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Course module: 201300063
201300063
Research Methodology and Descriptive Statistics
Course infoSchedule
Course module201300063
Credits (ECTS)5
Course typeCourse
Language of instructionEnglish
Contact persondr.ir. H.J. Vos
E-mail-
Lecturer(s)
Lecturer		ir. W.M.M. Tielen
Contactperson for the course		dr.ir. H.J. Vos
Lecturer		dr.ir. H.J. Vos
Academic year2014
Starting block
1A/  2A
RemarksReplaces 201100060 & 201100098
Application procedureYou apply via OSIRIS Student
Registration using OSIRISYes
Content
In this course students are introduced to the basic principles of empirical research in the social sciences. The role of research in both testing theories ('empirical cycle') and design methodology will be treated. Doing so, also some attention will be paid to some science-philosophical background (especially to Popper's critical-rationalism). The students get acquainted with some important types of research (pre-experimental, experimental, quasi-experimental, correlational research and qualitative research as complementary to quantitative research) and its potential threats to internal and external validity. The following phases of conducting scientific research will be dealt with in more detail:
  1. formulating research question(s) (embedded within a relevant theoretical framework and mostly emanating from a literature study),
  2. splitting up (central) research question(s) into sub questions,
  3. formulating hypothese(s),
  4. setting up a research design,
  5. developing measurement instruments (including reliability and validity as its two most important quality criteria),
  6. collecting data (including sampling strategy),
  7. analysing data,
  8. drawing conclusions and reporting results (including discussion).
Additionally, an introduction will be given to descriptive statistics in this course. The following descriptive statistics topics are addressed: displaying distributions with graphs, describing distributions with numbers, correlation, regression, relations between categorical variables (contingency tables). Furthermore, an introduction session in the statistical IBM SPSS programme will be given.
Required materials
Book
Dooley, D.D. (2001). Social Research Methods (4th ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall
Book
Spector, P.E. (1991). Summated rating scale construction. Thousand Oaks: Sage publications inc.
Book
Stats: Data and Models (2012) Third Edition (International Edition), R.D. De Veaux, P.F. Velleman, D.E. Bock, Pearson. ISBN: 9781292022451
Book
Huizingh, E. (2014). Inleiding SPSS 22, ISBN 9789039528006 Only for Dutch speaking students.
Book
A visual approach to SPSS for windows: a guide to SPSS statistics Stern, L.D., , Pearson Education, (ISBN 9781292022574). Only for non-Dutch speaking students
Articles
Scientific articles
Recommended materials
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Instructional modes
Lecture
Presence dutyYes

Practical
Presence dutyYes

Tutorial
Presence dutyYes

Tests
Exam and assignment

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 Kies de Nederlandse taal