CJ 401

This course introduces students to the primary methods of collecting and analyzing data in social science research. Students will learn how to ask relevant questions, determine research design appropriate to the question, and operationalize concepts in the context of conducting empirical research. In this course, students will demonstrate their ability to: understand and employ major designs used in social science research, including surveys, experiments, ethnography and observation, interviews, and content analysis; recognize threats to several types of research validity and biases in both quantitative and qualitative research approaches; produce a grant proposal that showcases understanding of the research process; and conduct research in accordance with ethical standards developed by the American Sociological Association/American Psychological Association.