Advanced Methods of Social Research

Catalog description

Credits 3. 2 Lecture Hours. 2 Lab Hours. Fundamental statistical concepts and quantitative methodologies relevant to sociological research; generating and describing data, assumptions for statistical inference and statistical methods such as descriptive and inferential statistics, measures of association and multivariate analyses like ordinary least squares regression. Students will learn to apply these techniques using sociological databases, while gaining proficiency in statistical software like R and Stata. The curriculum emphasizes critical consumption of statistical information, understanding relationships between variables, hypothesis testing and effectively reporting findings in a manner accessible to broader audiences, focusing on interpreting results and integrating analyses into comprehensive reports. In line with the American Sociological Association, sociology is the study of social life, social change and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations and societies and how people interact within these contexts. Since all human behavior is social, the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to global communities; from deviance to organized crime; from religious traditions to state institutions; and from the divisions of race, gender and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture. The specific topics and readings assigned may vary depending on the instructor’s areas of focus and research expertise. Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in SOCI 220 ; also taught at Galveston campus.