer of research, this course is to sharpen student’s ability to produce original research. These include skills in designing, and conducting research studies in European and American studies, collecting and analyzing data, drawing appropriate conclusion based on statistic results, and writing up scientific reports. As a result of these, this course will be vital for senior thesis.

   By the end of this course, students should be able to:

(1)   Formulate a scientific research questions and design.

(2)   Collect the academic data using a variety of methods.

(3)   Analyze both qualitative and quantitative data.

(4)   Critically evaluate the research.

 II. COURSE RULES & POLICIES

 

A. Teaching Methods:

   The course objectives will be achieved through instructional model such as lecturing and also experiential (concept formation, independent research and etc...) and co-operative (role play, simulation and etc...) methods. Instructor would also use PowerPoint presentations for the lecture part.

 

B. Reading Materials:

   Instructor prepares required materials for students. Necessary course materials, including the course Syllabus, can be found on the course website in the e-course in European Studies/American Studies Spring 2013.

   All reading materials, including term paper and presentation are the main responsibility of the student in order to pass this course.

 

C. Special Needs:

   Students with special needs, who may require special arrangements relating to attending class sessions, carrying out writing term project or taking examinations, are encouraged to inform the Instructor during the first week of classes.

 

D. Classroom Rules of Conduct:

   Please respect university discipline rules and turn off cell phones and pagers during class. During the class, to use Facebook and other social websites are strongly prohibited. If professor catch a student who uses FB, VK, Twitter, etc in the class, s/he will be dismissed and the professor will write a report on student.  Students should keep quiet and not be late for the class. Students should not be late to the class. If student would be late, professor has right to not to accept student to the class. Food and beverages are not permitted in the classroom. During the exams, the use of cell phones, pagers, PDAs, or any other electronic devices is strictly prohibited. Unmoral/Rude behaviours to other students, staffs and/or the instructor will not be tolerated.

 

E. Academic Honesty and Discipline:

   Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated at AUCA. All assignments, quizzes, and exams must be done by on your own. If the student is found to engage in cheating, plagiarism, inventing false information or citations, helping someone else or any other violation of the ‘’Code of Academic Integrity’’ should expect the severest penalties available under AUCA policies.

- According to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary; Plagiarize means: “to steal and pass of (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own, to use (another’s production) without crediting the source, to commit literary theft and to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source.” As a result of these, Plagiarism is an act of fraud. 

   Students found guilty of academic dishonesty will be assigned an appropriate academic penalty. 

   For more information, please visit: http://www.auca.kg/en/registrar_code_conduct/

   If you have any concerns about how to write an academic article, term paper, etc. feel free to consult me at any time.

 

III. COURSE ASSESSMENT & REQUIREMENTS

 

1. A.    Attendance & Active Participation and Homeworks– 20%

   The nature of the subject requires active class participation. In order to participate in class discussions effectively, each student is expected to have read all assigned readings listed in the schedule. All students should NOT hesitate to participate when they want to expand the topic or they need further explanation, etc. If student 5 times absent without medical certification, s/he will automatically be failed in this course. Homeworks from instructor will be counted in this section. Active and meaningful participation will add 20% to the final grade.

 

B. Midterm Assignment – 30%

   Each student must have one midterm assignment. It will add 30% to the final grade.

 

C. Final Term Paper– 50%

   Each student must have one final term paper. It will add 50% to the final grade.

 

Grading Policy:

  The grade for the course will be comprised of the following percentages:

Attendance & Participation and Homeworks: 20%

Midterm Assignment: 30%

Final Term Paper: 50%

Grade	Quality Points	Results	Grade Percentages
A	4.00	Excellent	Above 93%
A-	3.67	Excellent	89.51% - 92.49%
B+	3.33	Good	85.51% - 89.49%
B	3.0	Good	82.51% - 85.49%
B-	2.67	Good	79.51% - 82.49%
C+	2.33	Average	75.51% - 79.49%
C	2.0	Average	72.51% - 75.49%
C-	1.67	Average	69.51% - 72.49%
D+	1.33	Poor	65.51% - 69.49%
D	1.0	Poor	62.51% - 65.49%
D-	0.67	Poor	59.51% - 62.51%
F	0.00	Failed	Less than 59.49 %

 

 

*Note: These grades are used for all courses of European Studies Department at AUCA.

 

‘’P’’ Grade: ‘’Conditional Passing may be given for 90-100% of total grade.

 

‘’I’’ Grade: ‘’Incomplete’’ is given, If the student has been performing well throughout the semester but due to serious reason was not able to finish final assignment before the end of the semester. The Student must report the reason to the Department and the Register’s Office. After the assignment is completed, ‘’I’’ grade is replaced by the final grade.

 

‘’W’’ Grade: If the Student refuse to continue to study this course, this grade can be given by the Instructor. The Student signs the form designed by the Register’s Office and should repeat this course if it is a required course in the department.

 

‘’AU’’ Grade: ‘’Course Audit’’ is given if the Student may choose this course for audit and receive AU in case to be present for 75% of the classes.

 

IV. TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE

 

Week I. Introduction

08.01.2013– Introduction to the Course and Syllabus.

10.01.2013 – How to make an Academic Research?

 

Week II. Fundamentals

15.01.2013 – Characteristics of the scientific method or why citation rules are important?

Readings:

-          True, J.A.: Finding out. Conducting and Evaluating Social Research, Wadsworth Inc. 1983, pp. 11-25.

17.01.2013– Choice of topics or how to make out of a current issue a scientific topic?

Readings:

-          Lester, J.D.: Writing Research Papers. A complete Guide. Fifth Edition, Scott, Foresman and Company 1987, pp. 13-47, pp. 1 -20.

 

Week III. Working with Secondary Sources

22.01.2013 – Literature review, compiling of bibliographies.

Readings:

-         Hart, Chris: Doing a Literature Review. Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination, Cromwell Press 1998, pp. 3-14.

24.01.2013 – Organizing literature, working with excerptions and keywords.

Readings:

-          Hart, Chris: Doing a Literature Review. Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination, Cromwell Press 1998, pp. 26-43, 79-108.

 

Week IV. Working with Primary Sources

29.01.2013 – Principles of quantitative Research.

Readings:

-          Bryman, A.: Social Research Methods, Oxford University Press 2001, pp. 61-83. (READER: pp. 85-105)

31.01.2013 – Principles of qualitative Research

Readings:

-          Bauer, M.W./Gaskell, G./Allum, N.C.: “Quality, Quantity and Knowledge Interests: Avoiding Confusions”, in: Bauer, M.W./Gaskell, G: Qualitative Researching with Text, Image and Sound, SAGE publications 2000, pp. 3-19. (READER: pp. 107-121)

-          Bryman, A.: Social Research Methods, Oxford University Press 2001, pp. 263-289. (READER pp. 123-147)

 

Week V. Qualitative Research Methods I: Qualitative Data

05.02.2013 – Types of qualitative Data, Sampling Strategies.

Readings:

-          Bryman, A.: Social Research Methods, Oxford University Press 2001, pp. 301-304, 323-325 (READER pp. 149-155)

-          Bryman, A.: Social Research Methods, Oxford University Press 2001, pp. 369-380 (READER, pp. 157-168)

07.02.2013 – Guideline to qualitative methods: Interviews, participant observation, Internet observation

Readings:

-          Bryman, A.: Social Research Methods, Oxford University Press 2001, pp. 289-335 (READER 169-213)

-          Mann. C./Stewart, F.: Internet Communication and Qualitative Research. A Handbook of Research Online, 2000, pp. 65-99 (READER pp. 215-248)

 

Week VI. Quantitative Research Methods I: Quantitative Data

12.02.2013– Types of quantitative Data, Sampling Strategies.

Readings:

-          Bryman, A.: Social Research Methods, Oxford University Press 2001, pp. 83-105 (READER pp. 277-298).

14.02.2013 - Guideline to questionnaires.

Readings:

-          Babbie, E.: Survey Research Methods, Wadsworth Inc. 1990, pp. 127-146.

 

Week VII. Mixture of Methods

19.02.2013– Examples of Mixed Method Approaches

21.02.2013– Examples of Mixed Method Approaches

Readings:

-          Bryman, A.: Social Research Methods, Oxford University Press 2001, pp. 443-459 (READER 323-336).

The due date for Midterm Assignment! 21^st February 2013 - Thursday.

 

Week VIII. Midterm Assignment

26.02.2013 – Midterm Assignment Group Presentation I

28.02.2013 – Midterm Assignment Group Presentation II

 

Week IX. Spring Break: No Classes: 04.03.2013 – 08.03.2013

 

Week X. Qualitative Research Methods II: Analysis

12.03.2013 – Analysis of Qualitative Data.

Readings:

             - Bryman, A.: Social Research Methods, Oxford University Press 2001, pp. 380-384, 387-405 (READER pp. 249-270)

14.03.2013 – Interpretation of Qualitative Data: from Text to Theory.

Readings:

-          Vogel, Dita: Introduction to Interview Analysis and Presentation (READER pp. 271-276)

 

Week XI. Quantitative Research Methods II: Analysis

19.03.2013 – Analysis of quantitative Data.

Readings:

-          Bryman, A.: Social Research Methods, Oxford University Press 2001, pp. 213-259.

21.03.2013 – Summary of Qualitative and Quantitative Methods.

 

Week XII. Practical Week: Research Paper

26.03.2013 – Research Paper.

28.03.2013 – Research Paper.

Week XIII. Practical Week: Research Paper

02.04.2013 – Research Paper.

04.04.2013 - Research Paper.

 

Week XIV. Practical Week: Research Paper

09.04.2013 – Research Paper.

11.04.2013 – Research Paper.

 

The due date for Final Term Paper! 11^st April 2013 - Thursday.

 

Week XV. Final Term Paper

16.04.2013 – Final Term Paper Presentations I

18.04.2013 – Final Term Paper Presentations II

 

Week XVI. Review of the Course

23.04.2013 - Review of the Course.

25.04.2013 - Review of the Course.

 

• Note: the Instructor reserves the right to make any changes in the content of topics. It is one of the main responsibilities of the students to attend the class and be informed about any changes.

 

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