IS 296A-4 Seminar on Research Methods:

Introduction to Quantitative Methods

Basic Information

Syllabus

Lecture Slides

Assignments

SPSS Tutorial

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Research Method

Week 1: Jan 23rd

The Elements of Research - Course Introduction

Reading: None

Week 2: Jan 30th

Research Questions: Defining and Justifying Problems; Defining Hypotheses.

Readings: Problem Formulation

Week 3: Feb 6th

Theory and Measurement: Causation, Validity and Reliability.

Reading: The Layman's Guide to Social Research Methods

Assignment 1 distributed

Week 4: Feb 13th

Surveys: Asking Questions to Collect Data / Data Coding.

ASSIGNMENT 1 DUE IN CLASS.

Readings: What is a Survey, Survey Design (skim), Survey Research (skim)

Week 5: Feb 20th

(No Class: President's Day)

Week 6: Feb 27th

Experiments: Causal Relationships and Experimental Control.

Reading: The Basics of Experimental Design, Experimental Design (skim, look through the various sections)

Quantitative Methods

Understanding One Variable and the Association Between Two Variables

Week 7: March 6th

Descriptive Statistics: Probability, Distribution, Univariate Data

Reading: HyperState Online: Describing Univariate Data

Week 8: March 13th

Bivariate Statistics: Correlations, t-Tests, Chi-Square.

Reading: The t-Test, Correlation, HyperStat Online: Chi Square

Understanding the Relationship Between Two or More Variables

Week 9: March 20th

Exploratory Data Analysis (Guest Lecturer: Hal Varian)

Reading: TBA

Week 10: March 27th

(No Class: Spring Break)

Week 11: April 3rd

Analysis of Variance.

Reading: Conceptual Introduction to the Analysis of Variance

Week 12: April 10th

The General Linear Model/ Linear Regression (Guest Lecturer: Hal Varian)

Reading: TBA

ASSIGNMENT 2 DUE IN CLASS.

Week 13: April 17th

Finding data for quantitative data analysis and using it

Reading: TBA

Advanced Topics in Quantitative Methods

Week 14: April 24th

Regression for Binary Outcomes: Logistic Regression. (Guest Lecturer: Hal Varian)

Week 15: May 1st

Course Wrap-Up and Preparation for Final Projects

Week 16: May 8th

ASSIGNMENT 3: Project Presentations.

ASSIGNMENT 3: Final paper write up due on Thursday, May 11.