Quantitative Research Methods

Catalog description

Introduces graduate students to principles, issues, and design considerations underlying social scientific methodology; material is applied to communication research. CAS 561 CAS 561 Quantitative Research Methods (3) This course is intended for graduate students who want an understanding of the quantitative methodology and research design. It is a graduate-level course, so the reading is heavy, the expectations for the level of discussion are high, and the instructor will assume that students have a serious interest in becoming critical consumers of quantitative research methods. Structurally, the course begins with a review of definitional issues, moves to a thorough discussion of sampling, reliability, and validity in research designs, then shifts to an understanding of quasi-experimental and experimental designs. In addition, some of the primary issues debated in the literature on quantitative methodologies will be discussed. Evaluation methods will include presentations and paper(s), but may also include exams and participation. The course is planned as a foundational course for all graduate students entering the graduate program with interests in non-rhetorical methods of inquiry, and it is strongly recommended for all students entering the graduate program with interests in non-rhetorical methods of inquiry. This course will be offered once a year with 15 seats per offering.