SW 8104 Project Seminar II (1 credit)
Spring Semester, 2005
Instructor: Lynn Bye Office
Hours: I am happy to meet with you
218 Bohannon Hall any time by appointment
726-8492 (Office)
724-3211 (Home)
e-mail:
OVERVIEW OF THE COURSE
By the end of
the course, the students will be able to:
1)
Collect the data for their Master’s Research Project.
2) Analyze the data for their research
project.
3) Calculate and interpret statistics
and other forms of analysis (quantitative) commonly used in social science
research.
4) Write a complete draft of their
final Master’s Research paper (Plan B).
6) Practice within the values and ethics of the social work profession.
7) Evaluate research studies and apply findings
to practice.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1)
Students should attend all seminars
unless they have a valid excuse. The instructor should be notified PRIOR to
the absence if possible (voice mail/e-mail).
2) Students should come
prepared to participate in class discussions.
3) Each student must submit
by the second seminar a revised timeline of their research with specific
tasks needed for completion of their project.
These will be reviewed each seminar for progress.
4) If students have not already done
so, they should have their pre-proposal approved by their second reader by the fourth seminar
session.
5) Students should provide
appropriate feedback to other students.
Students will be expected to critique other research projects and provide
appropriate feedback and assistance.
ASSIGNMENTS:
1) Research
Timeline- You must submit by the second seminar a timeline of your research
with specific tasks needed for completion of your research project. These will be reviewed each seminar for progress.
2) Approval of the Second Reader-
If you do not have your pre-proposal approved by your second reader you should
do so by the second seminar.
3) Class Discussion-You are expected
to participate fully in seminar discussions including problem solving with
other students.
4) Presentation of Research Project-
You are expected to present the progress on your research project on a regular
basis in class.
5) Provide appropriate feedback to other students-
You will be expected to critique other research projects and provide appropriate
feedback and assistance.
GRADES
Students will be graded with either Satisfactory or Not
Satisfactory (S or N). To receive a
Satisfactory grade, you must attend seminars regularly, complete
assignments at an acceptable standard, participate in seminar discussions
and feedback, and submit a complete draft of your final research paper to
the instructor. An “S” will not actually be entered on your transcript until
you have completed your Final Oral Exam.
American
Psychological Association (1994 or 2001). Publication
Manual of the APA (4th or 5th ed.).
Plan B Research
Project Handbook, MSW Program, UMD,
Handouts on writing the research report and other relevant topics will be provided.
Computer Software (optional): SPSS is available in the UMD bookstore in the Sociology section. It may also be available at the UMD Computer Store. This version can only handle 50 variables and has other limitations. The SPSS Graduate Pack is available through the UMD Computer Corner. This version has very few limitations. Another option is to pay the computer lab fee to access an expanded version of SPSS.
DISABILITIES
My highest priority is for our classroom
and course work to facilitate participation and exchange. I am eager to make
accommodations to guarantee to students with disabilities access to class
sessions, course material, and the activities of the class. You are encouraged
to contact the Access Center-Disability Services to discuss and arrange reasonable
accommodations. In addition, please let me know as soon as possible if you
have a disability for which accommodations will be requested.
EVALUATION OF COURSE AND INSTRUCTION
During the term I will solicit feedback
from you in several ways. First, I
will encourage you to offer feedback at any time as the course progresses.
Feel free to tell me what is valuable and useful and what is not.
At mid-quarter and at the end of the quarter, I will ask you to fill
out forms asking for you reactions and feedback.
I appreciate any feedback you may offer and will try to incorporate
what I can in order to make the course more interesting and valuable.
GROUND RULES FOR DISCUSSION (We will discuss these guidelines further in class.)
Since this course includes a variety
of topics that could raise controversy or conflict, the following ground rules
for how we discuss sensitive topics are proposed. These ground rules are adapted from Lynn Weber
Cannon's "Fostering Positive Class, Race, and Gender Dynamics in the
Classroom," which appeared in Women's
Studies Quarterly, 1990, 1&2, 130-132.
• We can assume
that discrimination exists in many forms (e.g. sexism, racism, classism, ageism,
homophobia, anti-Semitism, ableism, etc.). Any critical understanding of these various
-isms means that we need to recognize that we have been taught misinformation
about our own groups and well as about members of other groups. This is true for both dominant (e.g. white,
male, upper class, heterosexual, able-bodied, etc.) and subordinate (e.g.
people of color, women, poor and working class, gay/Lesbian, disabled, etc.)
group members.
• Based on these
assumptions then, let's agree that we cannot be blamed for the misinformation
we have learned, but we should take personal responsibility for repeating
misinformation after we have learned otherwise.
This is not to suggest that any one person has a corner on truth or
that disagreement with any one idea carries with it any kind of punitive response.
People and groups are not to be blamed for their subordinate positions.
TENTATIVE TIMETABLE
Seminar 1: January
20 at 5:00 p.m.
Check in on status
including presentation of timeline for research completion. Oral reports will
be given on the topic and status of each research project. All students are
expected to provide productive feedback to one another. Distribute handouts and review Plan B Masters
Research Handbook.
A
C) If applicable, submit human subjects
form for approval.
D) Each student should be prepared to share
information on his or her research project.
This verbal report to the class should include: research questions/hypothesis;
research methodology; research questions/hypothesis; data collection instruments;
data collection plans; status of human subjects approval, and the greatest
challenges remaining.
All students are expected to provide productive feedback to one another.
Seminar 2:
Each research
group will provide a brief check in on timeline for research completion. Areas of concern will be surfaced for more in-depth
discussion. As a group we will conduct
a critical review of each research question being addressed by the members
in the seminar. Are they stated as clearly as possible? Do they address the “so what” issue? Who would be interested in the answer to the
question and how could they use the information generated from the study? Does the research question address diversity
issues?
Seminar 3:
Members of the
seminar will summarize where they are at in the research process. This session will focus on effective writing
techniques including topic sentences, smooth transitions between sentences
and paragraphs, the use of headings and sub-headings, variation in the length
of sentences and the choice of words, reducing unnecessary words, good word
usage, not using contractions or slang, making verbs agree in number with
the subject, appropriate use of APA format, using parallel structure, and
using dangling participles at the end of sentences (in, of, it, to, for, etc.).
Seminar 4:
M
Seminar 5:
Members in the
seminar will provide a brief check in on timeline progress for research completion.
Discussion will continue to focus on tying the various sections of
the paper together. Specifically, we will look at: 1) Writing a
compelling introduction to the paper, 2) Reviewing the literature in a way
that synthesizes information from several studies and 3) Relating the literature
findings to a clearly defined research question. Students should be referring to the APA manual
and adhere to that format. All students
are expected to provide productive feedback to one another.
Seminar 6:
Members of the
seminar will provide a brief check in on timeline progress for research completion.
Discussion will focus on how to present the “Methods” sections of the
paper including a clear description of the population and sample, the research
design, the operational definitions, the method of data collection and the
method of data analysis. Students should be referring to the APA manual
and adhere to that format. All students
are expected to provide productive feedback to one another.
Seminar 7:
Members of the
seminar will provide a brief check in on timeline progress for research completion.
Discussion will continue to focus on how to present the “Methods” sections
of the paper including a clear description of the population and sample, the
research design, the operational definitions, the method of data collection
and the method of data analysis. Students
should be referring to the APA manual and adhere to that format.
All students are expected to provide productive feedback to one another.
This session will
be devoted to the discussion of the Methods sections of the research papers.
The written feedback on the Methods sections of the paper will be returned
the author of the paper. After receiving the written feedback the author
of the paper will share what was learned from the experience.
Seminar 9:
During this session we will focus on the Results and Discussion section of
the paper. What were the findings? How do these results fit with previous research
findings? What are the implications
of the study? How can your study be
used as a stepping stone for further research? What were limitations of your study? Who should know about your findings? Where could you publish and present your study?
Seminar 10:
During this session we will critically review 1 entire research paper written
by the members of the seminar.
Seminar 11:
Seminar 12:
During this session we will critically review at least 2 entire research papers
written by the members of the seminar.
Seminar 13:
Celebration of
completed projects! Those who have
not completed their project will need to submit a revised timeline for research
completion. Incomplete forms can be
submitted, if needed, at this time.