Syllabus: Introduction to Social and Behavioral Research

I. Introduction to Social and Behavioral Research

Definition and scope of social and behavioral research
Key concepts and terms in social and behavioral research, including variables,
hypotheses, sampling, and research designs
Ethics in social and behavioral research, including issues of informed consent and
confidentiality

II. Research Methods in Social and Behavioral Research

Survey research, including questionnaire design and sampling techniques
Experimental research, including random assignment and control groups
Observational research, including participant and non-participant observation
Qualitative research methods, including interviews, focus groups, and content analysis

III. Data Analysis in Social and Behavioral Research

Descriptive statistics, including measures of central tendency and dispersion
Inferential statistics, including hypothesis testing and confidence intervals
Regression analysis and other advanced statistical techniques
Data visualization and reporting research results

IV. Applications of Social and Behavioral Research

Social and behavioral research in education, including the study of learning and
motivation
Social and behavioral research in psychology, including the study of cognition, emotion,
and social behavior
Social and behavioral research in sociology, including the study of social structures,
institutions, and culture
Social and behavioral research in other fields, including economics, political science,
and public health
V. Special Topics in Social and Behavioral Research
Advanced research methods, including multivariate analysis and structural equation
modeling
Current trends and controversies in social and behavioral research
Social and behavioral research in applied settings, including research in organizations
and policy research

VI. Research Project

Designing and conducting a research project in a topic of interest within the field of
social and behavioral research
Writing a research proposal and final research report