Session
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Session Focus
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Reading assignment
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Other assignment
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WK1A
17 Jan
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Introduction to course. Embarking on a senior thesis
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WK1B
19 Jan
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What is Social and Political Research? Why do it? How to do it?
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Guthrie, Ch 3. Research Proposal and Literature Review
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Prepare research topics
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WK2A
24 Jan
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Library Session: Finding and Citing Sources
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Start preliminary bibliography
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WK2B
26 Jan
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Critical and Strategic Reading
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Halperin and Heath, Ch. 4. Asking Questions.
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Draft preliminary research question
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WK3A
31 Jan
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From Topic to Question(s)
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Finish preliminary bibliography
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WK3B
2 Feb
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Bibliographies Due to Reference Librarian
From Topic to Question(s)
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Halperin and Heath, Ch. 5. Finding Answers
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Work on annotated bibliography
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WK4A
7 Feb
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From Topic to Question(s)
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Work on annotated bibliography
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WK4B
9 Feb
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From Topic to Question(s)
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Work on annotated bibliography
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WK4C
11 Feb
FRIDAY
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MAKE-UP CLASS
Annotated Bibliographies Due
Doing a Literature Review
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Guthrie, Ch. 3 Research Methodology
Examples of literature reviews of moodle
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Work on Literature Review
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WK5A
14 Feb
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Operationalizing Concepts: How to Define Something so you can Study It
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Draft preliminary outline
Read two articles (on moodle) for class discussion
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WK5B
16 Feb
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Variables and hypotheses
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Halperin and Heath, Ch. 9. Comparative Research
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Work on Literature Review
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WK5C
18 Feb
FRIDAY
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MAKE-UP DAY
Using official statistics
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Guthrie, Ch. 5 Sampling
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Work on Literature Review
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WK6A
21 Feb
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Dealing with big data
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Guthrie, Ch. 6 Case-study Method
Guthrie, Ch. 16 Quantitative Data
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Work on Literature Review
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WK6B
23 Feb
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Survey design and analysis
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Guthrie, Ch. 7 Survey Method
Guthrie, Ch. 12 Questionnaires
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Work on Literature Review
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WK7A
28 Feb
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Literature Review Due Interviewing
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Guthrie, Ch. 11 Interviews
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WK7B
2 March
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Ethnography
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Guthrie, Ch. 10 Observation
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WK8A
7 March
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Qualitative data analysis
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Guthrie, Ch. 15 Qualitative Data
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Work on Social Science Research Project
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WK8B
9 March
|
Using primary documents
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Guthrie, Ch. 9 Available Data
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Work on Social Science Research Project
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WK9A
14 March
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Values and Ethics in Research
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Guthrie, Ch 2. Research Ethics
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WK9B
16 March
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Social Science Research Projects Due
Formulating Good Cases
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SPRING
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BREAK
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WK 10 A
28 March
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Time-management and structuring a solid thesis
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Work on Thesis Outline
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WK10B
30 March
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Constructing Arguments: logic, truth claims and determining causality
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Guthrie, Ch. 17 Social Science English
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Work on Thesis Outline
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WK11A
4 April
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Writing, editing and who to write for
|
Guthrie, Ch. 18 The Report
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Work on Thesis Outline
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WK11B
6 April
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Assessing other theses
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WK12A
11 April
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Thesis Outlines Due
Individual meetings with students on research projects
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Final Research Project
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WK12B
13 April
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Individual meetings with students on research projects
|
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Work on Final Research Project
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WK13A
18 April
NO CLASS
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ITALIAN NATIONAL HOLIDAY
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Work on Final Research Project
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WK13B
20 April
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Conclusions
|
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WK14A
25 April
NO CLASS
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ITALIAN NATIONAL HOLIDAY
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WK14B
27 April
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Students present thesis chapter/research project
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EXAMS WEEK
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Students present thesis chapter/research project
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