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Grad. Index

Analysis of Professional Literature

A semester-long research course for graduate students in the social sciences

James Neill

Class Material

Class 1: Introduction to scientific inquiry, selecting a research topic, & brainstorming research questions

Class 2: Research question, key terms, thesis statement, & annotated resource list

Class 3: How to write a literature review

Class 4: Quantitative research design: Experimental, quasi- & non-experimental designs

Class 5: Quantitative research design: Sampling & measurement

Class 6: Qualitative Research: Types & methods

Class 7: Qualitative Research: Observation

Class 8: Qualitative Research: Content Analysis

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Class 9: Writing Workshop

Class 10: Research Ethics

Class 11: Quantitative Exam

Class 12: Qualitative Exam

Class 13: Literature Review Due

Class 14: Research Design Presentations I - See Sample Powerpoint Presentation for a Prospectus

Class 15: Research Design Presentations II

Check schedule for more details.

Albert Einstein -
for a guy with crazy hair,
his office sure was organized!

Good research emerges from
 a well-organized system of investigation.

Genius is
1% inspiration, and
99% perspiration.

- Thomas Edison

Course Purpose

This course teaches why and how scientific research is conducted, the process of conducting research, with a focus on qualitative and quantitative approaches approaches used in social sciences and human movement studies.

Course Process

At the start of the course you by developing a research question.  You then conduct a systematic search for relevant sources, construct a literature review outline, and write a 5000-word literature review.  Along the way you are introduced to the philosophy of science, and the rationale underlying qualitative and quantitative paradigms. 

Practical exercises involve you critically analyzing the research literature about your research question.  Then you develop and critique a variety of different qualitative and quantitative research designs for your research question and learn about how to build a research proposal and ethical issues in research. 

By the end of the course graduate students will have a well-written draft of the literature review of their thesis and a complete research methods proposal and have engaged in major research design concepts along the way.

Resources

The Writing Complex

Dissertations&Theses.com

Rozakis E-book [requires institutional subscription]

UNH Thesis & Dissertation Manual

UNH Grad School - Current Students - Research Links

Related Online Courses

Psychological Research Methods - John Davis

Methods of Educational Research - John Wasson

Assessment

%

Format

Due Date

5

open format

5

open format

5

2 pages - bullet points

Feb 19, Week 5

Task 4: Literature Review - Draft

10

Written paper

Feb 26, Week 6 [negotiable]

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15

15

Task 7: Literature Review – Final

20

Written paper

April 23, Week 13

Task 8: Research Design

15

Presentation

May 1 or May 8, Week 14 or 15

Task 9: IRB Form

10

IRB Proposal

May 7, Week 15