TC 261 - Research Methods

• Understand scholarly research
• Utilize the tools of research, including the library and computers
• Recognize the importance of clearly defining the problem for research study
• Understand the methods of conducting research
• Design a survey questionnaire
• Design interviews and telephone surveys

• Elements of technical writing
• Defining audiences
• Organization of formal reports
• Readability guidelines
• How to formulate questions
• Methods fo collecting information

• Course Introduction (1 class)
• Defining research (2 classes)
• Tools-library, computer (2 classes)
• Defining the problem (2 classes)
• Reviewing the literature (2 classes)
• Planning the project (2 classes)
• Writing proposals (1 class)
• Organizing research information (1 class)
• Historical method (1 class)
• Descriptive surveys (2 classes)
• Analytical surveys (2 classes)
• Designing questions (2 classes)
• Designing questionaires (2 classes)
• Survey interviewing (2 classes)
• Telephone surveys (1 class)
• Ethics in survey methods (1 class)
• Experimental methods (1 class)
• Presenting the results (3 classes)