Class Schedule & Readings


Readings and Course Materials

There is not a required textbook for the course.  Several reading assignments are noted in the schedule of courses.  The readings will be on reserve at the Earth Sciences Library in Benson Geology Building.  The Earth Sciences Library does not have the extensive hours that Norlin maintains, so you should plan ahead to get the readings.  Readings must be completed before class the day they will be discussed. 

Schedule of Class Meetings

Date
Topic  Reading  Assignment





Mon, 26 Aug
Introduction






Wed, 28 Aug
Overview of activism  Newspaper articles (distributed in class)
Pew study, “The rise of the e-citizen”





Mon, 2 Sep
Labor Day – No class!






Wed, 4 Sep
The Internet and activism
 Sunstein, Chaps 1-3
 Western





Mon, 9 Sep

Student activism
 Mulder thesis
Carpini
Kitchin & Tate, Chap 2.


 

Wed, 11 Sep
Meet in KESDA lab
“What goes into a research project?”
Due in class.


 

Mon, 16 Sep
Survey design: Data and sampling
 Babbie, Chaps 4-5





Wed, 18 Sep
Survey design: Types of questions
 Babbie, Chap. 7


 

Mon, 23 Sep
Survey administration and
Human Research Committees
 HRC guidelines





Wed, 25 Sep
Introduce study;
Overview of student survey;
Sample population for this survey



 

Mon, 30 Sep
Design Questionnaire
“Questions for survey” due in class





Wed, 2 Oct
Design Questionnaire pre-tests






Mon, 7 Oct
Evaluate Questionnaire






Wed, 9 Oct
Finalize Questionnaire
“Evaluating the pre-test” Due in class





Wed, 16 Oct
Data organization and entry






Mon, 21 Oct
Writing a research paper






Wed, 23 Oct
Development of research questions
Paper proposals Due in class


  

Mon, 28 Oct
Introduction to statistics
 Kitchin & Tate, Chap. 5





Wed, 30 Oct
Introduction to SPSS
Meet in KESDA






Mon, 4 Nov
Data entry






Wed, 6 Nov
Data entry
Meet in KESDA






Mon, 18 Nov
Set up SPSS file






Wed, 20 Nov
Logic checks and cleaning
Meet in KESDA






Mon, 25 Nov
Analysis
Meet in KESDA
Analysis plan due in class





Wed, 27 Nov
 No class, but WORK!!!!!

 



Mon, 2 Dec
Plan analysis and writing






Wed, 4 Dec
More analysis 
Outline of paper due in class





Mon, 9 Dec
Writing






Wed, 11 Dec
Presentation of results






Fri, 13 Dec
Final papers due by 5 pm.