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COM 529: Foundations: Research Strategy & Business Practice WINTER 2012 Wednesday 6pm-10pm PCAR 291 Dr.

Katy Pearce kepearce@uw.edu Office hours in CMU 340-E 2-3pm Wednesdays and by appointment (or Skype/Google chat) Description: This course is designed to provide students with exposure to qualitative and quantitative social scientific research as well as social scientific research which utilizes mixed methods. Students will learn about these lines of research, how to evaluate them, as well as design studies and evaluate the validity of inferences. The course will examine the problems associated with research; discuss the types of inquiries best suited for research; introduce students to qualitative and quantitative methods, including data analysis; discuss how to integrate and triangulate methods and findings; critique studies, as well as studies that could be improved with the use of mixed methods. Goals: In this course, we will: examine the problems associated with empirical research; discuss the types of inquiries best suited for different types of empirical research; introduce students to qualitative and quantitative methods, including data analysis; discuss how to integrate and triangulate methods and findings; and critique studies. Outcomes: After successfully completing this course, you will be able to: critique academic or research studies encountered in the media or in your work; understand optimal procedures for determining causality or effect (Ex. was this advertisement more persuasive than this advertisement? Why?) find and evaluate existing research; and be at a starting point for establishing more research skills. FOUR PEAKS INNOVATION: Applying inventive thinking and In this course, we will critical look at empirically-based technological tools to design new solutions for existing research and how it can be applied. challenges. ENTREPRENEURSHIP: Cultivating skills and attitudes Research methods are of profound importance for for managing risk vs. opportunity in the pursuit of entrepreneurs. Issues of measurement and evaluation growth whether starting a new venture, or operating are key to any venture. within an established one. COMMUNITY: Developing, raising, and then banking Collaborative activities throughout the course will allow social capital to connect and engage others in a for engagements with others. sustained, meaningful, and collaborative way. STORY: Engaging communities in persuasive Written assessments are a primary element of this communication through the creation and multicourse. platform distribution of rich narrative content. Course management site: Course readings and communication will be in Canvas. https://canvas.uw.edu. This system may be new to you. If you need help, please visit: https://depts.washington.edu/uwcanvas/help/ Readings: Readings are to be completed before class. All of the books are on reserve at the library. You are welcome to buy the books via Amazon, the University Bookstore, or elsewhere.
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Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (3rd ed.).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Flick, U. (2011). Introducing research methodology: A beginners guide to doing a research project. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Greener, I. (2011). Designing social research: A guide for the bewildered. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (Optional to purchase, chapters will also be available scanned, but you may want for reference.) Questions about readings can be posted to Twitter, class hashtag #srm13. This is not a requirement but is encouraged. Course policies: All students are expected to come to class on time, having finished the assigned readings and prepared with questions, viewpoints, or examples to contribute to the discussion. Everyone should pay attention and participate fully in discussions, neither dominating nor allowing others to carry the intellectual load. You can expect to be treated with respect in this class. You are also expected to treat your classmates and instructors with respect. If you consistently behave in ways that interfere with others ability to learn, you will be asked to leave the classroom. Serious or repeated violations are grounds for academic misconduct charges. Late assignments will not be accepted without prior approval. Incompletes will be granted only when these three conditions are met: there is a serious emergency, no additional class attendance is necessary to finish the course, and the extension is cleared with the instructor before grades are due. Academic integrity: All students are expected to adhere to UWs academic integrity and code of conduct policies This includes plagiarism. This is a serious topic and all assignments will be reviewed for integrity. Please familiarize yourself with these policies. http://www.washington.edu/uaa/advising/help/academichonesty.php The MCDM is committed to upholding the academic standards of the University of Washingtons Student Conduct Code. If a faculty member suspects a violation of that code from one of their students, the first expectation is that they will engage in a conversation with that student about their concerns. In many cases, MCDM faculty members can successfully resolve academic misconduct incidences directly with that student. However, if a particular situation requires involvement beyond the MCDM faculty member, the matter must be elevated to the MCDM Associate Director of Academic Affairs. The MCDM Associate Director of Academic Affairs, in consultation with the MCDM Director, can then work with the COM Chair to seek further input and if necessary, move the case up to the Dean. While evidence of academic misconduct may result in a lower grade, MCDM faculty (indeed, all UW faculty) may not unilaterally lower a grade without taking the necessary steps outlined above. Accommodations: Students with disabilities should register with UWs Disability Resources for Students Office and meet with the instructor about accommodations. http://www.washington.edu/students/drs/ If you have a letter from Disability Resources for Students indicating that you have a disability that requires academic accommodations, please present the letter to me so we can discuss the accommodations that you might need for the class. I am happy to work with you to maximize your learning experience. Communication and media use You are expected to communicate and use digital media appropriately and thoughtfully. Media misuse undermines the educational experience in and out of class for all. This means: Laptops and/or tablet computers and/or mobile devices (cell phones, smartphones) should be used only to enhance your engagement with the class. If you are not taking notes, referring to the digital readings, or looking up things immediately relevant to what is being discussed and then contributing your findings to discussion, laptops and/or tablet computers should be turned off and put away.
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Texting, chatting, checking Facebook, doing work for other courses, watching YouTube etc. is a distraction not just to you but to everyone else in the room. Please dont do it. Face-to-face chatter is equally problematic. If you need to talk to your classmate during the time that the class meets, demonstrate respect for the rest of us by doing it someplace else. Please do not record (audio or video) any class activities. This policy exists to create a comfortable environment for everyone your classmates, the instructor, and any guest speakers. Email and course management site communications (and all communications generally) among MCDM community members should seek to respect the rights and privileges of all members of the academic community. This includes not interfering with university functions or endangering the health, welfare, or safety of other persons. With this in mind, in addition to the University of Washington's Student Conduct Code, the MCDM establishes the following standards of conduct in respect to electronic communications among students and faculty: Email communications should be limited to occasional messages necessary to the specific educational experience at hand. Email communications should be responded to, if at all possible, within 48 hours. In particular regard to student communications with faculty, if an email from a student to a faculty member does not receive a response within 48 hours, then the student should investigate other ways of contacting the instructor (telephone, office hours, etc.). Email communications should not include any CC-ing of anyone not directly involved in the specific educational experience at hand. Email communications should not include any blind-CC-ing to third parties, regardless of the third partys relevance to the matter at hand.

Assignments: You must complete the CITI Human Subjects Social/Behavioral, Basic Course Training before January 23. https://www.citiprogram.org/Default.asp? (Create a login with your UW information and register as a graduate student.) Print a CITI Course Completion Report make a PDF of it, and upload it to Canvas. Each week youll be responsible for completing an online quiz before 3pm on the day of class. The results of the quiz will inform lectures; lectures will start with the assumption that students understand the material, so quizzes allow us to check that assumption),and that learning in class will be unique to being in class (and not just a reiteration of the readings) Each quiz is worth 4 points (for a total of 40 points) At three points in the quarter you will find, evaluate, and critique an empirical study. Each of these assignments is worth 10 points (for a total of 30 points) Finally, at the end of the quarter you will have a final assignment that is worth 26 points. Schedule: SESSI DATE ON TOPIC READING

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EPISTEMOLOGY AND HOW RESEARCH WORKS EVALUATING RESEARCH

Flick Chapter 1 p. 3-17 Greener Chapter 1 p. 1-21 Creswell Chapter 1 p. 3-21 Creswell Chapter 2 p. 23-47 Greener Chapter 2 p. 22-37
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STARTING RESEARCH ETHICS DESIGNING RESEARCH CONTENT ANALYSIS

Flick Chapters 2 and 3 p. 18-43 Creswell Chapter 7 p. 129-143 Flick Chapters 4, 5, and 6 p. 47-100 Flick Part of Chapter 8 p. 132-140 Neuendorf, K. (2010). Content analysisA methodological primer for gender research. Sex Roles, 64(3-4), 276-289. doi:10.1007/s11199-010-9893-0

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GATHERING QUANTITATIVE DATA Assignment due 2/19 9am on Canvas:

Creswell Chapter 8 p. 145-171 Find a quantitative study and answer the following questions about it: 1. What is the primary finding of the study? 2. What does the title of the journal tell you about this study? 3. What do the author(s) affiliations tell you about the study? 4. How many other studies have cited this study? What does this tell you about the study? 5. Read through the references. What do the references tell you about this study? 6. What, if any, theoretical orientation did this study use? 7. What variables were used in the study? a. Name each variable and its conceptual definition and operational definition 8. What are the research questions and/or hypotheses? 9. What population did they study? How did they sample it? 10. What method did they use to gather their data? 11. What analysis technique did they use? 12. Were their RQs answered/hypotheses supported? 13. What are your critiques of this study? Creswell Chapter 9 p. 173-202 Find a qualitative study and answer the following questions about it: 1. What is the primary finding of the study? 2. What does the title of the journal tell you about this
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GATHERING QUALITATIVE DATA Assignment due 2/26 9am on Canvas:

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study? 3. What do the author(s) affiliations tell you about the study? 4. How many other studies have cited this study? What does this tell you about the study? 5. Read through the references. What do the references tell you about this study? 6. What, if any, theoretical orientation did this study use? 7. What variables, if any, were used in the study? a. Name each variable and its conceptual definition and operational definition (if there is one) 8. What are the research questions? 9. What population did they study? How did they sample it? 10. What method did they use to gather their data? 11. What analysis technique did they use? 12. Were their RQs answered? 13. What are your critiques of this study? 8 9 W 2/27 W 3/6 ANALYZING DATA RESEARCH ONLINE MIXED METHODS Assignment due 3/12 9am on Canvas: Flick Chapter 8 p. 140-164 Flick Chapter 9 p. 165-178 Flick Chapter 10 p. 179-195 Creswell Chapter 10 p.203-225 Find a mixed-methods study and answer the following questions about it: 1. What is the primary finding of the study? 2. What does the title of the journal tell you about this study? 3. What do the author(s) affiliations tell you about the study? 4. How many other studies have cited this study? What does this tell you about the study? 5. Read through the references. What do the references tell you about this study? 6. What, if any, theoretical orientation did this study use? 7. What variables were used in the study? a. Name each variable and its conceptual definition and operational definition 8. What are the research questions and/or hypotheses? 9. What population did they study? How did they sample it? 10. What methods mixing technique did the author use? 11. What analysis technique did they use?
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12. Were their RQs answered/hypotheses supported? 13. What are your critiques of this study? 10 W 3/13 WRITING RESEARCH Final assignment due 3/20 (live 6pm-8pm) on Canvas but must be completed during this time
Grading scale: 97% - 100% = 4 94% - 96.9% = 3.9 91% - 93.9% = 3.8 89% - 90.9% = 3.7 87% - 88.9% = 3.6 86% - 86.9% = 3.5 85% - 85.9% = 3.4 84% - 84.9% = 3.3 82.3% - 83.9% = 3.2 80.7% - 82.2% = 3.1 79% - 80.6% = 3 77.7% - 78.9% = 2.9 76.3% - 77.6% = 2.8 75% - 76.2% = 2.7 Writing and presentation evaluation: 4.0 Excellent and exceptional work for a graduate student. Work at this level is extraordinarily thorough, well-reasoned, methodologically sophisticated, and well-written. Work is of good professional quality, shows an incisive understanding of digital media-related issues and demonstrates clear recognition of appropriate analytical approaches to digital media challenges and opportunities. 3.8 Strong work for a graduate student. Work at this level shows some signs of creativity, is thorough and well-reasoned, indicates strong understanding of appropriate methodological or analytical approaches, and demonstrates clear recognition and good understanding of salient digital media-related challenges and opportunities. 3.6 Competent and sound work for a graduate student; well-reasoned and thorough, methodologically sound, but not especially creative or insightful or technically sophisticated; shows adequate understanding of digital media-related challenges and opportunities, although that understanding may be somewhat incomplete. This is the graduate student grade that indicates neither unusual strength nor exceptional weakness. 3.3 Adequate work for a graduate student even though some weaknesses are evident. Moderately thorough and well-reasoned, but some indication that understanding of the important issues is less than complete and perhaps inadequate in other respects as well. Methodological or analytical approaches used are generally adequate but have one or more weaknesses or limitations.
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Greener Chapter 10 p. 157-173 Flick Chapter 13 p.230-244 Youll be given prompts of situations in which there is a social question or issue. Then youll be asked to develop research designs to answer the questions. You will then be asked to detail the steps that you would take in the process. This will be similar to a bluebook exam.

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3.0 Fair work for a graduate student; meets the minimal expectations for a graduate student in the course; understanding of salient issues is incomplete, methodological or analytical work performed in the course is minimally adequate. Overall performance, if consistent in graduate courses, would be in jeopardy of sustaining graduate status in "good standing." 2.7 Borderline work for a graduate student; barely meets the minimal expectations for a graduate student in the course. Work is inadequately developed, important issues are misunderstood, and in many cases assignments are late or incomplete. This is the minimum grade needed to pass the course.

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