Spring 2000

Meetings: Thursday, 5:15-8:00pm, in LIB 201 (ISER Conference Room
Instructor: Virgene Hanna
Office: 207F LIB (ISER)
Phone: 786-7706
Email: anvh@uaa.alaska.edu
Office Hours: Wednesday, 9:30-10:30am and by appointment

Course Description: As a public administrator, you will need to identify, evaluate, and implement policy to address problems. I will supply research materials and take you through the steps to define the problem, to structure an analysis, to gather and organize data, and to communicate the results. I will train you in basic analytic methods and introduce you to a variety of more advanced techniques. I hope that at the end of the course you will have sufficient grasp of basic research that you can think critically about your own analysis and research as well as that conducted by others.

Format and Class Preparation: Each week in class there will be exercises applying material from the reading assignments as well as lecture and discussion. You must come to class well-prepared; this includes completing the written assignments. You should plan to spend five to seven hours per week preparing for class. If you need to miss a class, please notify me in advance. You will need to ask a fellow student to collect class handouts for you and to convey information you missed. If you expect to miss more than three classes, please drop the class and take it another time.

Grading:
5 editing exercise
10 concept diagram
25 data analysis and report
30 Kawerak research design
20 review of other students’ proposals, class participation, and preparation
20 oral presentation

Required Texts:

Elizabethann O’Sullivan and Gary R. Rassel, Research Methods for Public Administrators, 1999.
Jeffrey Katzer, Kenneth H. Cook, and Wayne W. Crouch, Evaluating Information: A Guide for Users of Social Science Research, 1998.

William Strunk, Jr., and E.B. White, The Elements of Style.
Terry E. Hedrick, Leonard Bickman, and Debra J. Rog, Applied Research Design: A Practical Guide, 1993.

1/13 · Introductions. Overview of course. Writing: composition and organization.

1/20 · Models and concept diagrams. Reading: O’Sullivan & Rassel, Ch. 1 (pp. 1-19).

· Where are we going? Review of assigned chapters from Evaluating Information . Reading: Evaluating Information , Introduction, Ch. 1 (pp. 1-11), and your assigned chapters.

Due: Rewrite/Edit exercise. Presentation and outline (2 pages per chapter) from Evaluating Information, including copies for fellow students.

1/27 · Defining the problem. Guest lecture: Sharman Haley. Reading: Patton & Sawicki, Ch.4 (handout, pp. 147-179).

· Discussion of alumni survey. Guest lecture: Sharman Haley.

Due: Concept diagram.

2/3 · Choosing a method: Qualitative and quantitative research. Guest lecture: Stewart Allen, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

· Research design. Reading: O’Sullivan & Rassel, Ch. 2 (pp. 23-47) and Ch. 3 (pp. 54-91); skim Ch. 9.

Due: Statement of the Problem draft for Kawerak, including copies for fellow students.

2/10 · Measuring variables. Reading: O’Sullivan & Rassel, Ch. 4 (pp. 98-127).

· Sampling. Reading: O’Sullivan & O’Rassel, Ch. 5 (pp.132-162).

 · Alumni survey update

Due: Comments on fellow students' Problem Statements.

2/17 · Survey design. Reading: O’Sullivan & Rassel, Ch. 7 (pp. 206-236).

· Interviewing. Reading: O’Sullivan & Rassel, Ch. 6 (pp. 171-201).

Field trip to observe ISER interviewers.

Due: Statement of Work draft for Kawerak including copies for fellow students.
Data Analysis:

3/16 · Univariate analysis. Reading: O’Sullivan & Rassel, Ch. 11 (pp. 316-352).

· Bivariate statistics. Reading: O’Sullivan & Rassel, Ch. 13 (pp. 390-405).

Due: Work Plan and Budget drafts for Kawerak, including copies for fellow students.

 3/23 · Excel computer lab. Location: BEB 215. Guest lecture: Lexi Hill.

 Due: Data analysis report. Methodology for Kawerak, including copies for fellow students. Comments on fellow students' Work Plans and Budgets.

3/30 Spring Break

4/6 · Foggy Research. Guest lecture: Steve Colt and Stephanie Martin.

Due: Kawerak research design draft, including copies for fellow students.

Written comments on other students’ methodology.

4/13 · Hypothesis testing. Reading: O’Sullivan & Rassel, Ch. 12 (pp. 362-381).   Bring a calculator to class.

· Student discussion of Kawerak research designs.

4/20 · QSR NUD-IST (qualitative software). Guest lecture: Eric Larson.

· Effective charts and graphics. Reading: O’Sullivan & Rassel, Ch. 15 (pp. 468-488) and reread Ch. 11 (320-329).

Due: Final Kawerak research design. Classmates’ comments must be attached.

4/27 · Oral presentations. Student presentations on project design, including visual aids.

5/4 · Thursday Oral presentations continue. 5:15 pm Library 201