SOC 2091, SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH
SPRING, 2007

PROFS. BERG, HARRIS AND SLATER

  This course is designed to introduce students to different methodologies in the social sciences.  We will include ethnographic research, case studies, survey research, historical and/or comparative research in our discussions.  In the first half of the course, requirements will include 3 separate projects centered on the different ways to investigate a topic (in this case, “manners”).  In addition, students will prepare a proposal for their own research and in the second half of the semester we will concentrate on writing these proposals.  This proposal will lay the foundation for the Senior Thesis and will be completed in the fall, 2007.

Introduction:  Profs. Berg, Harris and Slater
Thurs., January 18:  Introduction to course and requirements
Assignment:  “The History of Manners”, ERES

Mon, Jan. 22:  What are manners?
Assignment:  “Chinese Table Manners”, ERES

 Relationship between theory and research: Profs. Berg, Harris and Slater
Thurs., Jan. 25:  competing explanations of manners: social construction of culture, social cohesion, and historical materialism
Assignment:  “Positive Deviance Among Athletes: The Implications of Over-conformity to the Sport Ethic” and the Durkheim article, ERES

Prof. Harris:
Mon., Jan. 29
Durkheim’s social cohesion; structured interviews, case studies
Assignment for 2/1:  come to next class with 10 questions for a structured interview based on the article “Positive Deviance…”
Thurs., Feb. 1:  questionnaire formation on formal and informal manners in sports
Assignment for Mon., 2/5: read:  “Suicide Cadet” and “Forms of Address and How Their Social Functions May Vary”, ERES

Prof. Berg:
Mon., Feb.5
Social construction of reality
Thurs., Feb. 8: ethnographies, life stories, case studies
Assignment for Mon. tba and instructions for ethnographies

Prof. Slater:
Mon., Feb. 12:
Assignment:  Turn in questionnaire results for Prof. Harris historical materialism; social class analysis
tba
Thurs., Feb. 15:  historical, cont.  

Developing the Senior Thesis
Mon., Feb. 19:
Turn in ethnographies for Prof. Berg
Comparing/contrasting methodologies and brainstorming for thesis ideas
Assignment:  tba

  Thurs., Feb. 22:  Thesis statement, independent/dependent variables

Assignment:  Article, tba, identify the thesis statement, variables, and conclusions

  Mon. Feb. 26:  Relationship of thesis to methodology (compare/contrast theories)

Assignment:  Article, tba, identify methodology about same topic, results?

Historical projects due for Prof. Slater

  Thurs., Mar. 1:  Review of the literature:  relationship of thesis topic to methodology.

  Mon., Mar. 5:  Library/research topics

  Thurs., Mar. 8:  Small discussion groups

  SPRING BREAK (after break, we will only meet in small groups, room to be found)

  Mon., Mar. 19:  thesis statements

  Thurs., Mar. 22:  review of literature

  Mon., Mar. 26:  Library, citations and plagiarism

  Thurs., Mar. 29:  small group discussions

  Mon., Apr. 2:  turn in sources for rol and thesis statement

  Thurs. Apr. 5:  Individual meetings, to be scheduled

  Mon., Apr. 9:  Format and outline for proposals

  Thurs. Apr. 12 – 23:  Individual meetings as needed

  Proposals due, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, Thursday, April 26^th by 5:00 pm.