166-081 Quantitative Social Research

Students intending to do fourth-year honours in sociology must have completed this subject as part of their major.

Usually two first-year subjects in sociology, political science or a related area.

This subject introduces students to the logic and major processes of quantitative research focusing on survey research in particular. Students are taught how to do quantitative research via hands on experience in workshops or labs, which include the use of SPSS (industry standard data analysis software). Topics covered include research design and operationalisation, questionnaire design, data analysis and proposal and report writing. This subject is relevant to research and to the informed interpretation of quantitative data in a range of disciplines. It is also relevant to employment in environments where numerical social data is collected or applied, including government, commercial, health and community organisations.

Written work totalling 4000 words.

• E Babbie, The Basics of Social Research. Wadsworth Publishing, 1999.