Senior Research Seminar – SOAN420

J. Kessler, Spring 2008

Office Hours: 1:00-2:30, and by appt.

Important: Please consult the on-line syllabus regularly for announcements, changes, and assignments for upcoming meetings

Senior Research Seminar is the culminating experience of the major program in sociology-anthropology, in which students conduct a research project involving literature review, research design, data collection and analysis, and written and oral presentations of the findings.

Students are scheduled to meet as a group with the instructor 7 to 8 times during the semester, for 60 to 90 minutes. In these meetings we will, among other things, 1) read and discuss manuscripts of qualitative and quantitative scholarly research; 2) conduct work sessions (with drafts of survey instruments, paper sections, etc.); 3) discuss students' interviewing experiences; and 4) review the processes involved in constructing a senior-level social science research paper.

Students are expected to attend all class sessions. Attendance at less than five class meetings disqualifies the student from passing this course.

As mentioned above, from time to time we will discuss samples of both qualitative and quantitative scholarly research. Students are expected to have read the assigned materials prior to class.

Students are expected to meet individually with the research advisor at least once during each 5-week segment of the semester (by 2/21, 3/27, & 5/1) for a total of at least 3 times during the semester. It is the student’s responsibility to arrange these meetings. Meetings with me to review and revise drafts of survey instruments and/or HSRB applications do not count toward these 3 meetings.

Students will present their findings to an academic audience in May, during final exams week. Consider this your final exam period for this course. Date and time will be announced early in the semester.

Course evaluation is based on:

Final paper/oral presentation of findings                      75%

Class Attendance, Participation, quiz, assignment/s       15%

Timely submission of                                                10%

assignments/drafts, advisor meetings

Class Schedule

January 22 - class meets

Bring first draft of survey instrument or interview guide, if you have it

Bring first draft of HSRB submission, if you have it

Handout: ASA Code of Ethics

February 5 – class meets

Bring ASA Code of Ethics (quiz)

Handout: journal articles

By February 8: deadline for instructor approval of HSRB application; deadline for submission of application to HSRB

By February 12: deadline for instructor approval of survey instrument/

interview guide

February 19 – class meets

          Bring literature review assignment
 

March 4 – class meets

          Distribution and review of "Guidelines for Construction of Senior Thesis"
 

March 25 – class meets

          Bring draft of literature review

            By March 25: first draft of literature review due

April 15 – class meets

            By April 15: first draft of thesis due

April 29 or May 6 – class meets

May 7: senior thesis due – late submissions may result in an “incomplete” grade

May 12, 1pm-4pm, Morgan Room: senior thesis presentations