Social Science Research Methods

Catalog description

In the last several years, people have said that they have done "research" to come to conclusions. Often, this lay usage of "research" refers to doing some internet searches and watching YouTube videos; these searches and video viewings often result in the person justifying an existing belief, as the person chooses sources that align with what she or he already thinks. As you will learn in this course, that is not research. Research is a systematic endeavor. The researcher uses established practices to test an idea or hypothesis or generate a new theory. Evidence gathered through research may disconfirm a hypothesis. Because "research" has taken on this lay usage, it is important to become knowledgeable about what research is, what practices constitute research, and how one can assess the quality of research. This course will introduce you to the concept of research, research terminology, research ethics, and various research methods. For each method, you will learn about the strengths and limitations of each approach and what types of research questions a method can (and cannot) address.