Postgraduate Course: Survey Methods and Data (PGSP11157)
Course Outline
| School |
School of Social and Political Science |
College |
College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type |
Standard |
Availability |
Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) |
SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits |
20 |
| Home subject area |
Postgrad (School of Social and Political Studies) |
Other subject area |
None |
| Course website |
None
|
Taught in Gaelic? |
No |
| Course description |
The course aims to provide students with the skills and knowledge to design and conduct social scientific surveys, and also to enable them to critically evaluate surveys carried out by other researchers. The course also introduces students to a variety of sources of secondary survey data such as the UK Censuses of Population and other major surveys in the UK and beyond. There is only a limited focus on data analysis.
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Entry Requirements
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites |
|
| Prohibited Combinations |
|
Other requirements |
None
|
| Additional Costs |
None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2010/11 Semester 2, Available to all students (SV1)
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WebCT enabled: Yes |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| No Classes have been defined for this Course |
| First Class |
Week 1, Tuesday, 09:00 - 10:50, Zone: Central. S37, 7 George Square |
| No Exam Information |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course students should:
&· Understand the research design issues implicated in the use of survey methods and the strengths and weaknesses of the types of data generally produced by surveys
&· Understand the relationship between theory or abstract concepts and survey research, and how to move from theory to practice through the operationalization of concepts in surveys
&· Have knowledge of the various methods for the administration of surveys, and their strengths and weaknesses
&· Know how to design a questionnaire in such a way as to maximize the quality of the data created
&· Understand sampling terminology and have knowledge of various types of probability and non-probability sampling techniques, and their strengths and weaknesses
&· Have awareness of the potential sources of bias and error related to the selection of survey participants and the responses they give to questions
&· Have awareness of the kinds of ethical and political issues related to the practice of survey research
&· Have awareness of the major secondary sources of survey and census data available to social scientists and the ability to access, download and prepare for analysis, data from secondary sources
&· Know how to prepare primary survey data for analysis and archiving
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Assessment Information
3,500 -4,00 word on some aspect of primary or secondary surveys
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Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Topics covered
Research design and survey methods; Methods of creating data ; Questionnaire design ; Sampling designs ; Validity, reliability and sources of error ; Ethical and political issues in survey research ; Accessing and manipulating secondary survey data ; Preparing and archiving survey data.
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| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Floyd J. Fowler (2009) Survey Research Methods, 4th edition, London: Sage.
David de Vaus (2002) Surveys in Social Research, 5th edition, London: Routledge.
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| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords |
Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser |
Mr Ross Bond
Tel: (0131 6)50 3919
Email: R.J.Bond@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary |
Mrs Gillian Macdonald
Tel: (0131 6)51 3244
Email: gillian.macdonald@ed.ac.uk |
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copyright 2011 The University of Edinburgh -
31 January 2011 8:10 am
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