This course provides an introduction to methods for conducting empirical research within the field of Information Science. These methods help provide objective answers to questions about the usability, effectiveness, and acceptability of systems and their impact on individuals, groups, organizations and society.
Prerequisites: IS 2000, a statistics course, and either IS 3500 or IS 4300Textbooks: Bordens, K. and Abbott, B., Research
Design and Methods, 8th edition (B&A)
Optional: Aron,
Aron & Coups Statistics for Psychology, 5 th
ed, 2009, Prentice Hall
Free on-line resources:
Research Methods Knowledge Base (KB) by William M.K.
Trochim, http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/
SPSS tutorial:
http://www.psych.utoronto.ca/courses/c1/spss/toc.htm
Additional readings will be provided online. We
will be using SPSS
for data analysis. (Version 18 is provided by Northeastern)
| WEEK | TOPICS
|
Reading Assignment |
| 1 1/11&13 2 1/18&20 |
Introduction to the course; The scientific method; Purposes and products of empirical research; Overview of the research process Classification of Empirical Research Methods Ethics of Human Subjects Research |
B&A Chapter 1; B&A Ch. 3 to p. 67; Papers by McDowell and Ybarra B&A Ch. 4, Sample Proposal (from Prof. Bickmore) B&A Ch. 7, Tuskegee Case Study |
| Quantitative Research Methods |
||
| 3 1/25&27 4 2/1&3 5 2/8 2/10 6 2/15&17 7 2/22&24 8 2/29& 3/2 9 10 3/14&16 |
Variables and Measures Observational Methods Guest Lecture: Prof Matthew Goodwin Acquiring participants; sampling Survey Research Methods Sampling (cont.); Validity and Reliability Quiz #1. Hypothesis testing and inferential statistics: the Z test; Chi-square tests for independence; Power and effect size Reporting research results Experimental Research Methods Between subjects design: t-test for independent means Within subjects design: t-test for dependent means Student presentations 1- survey project SPRING BREAK Student presentations -- survey project. T-tests, analysis of variance |
BA Ch. 5 B&A Ch. 13; SPSS tutorial Sec. 1-3 B&A Ch 6 to 185, Ch 9 B&A Chapter 14 to 438; Aron Ch. 4 113-124, Ch. 5, 6, Ch 13 546-554 B&A Chapter 16 B&A Chapter 10 to 303 Aron Ch. 7 to 235 B&A Chapter 10 303-317 Aron Ch. 7 from 236 B&A Ch 10 from 317, Ch 14 442-453; Aron Ch 8 ; Ch. 9 |
| Qualitative Research Methods |
||
| 11 3/21 323 12 3/28&30 13 4/4&6 14 4/11&13 |
Begin Qualitative Research Methods continue qualitative methods overview Student presentation 2 - experiment Exam #2 Qualitative data analysis Case studies; Presenting results of a qualitative study |
Qualitative Methods Overview Ethnography example paper Article on Ethnographic Interview B&A Chapter 8 to 249 Article on Qualitative Data Analysis; Paper by Pollach Case study example paper |
| 15 4/18 |
Last class: Student presentations 3- Qualitative research project; review for final exam |
|
| TBA |
Final exam |
Academic Honesty: Work assigned to an individual or a group must be
done ONLY by that individual or the people in that group. When
material is copied or derived from outside sources. those sources must
be given the proper credit. Plagiarism or cheating will result in
an official University disciplinary review.
Late Homework: Assignments will be submitted as hard copy in
class,
unless otherwise stated. Homework may be submitted up to 24 hours
late without penalty. Other late homework will be penalized 10%
of the maximum grade per week.
Missed exams: There are no makeup exams in this course. An
unexcused absence for an exam results in a grade of 0. If a missed exam
is excused for legitimate medical or family emergency reasons, the
course grade
will be based on the student's other work in the course.
Some of the materials for this course (slides, assignments) were
created by Prof. Tim Bickmore.
Last modified: Febrary 3, 2012