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11.233  Research Design & Methodology

Fall 2003

Professor: Keith N Hampton

TA: Peter W Cohn

Lecture:  Monday 3-5  (Room 5-232)
Tutorial (Oct16-Nov20):  Thursday 12:30-1:30   (Room 5-217)      

COURSE DESCRIPTION: 

This seminar is a non-statistical look at the research process. It is required of all first-year PhD students in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP), but is open to other students with permission of the instructor. This course is appropriate for researchers and practitioners at all levels of methodological sophistication. The goal of this course is to provide students with the necessary skills to evaluate existing empirical studies and to select appropriate methods for use in their own research. Students will be exposed to a broad range of quantitative and qualitative research methods in the social sciences. Topics covered include: 1) hypothesis formulation and theory construction, 2) data collection techniques â¿¿ experimental, survey, and observational, 3) ethical issues in research, and 4) how to prepare a research proposal. Through this course students will:
- Become familiar with the entire research process
- Understand the issues involved in research decisions
- Understand the relationship between theory, research and application
- Acquire skills in developing measures and research instruments.
The final paper for this course must be in the form of a research proposal. DUSP PhD students can use this proposal to meet the proposal requirement of the doctoral seminar paper. To meet this requirement students should meet regularly with their faculty advisor while developing their proposal and submit a final copy signed by their advisor to the DUSP Graduate Coordinator. Ideally, DUSP PhD students will develop their research proposal into a project that becomes their doctoral seminar paper and meets the requirements of course 11.800.

PROCEDURES AND EVALUATION
The seminar will involve intensive discussions of assigned readings and students' individual research interests (students are not expected to have a research project prior to beginning the course). Final grades will be based on completion of Internet based human subjects training (5%), a short commentary on one week's readings (10%), an outline of the final research proposal (15%), a class presentation (10%), an assessment of student's contributions to class-based discussions (10%), and a major research proposal (50%).

Proposal outline (November 13, 2003): Based on the format and guidelines described in Behling (1984) students are responsible for submitting an outline of their course research proposal (no longer than 8 double spaced pages).

Human subjects training (November 24, 2003): Following readings, guest lectures, and class discussions of research ethics, students will complete a Web based course on human subjects training developed by the Office of Sponsored Research and the MIT Committee on the Use of Humans as Experimental Subjects (COUHES). Once completed students will have met the requirements of COUHES to participate in research involving human subjects.

Presentation (date to be arranged with students): The in-class presentation is as an opportunity for students to explore individual interests and to make a preliminary presentation of their research proposals.

Short paper (date to be arranged with students): Students are responsible for submitting a short commentary on one weeks course readings (3-4 double spaced pages) . The paper should consist of limited summary focusing on an evaluation of the readings (their strengths and limitations, the key issues, etc.,). Students will lead a short discussion based on their paper the day the paper is due.

Research proposal (December 8, 2003): Focusing on a project of individual interest, the final paper should be in the form of a full research proposal (25-35 double spaced pages).

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