1. GS/PPAL 6200 3.00 Research Methods and Information Systems
January 10, 2017
Professor Brenda Spotton Visano
Office: 130 McLaughlin
Voice Mail: (416) ext

2. Agenda Introduction to the course Introduction to each other
Prerequisites, Objectives, Delivery, Requirements, Evaluation
Introduction to each other
Introduction to Research Methods
Language Of Research
Types of Questions, Time in Research, Types of Relationships, Variables, Hypotheses, Types of Data, Unit of Analysis, Two Research Fallacies (to be read on own)
What do we know?
Evidence, Data, Perspective: Video clips, Fallacies

3. Introduction to the course
Specific Requirements
Numeracy skills, familiarity with spreadsheet software
Primary Learning Objective
to increase basic skills in the collection, analysis, interpretation and presentation of information that can inform public sector decisions.
Principal Modes of Delivery
Lecture, small group work, individual group work
Evaluation
Three assignments with an optional 4th assignment

4. Introduction to each other
Our public sector interests
Our wish list for a “successful” course
Questionnaire
Public sector research problems and research methods we (hope to) engage in

5. Learning Outcomes
Understand the role and process of research in contemporary public policy development
Understand key concepts in research
Apply critical analytical skills to published research
Understand the application, value and limits of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies and techniques / tools
Develop skills in devising and designing research methods suitable for different policy contexts and for rigorous analysis
Provide a grounding in ethical issues related to:
academic research
the role of the public servant as a custodian of data and information balancing the public’s right to know against the personal data and information which an individual citizen has a right to be kept confidential

6. Achieving Learning Outcomes
Basic user familiarity requires familiarity with
research ethics
existing data sets
the collection of qualitative and quantitative data
data measurement
sampling
advantages and disadvantages of different research methods
descriptive and inferential statistics

7. Introductions to Basics http://www. socialresearchmethods
Read Trochim’s “Foundations” (above) to review the vocabulary and basic concepts of research…
Research Questions: Descriptive, Relations, Causal
Relationships: Correlational or Causal? None, Positive, or Negative?
Data: Types, Units of analyses
Research Philosophies
Structure, Components of Research Studies

8. Evidence, Data, and Perspective

9. Reasoning
(1) All men are mortal. (2) Socrates is a man. Therefore:(3) Socrates is mortal.
(1) Every day to date the law of gravity has held. Therefore: (2) The law of gravity will hold tomorrow.
Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence

10. Quotes for Class Discussion
“All quantitative data [are] based on qualitative judgments; and all qualitative data can be described and manipulated numerically.”
Fallacies...

11. Fallacies from http://www. theskepticsguide
if I am skeptical about the existence of alien visitors, I must also be skeptical of the existence of the Great Wall of China, since I have not personally seen either
I was sick, I took a treatment, and now I am better, therefore the treatment made me better.
If I claim that all Scotsman are brave, and you provide a counter example of a Scotsman who is clearly a coward, I might respond, “Well, then, he’s no true Scotsman.”

12. Fallacies (cont’d)
1990’s both religious attendance and illegal drug use have been on the rise
Men on average have more years of formal education than women. I am a woman, therefore I have less education than the average man.
I cannot speak a second language. I am a woman. Therefore all women cannot speak more than one language.

13. Parting Questions
What do we know? How do we know what we know? How do we discover what we don’t know?
Does interpretation play a role in research? Is the researcher independent of the research subject or does the background (education, beliefs, values) of the researcher influence what is observed?