APPLIED PROJECT

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ISS 501 – INTEGRATED SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS COURSE SYLLABUS

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY

CLASS / LOCATION: ISS 501 / POLY AGBC 118 / ZOOM

SEMESTER/DATES/TIME: Fall 2020 / 8/20/20 – 12/4/2020 / TH – 6:00pm-8:45pm

COURSE NO: 84813

CREDITS: 3

INSTRUCTOR: Professor Joshua Kane, Ph.D.

EMAIL: [email protected]

OFFICE HOURS: Widely Available; Email me to set it up.

REQUIRED TEXTS: Thomas, Alexander and Polly Smith. 2003. Spotlight on Social Research.

Pearson Press. (Buy a used or cheap paperback version; do not buy new).

Johnson, Janet Buttolph and Richard A. Joslyn. Political Science Research

Methods. CQ Press. DO YOUR BEST TO FIND THE 7TH EDITION,

WHICH IS AN OLDER EDITION.

I. Course Description:

This course overviews the logics of causation and evidence evaluation in the social sciences

ASU Sync

ASU Sync is a technology-enhanced approach designed to meet the dynamic needs of the class. This course

is scheduled as an in-person (face-to-face) course, but you can attend remotely via Zoom. Classes will be

held each week at class time over Zoom. Owing to an official accommodation approved by ASU I will be

instructing over Zoom from my home. The Zoom video feed will be piped into the classroom for the course.

You can either attend class from Zoom (wherever you may be) OR attend class within the classroom, where

again, my Zoom video feed will be piped in. Attend either option for each class session across the semester,

and your attendance grade will reflect your presence. You can find out more information about ASU Sync

for students here: https://provost.asu.edu/sync/students.

To access live sessions of this class, go to MyASU and click the Attend via Sync button next to this class on

your schedule. The "Attend via Sync" button in the students' MyASU schedule will direct to the

instructor's Personal Meeting ID.

Face Coverings

Everyone is required to wear a face cover while in ASU buildings and community spaces, regardless of distance. Face

covers help prevent pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals from inadvertently spreading COVID-19 to others.

They are meant to protect others in case you are sick. Students will be required to wear a face cover in the classroom.

For more information about face coverings, please visit the FAQ page.

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II. Learning Objectives / Competencies / Outcomes:

 Understanding social science research philosophies and methods.  Understanding the nature of causation in social science research.  Quantitative vs. Qualitative Social Science Research.  Understanding paradigmatic thought as applied to scientific and socio-technological research.  Understanding the role of correlation and spuriousness in social science research.  Understanding the ethics of social science research.  Understanding alternative social scientific experimental designs.  Developing the skills required for the proper empirical evaluation and assessment of social science

research.

 Introducing issues in sampling.  Developing an ability to create a research design and project proposal.  Understanding how to correctly apply and use comparative historical methods.  Understanding the nature and processes involved in fieldwork in social science research.

III. Course Requirements:

Two Preliminary Study-Design Assignments 60% (30% Each)

Term Project Study-Design Proposal 40%

WARNING – PROFESSOR KANE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ADJUST EACH

STUDENT’S FINAL GRADE UP OR DOWN BY UP TO A FULL LETTER GRADE BASED

ON CLASS ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION.

Course Grading: Your final grade in the class will depend on the percentage of total points you accumulate as you

demonstrate your skills and knowledge throughout the semester. The assignments and paper will

each be scored out of 100 points and will be weighted as outlined above. Final grades will follow

the guidelines below:

Grade Percentage

A+ 97-100

A 94-96

A- 90-93

B+ 87-89

B 84-86

B- 80-83

C+ 77-79

C 70-76

D 60-69

E/F

Below

60%

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IV. Course Overview:

Course schedule may be subject to change.

WEEK 1 (8/20):

Topic: Thinking Like a Social Scientist

Readings – Chapter 1 in Spotlight and Chapter 1 in Johnson

WEEK 2 (8/27):

Topics: Paradigmatic Thought – Kuhn Applied to Social Sciences

Readings – Chapter 2 in Johnson

WEEK 3 (9/3)

Topic - The Social Scientific Method

Readings – Chapter 2 in Spotlight

WEEK 4 (9/10):

Topic: Research Design

Readings – Chapter 3 in Johnson (Literature Review).

DUE 9/10 – TOPIC AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS FOR TERM PROJECT

WEEK 5 (9/17):

Topic: Causal Thinking in The Social Sciences

Readings – Chapter 4 in Johnson

WEEK 6 (9/24):

Topic: Causal Thinking in The Social Sciences Continued

Readings – Chapter 5 in Johnson

WEEK 7 (10/1):

Topics: Survey Construction Methods

Readings – Chapter 6 in Johnson

WEEK 8 (10/8):

Topic: Survey Construction Methods Continued

Readings – Chapter 10 in Johnson

WEEK 9 (10/15):

Topic: Intro to Sampling

Readings – Catch-Up

WEEK 10 (10/22):

Topic: Sampling and Causal Inference

Readings – Chapter 7 in Johnson

DUE 10/22 – CAUSAL HYPOTHESES AND LITERATURE REVIEW FOR TERM PROJECT

WEEK 11 (10/29):

Topic: Sampling and Causal Inference Continued

Chapter 8 in Johnson

WEEK 12 (11/5):

Topic: Data Mining Mishaps and Surveys Gone Wrong

Readings – Article Selections Will be Provided

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WEEK 13 (11/12):

Topic: Experimental Laboratory Social Science Methods

Readings – Chapter 4 in the Spotlight

WEEK 14 (11/19):

Topics: Historical Comparative Methods

Readings – Chapter 6 and 7 in Spotlight

WEEK 15 (11/26):

No Class – Thanksgiving Break

WEEK 16 (12/3):

Topic: Fieldwork/Ethnography

Readings – Chapter 9 in Spotlight

DUE 12/7 - COMPLETED TERM PROJECT STUDY-DESIGN PROPOSAL

Trigger Warning

Please note that some course content may be deemed offensive by some students, although it is not

my intention to offend anyone. In addition, some materials that we link with online might also be

considered offensive, troubling, or difficult to review in terms of language or graphics. I attempt to

provide warnings when introducing this kind of material; yet if I forget to do so, or if something

else (in my materials or posts from fellow students) seems offensive, please contact me either face

to face or via email – [email protected] Reasonable accommodations will always be made.

Academic Support Services:

I care about your success at ASU, and I have confidence in your ability to excel in your courses and

your degree. One way to enhance your success at ASU is to take advantage of academic-support

services that we offer. You can find a list at this site: https://universitycollege.asu.edu/programs-

and-services. Also, if you would like to explore career options that await you when you graduate,

please visit this site: https://cisa.asu.edu/majorexploration.

STANDARD ASU AND POLY-CISA POLICIES:

Grades reflect your performance on assignments and adherence to deadlines. Graded assignments will be available

within 7 days of the due date via the Gradebook.

Communicating With the Instructor

This course uses a discussion board called "Hallway Conversations" for general questions about the course. Prior to

posting a question, please check the syllabus, announcements, and existing posts. If you do not find an answer, post

your question. You are encouraged to respond to the questions of your classmates.

Email questions of a personal nature to your instructor. You can expect a response within 48 hours.

Email and Internet

ASU email is an official means of communication among students, faculty, and staff. Students are expected to read and

act upon email in a timely fashion. Students bear the responsibility of missed messages and should check their ASU-

assigned email regularly.

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All instructor correspondence will be sent to your ASU email account.

Course Time Commitment

This three-credit course requires approximately 135 hours of work. Please expect to spend around 18 hours each week

preparing for and actively participating in this course.

Late or Missed Assignments

Notify the instructor BEFORE an assignment is due if an urgent situation arises and the assignment will not be

submitted on time. Published assignment due dates (Arizona Mountain Standard time) are firm. Please follow the

appropriate University policies to request an accommodation for religious practices or to accommodate a missed

assignment due to University-sanctioned activities.

Drop and Add Dates/Withdrawals

This course adheres to a compressed schedule and may be part of a sequenced program, therefore, there is a limited

timeline to drop or add the course. Consult with your advisor and notify your instructor to add or drop this course. If

you are considering a withdrawal, review the following ASU policies: Withdrawal from

Classes, Medical/Compassionate Withdrawal, and a Grade of Incomplete.

Grade Appeals

Grade disputes must first be addressed by discussing the situation with the instructor. If the dispute is not resolved with

the instructor, the student may appeal to the department chair per the University Policy for Student Appeal Procedures

on Grades.

Classroom Behavior

We want to build a classroom climate that is comfortable for all. It is important that we 1) display respect for all

members of the classroom – including the instructor and students; 2) pay attention to and participate in all class sessions

and activities; 3) avoid unnecessary disruption during class time (e.g. having private conversations, reading the

newspaper, surfing the Internet, doing work for other classes, making/receiving phone calls, text messaging, etc.); and

4) avoid racist, sexist, homophobic, or other negative language that may unnecessarily exclude members of our campus

and classroom. This is not an exhaustive list of behaviors; rather, it represents examples of the types of things that can

have a dramatic impact on the class environment. Your final grade may be reduced by 5% each time you engage in

these sorts of behaviors.

I expect you to maintain the highest levels of academic integrity. This means you should not give other students answers

for assignments or exams, plagiarize words, ideas, or images from any other published or unpublished work (whether

from a paper source or the Internet). The work that you do, in other words, must be your own work, created specifically

for this class. You may use other authors’ words or ideas only if you properly quote and cite them. If you plagiarize

some, most, or all of an assignment, you will automatically receive a zero for that assignment. If you misquote or

incorrectly cite a source, your assignment grade will be reduced to reflect your need to continue to develop that skill. If

you have questions about how to cite the work of others, the time to ask is before you turn in the assignment. APA style

citation is preferred and always acceptable.

Establishing a Safe Environment

Learning takes place best when a safe environment is established in the classroom. In accordance with SSM 104-02 of

the Student Services Manual, students enrolled in this course have a responsibility to support an environment that

nurtures individual and group differences and encourages engaged, honest discussions. The success of the course rests

on your ability to create a safe environment where everyone feels comfortable to share and explore ideas. We must also

be willing to take risks and ask critical questions. Doing so will effectively contribute to our own and others intellectual

and personal growth and development. We welcome disagreements in the spirit of critical academic exchange, but

please remember to be respectful of others’ viewpoints, whether you agree with them or not.

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Email Communication

ASU email is an official means of communication among students, faculty, and staff. Students are expected to read and

act upon email in a timely fashion. Students bear the responsibility of missed messages and should check their ASU-

assigned email regularly. All instructor correspondence will be sent to your ASU email account. For help with your

email go to: MyASU > Service > Live Chat OR New Ticket.

Prohibition of Commercial Notetaking Services

In accordance with ACD 304-06 Commercial Note Taking Services, written permission must be secured from the

official instructor of the class in order to sell the instructor's oral communication in the form of notes. Notes must have

the note taker’s name as well as the instructor's name, the course number, and the date.

Student Conduct and Academic Integrity

Academic honesty is expected of all students in all examinations, papers, laboratory work, academic transactions and

records. The possible sanctions include, but are not limited to, appropriate grade penalties, course failure (indicated on

the transcript as a grade of E), course failure due to academic dishonesty (indicated on the transcript as a grade of XE),

loss of registration privileges, disqualification and dismissal. For more information,

see http://provost.asu.edu/academicintegrity. Additionally, required behavior standards are listed in the Student Code of

Conduct and Student Disciplinary Procedures, Computer, Internet, and Electronic Communications policy, and outlined

by the Office of Student Rights & Responsibilities. Anyone in violation of these policies is subject to sanctions.

Students are entitled to receive instruction free from interference by other members of the class. An instructor may

withdraw a student from the course when the student's behavior disrupts the educational process per Instructor

Withdrawal of a Student for Disruptive Classroom Behavior.

Appropriate online behavior (also knows as netiquette) is defined by the instructor and includes keeping course

discussion posts focused on the assigned topics. Students must maintain a cordial atmosphere and use tact in expressing

differences of opinion. Inappropriate discussion board posts may be deleted by the instructor.

The Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities accepts incident reports from students, faculty, staff, or other persons

who believe that a student or a student organization may have violated the Student Code of Conduct.

Prohibition of Commercial Note Taking Services

In accordance with ACD 304-06 Commercial Note Taking Services, written permission must be secured from the

official instructor of the class in order to sell the instructor's oral communication in the form of notes. Notes must have

the notetaker's name as well as the instructor's name, the course number, and the date.

Course Evaluation

Students are expected to complete the course evaluation. The feedback provides valuable information to the instructor

and the college and is used to improve student learning. Students are notified when the online evaluation form is

available.

Syllabus Disclaimer

The syllabus is a statement of intent and serves as an implicit agreement between the instructor and the student. Every

effort will be made to avoid changing the course schedule but the possibility exists that unforeseen events will make

syllabus changes necessary. Please remember to check your ASU email and the course site often.

Accessibility Statement

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In compliance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, and the Americans with Disabilities Act as amended

(ADAAA) of 2008, professional disability specialists and support staff at the Disability Resource Center (DRC)

facilitate a comprehensive range of academic support services and accommodations for qualified students with

disabilities.

Qualified students with disabilities may be eligible to receive academic support services and accommodations.

Eligibility is based on qualifying disability documentation and assessment of individual need. Students who believe they

have a current and essential need for disability accommodations are responsible for requesting accommodations and

providing qualifying documentation to the DRC. Every effort is made to provide reasonable accommodations for

qualified students with disabilities.

Qualified students who wish to request an accommodation for a disability should contact the DRC by going to

https://eoss.asu.edu/drc, calling (480) 965-1234 or emailing [email protected]. To speak with a specific office, please use

the following information:

ASU Online and Downtown Phoenix Campus University Center Building, Suite 160

602-496-4321 (Voice)

Polytechnic Campus

480-727-1165 (Voice)

West Campus University Center Building (UCB), Room 130

602-543-8145 (Voice)

Tempe Campus

480-965-1234 (Voice)

Computer Requirements

This course requires a computer with Internet access and the following:

 Web browsers (Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari)

 Adobe Acrobat Reader (free)

 Adobe Flash Player (free)

 Microphone (optional) and speaker

Technical Support

This course uses Blackboard to deliver content. It can be accessed through MyASU at http://my.asu.edu or the

Blackboard home page at https://myasucourses.asu.edu

To monitor the status of campus networks and services, visit the System Health Portal at http://syshealth.asu.edu/.

To contact the help desk call toll-free at 1-855-278-5080.

Student Success

This is an online course. To be successful:

 check the course daily

 read announcements

 read and respond to course email messages as needed

 complete assignments by the due dates specified

 communicate regularly with your instructor and peers

 create a study and/or assignment schedule to stay on track

University Policies

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Academic Integrity

Arizona State University and the College of Integrative Sciences and Arts strongly believe in academic integrity; thus

cheating and plagiarism is not tolerated. If a student is charged with academic dishonesty and found to be in violation,

disciplinary action will be taken and a student's name will be kept on file. Academic dishonesty includes borrowing

ideas without proper citation, copying others’ work (including information posted on the internet), failing to turn in your

own work for group projects, as well as providing materials of any type to a homework help site or a study resource site.

Disciplinary action may result in a reduced grade for the assignment or class, suspension or expulsion from the

university, and/or an XE on his or her transcript. For further information, please read the Student Academic Integrity

policy at https://provost.asu.edu/academic-integrity.

Students with Disabilities

If you need academic accommodations or special consideration of any kind to get the most out of this class, please let

me know at the beginning of the course. If you have a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for equal access

to education at ASU, please call Disability Resources for Students.

The site can be found here: https://eoss.asu.edu/drc

Downtown Phoenix Campus University Center building, Suite 160

Phone: 602.496.4321

E-mail: [email protected]

Polytechnic Campus Sutton Hall - Suite 240

Phone: 480.727.1039

E-mail: [email protected]

Tempe Campus Matthews Center building, 1st floor

Phone: 480.965.1234

E-mail: [email protected]

West Campus University Center Building, Room 130

Phone:602.543.8145

E-mail: [email protected]

Mental Health

As a student, you may experience a range of challenges that can interfere with learning, such as strained relationships,

increased anxiety, substance use, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These emotional

health concerns or stressful events may diminish your academic performance and/or reduce your ability to participate in

daily activities. ASU Counseling Services provides counseling and crisis services for students who are experiencing a

mental health concern. Any student may call or walk-in to any ASU counseling center for a same day or future

appointment to discuss any personal concern. Here is the Web site: https://eoss.asu.edu/counseling. After office hours

and 24/7 ASU's dedicated crisis line is available for crisis consultation by calling 480-921-1006.

Student Code of Conduct

Students are required to adhere to the behavior standards listed in the Arizona Board of Regents Policy Manual Chapter

V –Campus and Student Affairs: Code of Conduct located online athttp://students.asu.edu/srr/code and the ACD 125:

Computer, Internet, and Electronic Communications available athttp://asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd125.html.

Students are entitled to receive instruction free from interference by other members of the class. An instructor may

withdraw a student from a course when the student’s behavior disrupts the educational process under USI 201-

10http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/ssm/ssm201-10.html. An instructor may withdraw a student from a course with a

mark of “W” or “E” when the student’s behavior disrupts the educational process. Disruptive classroom behavior for

this purpose is defined by the instructor.

Harassment Prohibited

ASU policy prohibits harassment on the basis of race, sex, gender identity, age, religion, national origin, disability,

sexual orientation, Vietnam era veteran status, and other protected veteran status. Violations of this policy may result in

disciplinary action, including termination of employees or expulsion of students. Contact the professor if you are

concerned about online harassment of any kind, and he/she will put you in contact with the Dean of Students office.

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Title IX

Title IX is a federal law that provides that no person be excluded on the basis of sex from participation in, be denied

benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity. Both Title IX and university

policy make clear that sexual violence and harassment based on sex is prohibited. An individual who believes they

have been subjected to sexual violence or harassed on the basis of sex can seek support, including counseling and

academic support, from the university. If you or someone you know has been harassed on the basis of sex or sexually

assaulted, you can find information and resources at https://sexualviolenceprevention.asu.edu/.

Statement on Inclusion

Arizona State University is deeply committed to positioning itself as one of the great new universities by seeking to

build excellence, enhance access and have an impact on our community, state, nation and the world. To do that requires

our faculty and staff to reflect the intellectual, ethnic and cultural diversity of our nation and world so that our students

learn from the broadest perspectives, and we engage in the advancement of knowledge with the most inclusive

understanding possible of the issues we are addressing through our scholarly activities. We recognize that race and

gender historically have been markers of diversity in institutions of higher education. However, at ASU, we believe that

diversity includes additional categories such as socioeconomic background, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity,

age, disability, veteran status, nationality and intellectual perspective.

Syllabus Disclaimer

The course syllabus is an educational contract between the instructor and students. Every effort

will be made to avoid changing the course schedule but the possibility exists that unforeseen

events will make syllabus changes necessary. The instructor reserves the right to make changes

to the syllabus as deemed necessary. Students will be notified in a timely manner of any

syllabus changes via email, or in the Announcements section on Blackboard.

Campus Resources

As an ASU student you have access to many resources on campus. This includes tutoring,

academic success coaching, counseling services, financial aid, disability resources, career and

internship help and many opportunities to get involved in student clubs and organizations.

 Tutoring: http://studentsuccess.asu.edu

 Counseling Services: http://students.asu.edu/counseling

 Financial Aid: http://students.asu.edu/financialaid

 Disability Resource Center: http://www.asu.edu/studentaffairs/ed/drc/

 Major/Career Exploration: http://uc.asu.edu/majorexploration/assessment

 Career Services: http://students.asu.edu/career

 Student Organizations: http://www.asu.edu/studentaffairs/mu/clubs/

 ASU Writing Centers: https://tutoring.asu.edu/writing-centers

 ASU Police Department: https://cfo.asu.edu/police

 International Student Resources: https://students.asu.edu/international/support/academic