Welcome to Introduction to Social Science Research! On the back of your card, please write the following: If you have a nickname or shortened version of your name that you prefer. Your Social Studies teacher last year. 2-3 hobbies or activities that you enjoy in your spare time. 2-3 strengths that you feel you have as a student. 2-3 weaknesses that you feel you have as a student. Answer this question: What is social science?

Social Science The functioning of human society. It looks at interpersonal relationships of individuals and institutions. It includes areas such as economics, religion and sociology (study of society, human behavior, the groups we form, and how they influence our actions).

Unit #1: The Sociological Imagination (September) What are social events and phenomenon? How do factors such as gender, race, age, and other variables affect the outcome of human activity? How can everyday behaviors be analyzed as social phenomenon and developed into social research?

Unit #2: Social Research and the Scientific Method (October) What is social science research? How does it differ from the “hard sciences?” Is social science science? Historical review of social science and/or social scientists (August Comte, Karl Marx, Herbert Spencer, Max Weber, etc).

Unit 3: Limits of Social Research (November) What are the weaknesses inherent in social research? How can the researcher bias his findings? How can respondents bias the researcher’s findings? What are the ethical considerations in conducting social research? Are some methods dangerous or immoral? What protections can the researcher employ, including “informed consent”?

Unit #4: Research Design and Methodology (December) What are the strengths and weaknesses of various forms of social research, including polls and survey, experiments, and field studies? What are dependent and independent variables? How does a researcher establish control and test groups? How do researchers operationalize variables? How do researchers conduct background research using indices, online databases, and various online services, including turnitin.com? How do researchers write practice methodologies based on existing research?

Unit #5: Data Analysis (January – April) How do researchers identify types of data (numeric, discrete)? How do researchers analyze data for central tendency, correlation and association? How do researchers apply the appropriate statistical test for a given data set? How do researchers formulate conclusions and applications based on their analysis of the results? How do researchers develop facility with SPSS or similar statistical analysis software programs?

Policies Notebook or binder with a folder for handouts is required. Students are required to arrive to class on time. Latenesses will negatively impact grade. All assignments are to be submitted on time. Work not completed due to legal absences must be made up. You will have one extra day for each day of legal absence. Work missed due to illegal absence may not be made up.

Student Evaluation Quarter grades will be based upon the following components: exams, quizzes, homework, projects and class participation. Tests and major projects will count as two grades, quizzes will count as one grade, and homework and participation will also count as one grade each. There will be unit tests and quizzes; some quizzes may be unannounced. Daily assignments consist primarily of completing homework assignments and class participation. Points are also awarded for meeting project deadlines and other major research objectives.

Culminating Assignment Social Science Research Project Competition at NYSSEF (New York State Science and Engineering Fair).

Homework Get the Requirements and Policies Sheet signed for tomorrow.