Senior Sequence

186 Research Proposal

187 Research Project

Tutorials

Using the Senior Sequence Control Panel

Syllabus 186

Fall 2011 / TuTh 3:30-4:50pm, CSB 001

Professor Keith Pezzoli, Ph.D., email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) OH: Tu/Th 2:15-3:15pm, SSB 361, or by appointment.	TA Hans Hassell, Ph. D. Candidate (PolSci) email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) OH: 9:00-10:00am on Fridays, SSB 323, or by appointment. Section 12-1 Wednesday
TA Lydia Lundgren, Ph.D. Candidate (PolSci) email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) OH: 10:00 - 11:00 on Wednesdays, SSB 323, or by appointment. Section: 11-12 Wednesday	TA Matt Childers, Ph. D. Candidate (PolSci) email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) OH: 2:15-3:15 on Thursdays, SSB 448, or by appointment. Section: 10 - 11 Wednesday

Course description

This course introduces you to the practice of social research including the challenges of writing a scholarly research proposal. USP 186 is the first course in the fall-winter Senior Sequence. The major objective of the Senior Sequence is to build your capacity to: (1) critically review research, (2) formulate interesting research questions of your own, (3) design an original research project and investigative strategy, (4) conduct research individually and as part of a research team, and (5) analyze, interpret, write-up, and communicate research findings. USP 186’s capstone requirement is a research proposal. The proposal outlines/justifies your plan to complete a Senior Research Project (SRP) during the winter quarter. By the end of the two-quarter Senior Sequence you will have completed your SRP along with 100 hours of service learning at an internship placement of your choosing. Prerequisites: USP major and upper-division standing.

Skills we aim to develop in the Senior Sequence

*Conceptual*	Creating examined conceptualizations of select objects of study (i.e., theory-building)
*Philosophical*	Becoming critically self-aware of your normativeperspectives (calling into view ethics and philosophy of social science)
*Methodological*	Applying investigative strategies to address scholarly questions
*Analytical*	Unpacking a hole into its component parts; examining a complex object, its elements and inter-dependencies
*Communicative*	Building, supporting, and presenting an evidence-based position or argument (through print and multimedia); working effectively as a member of a research group
*Writing*	Producing a clearly written research proposal and well-documented thesis

Course Requirements

Each student must complete an integrated suite of written, web-based, and multimedia assignments. Each student must also select and begin an internship placement and fully participate in class activities. During the fall quarter, you are expected to do approximately 50 hours of service as an intern (10 hours per week from week five to week ten). During the winter, you will be expected to complete an additional 50 hours (10 hours per week from week one to week five). Students can start their internship earlier than week five of the fall quarter, but not later. Keith Pezzoli and Valorie Bruce will help you secure a good placement.

Assignments and Grading

All assignments that say “Turn in” on the schedule below must be given to your TA at the beginning of class in CSB 001 on the due date. All other assignments (web, internship, and Expo tasks) are also due on time. Late work loses 10% of its value per every day late, including Saturday and Sundays. Use staples (no paperclips) to bind your papers.

Date	Week	Assignments	% value
9/22/11		Welcome, Orientation Internship Task: Begin to secure a placement
9/27/11	Week 1	Register to class web site; begin on-line research portfolio (select AOC). Using your worksheets (i.e., selecting a topic/seven steps; scoping exercise with question/problem statement, flow chart) prepare for the first assignment, and for meetings with the professor and TAs.
10/4/11	Week 2	GIS and Library Resources (in-classworkshop) One-on-one meetings/ group meetings with TAs and Professor. Begin optional GIS tutorial
10/18/11	Week 4	Turn in first draft of proposal. Upload draft to your online portfolio (arrange to have someone in class read/evaluate your draft). Update your research portfolio (proposal abstract, key terms, significance, spatial dimension)	25
10/25/11	Week 5	Upload evaluation of a fellow student’s draft proposal
10/27/11	Week 5	Internship Task: Fill out on-line form (“My Internship”) including name/description of placement, contact info, duties. Upload scanned copy of Internship Contract.
11/08/11	Week 7	Turn in final copy of proposal. Upload final copy of proposal	30
11/17/11	Week 8	Turn in Transition Plan including beefed up research design (you do not have to upload this file)	20
11/22/11	Week 9	Internship Task: Update your Progress Report due in class (This form should be turned in after you complete 50 hours – No later than 12/5/11)
12/1/11	Week 10	Turn in Status of data collection; Beginning analysis	20
		Class participation (including completion of all internship and web tasks –turn in checklist to get this credit)	5
		Up to 5% extra credit (at the discretion of the TAs)	5
			105

Plagiarism and Academic Integrity Presenting the ideas of another person as if they are one’s own is a serious academic offense. If you have any questions about the proper method to cite quotations, phrases, ideas, or any other material - whether from published academic work, a newspaper column, a magazine article, an internet website, a classmate, etc. - please speak with the professor or one of the TAs before submitting work. Purdue has a good web site to help students understand and avoid plagiarism (click here). You also need to pay close attention to university standards on academic integrity. It is your responsibility to know these guidelines. http://www.ucsd.edu/current-students/academics/academic-integrity/index.html

REQUIRED READINGS (available in the UCSD bookstore)

We will use the same three books for 186 and 187. All books are on reserve at the Geisel Library

Green, Gary P. and Anna Haines. 2012. Asset building and community development. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Marshall, Catherine and Gretchen B. Rossman. 2011. Designing qualitative research. Los Angeles: Sage.

Robson, C. 2011. Real World Research: John Wiley & Sons

Turabian, Kate L. 2007. A manual for writers of research papers, theses, and dissertations : Chicago style for students and
researchers. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Recommended Reading

Hale, Charles R. 2008. Engaging contradictions : theory, politics, and methods of activist scholarship. Berkeley: University of California Press. (recommended, not required)

USP 186 SCHEDULE OF LECTURES, MEETINGS, READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS,

Week	Date	Class Agenda	Readings & Assignments
	9/22	• Overview of course objectives, requirements, web site. • Types of research opportunities available through the Grand Challenges Database, The Global ARC. • Internship opportunities and requirements.	•Register to class web site; begin on-line research portfolio (select AOC). •Use your worksheets (e.g., selecting a topic; scoping exercise, flow. chart) to prepare for the first assignment. •See Tutorial on class website re how to use create your online research portfolio
W1	Sept. 27	Panel pres: Oscar Romo –Watershed/Land and Ecosystems •Creating/managing a research project (getting oriented to key literature, projects, people and places). •Challenges of conceptualization, theory-building, and good research; Review the Research Guide on the class web site (Selecting a Topic: 7 Steps).	•Reading: Robson (2011: chaps. 1-2) •Reading: Green & Haines (2012) •Reading: Marshall & Rossman (2011: chap. 1)
W1	Sept. 29	•Overview types of research (basic/applied/ action). •Research Designs: Evaluation, Action and Change. •Six different ways to find out about behavior (methods). *Managing files and references right from the beginning (Endnote, Outline Organize).	•Reading: Robson 2011, chap. 3-4 •Reading: Marshall & Rossman (2011: chap. 2)
W2	Oct. 4	UCSD GIS and Library presentation •Michael Smith, GIS Coordinator with the SS&H Library at UCSD, and Rebecca Hyde, UCSD Librarian responsible for US Gov’t Info as well as Urban Studies and Planning	•Reading: Marshall & Rossman (2011: chap. 3)
W2	Oct. 6	TA presentation: Tackling the Research Question •Writing a research proposal: Instructions for the draft assignment. Adding a spatial dimension.	•Reading: Marshall & Rossman (2011: chap. 4)
W3	Oct. 11	Proposal assignment described in detail. Guest presentation by Emily Serafy Cox, Executive Director, Empower San Diego	•Reading: Green & Haines (2012)
W3	Oct. 13	•One-on-One meetings	•Reading: Robson 2011 •Reading: Marshall & Rossman (2011)
W4	Oct. 18	Research Design: Basic, Applied, Evaluation, Action-oriented. Guest presentation: Logic Models, Theory of Change (Professor William T. Oswald)	First draft of proposal due •Reading: Hale (2008)
W4	Oct. 20	•Relationship of research design and methods •Recording, managing and analyzing data •Defining your “object of study,” “unit of analysis,” “spatial and temporal scale.”	•Reading: Robson 2011 •Reading: Marshall & Rossman (2011)
W5	Oct. 25	Methods of data collection: Interviews, Surveys and Questionnaires (on the craft and science of interviewing, including how to prepare good questions, confidentiality issues, note taking, transcribing, and more).	•Reading: Green & Haines (2012)
W5	Oct. 27	One-on-one meetings in lieu of lecture (see schedule)
W6	Nov. 1	One-on-one meetings in lieu of lecture (see schedule)
W6	Nov. 3	Guest Presentation: Lauren Shaw, President, San Diego Roots Sustainable Food Project
W7	Nov. 8	•Go over the Transition Plan Assignment. Shifting gears from proposal-writing mode to thesis-writing mode. What goes into an SRP? (Introduction, Literature Review, Research Strategy, Findings and Analysis, Conclusion)	•Reading: Marshall & Rossman (2011) Final draft of proposal due
W7	Nov. 10	Panel pres Economy and Livelihood	•Reading: Green & Haines (2012)
W8	Nov. 15	One-on-one meetings in lieu of lecture (see schedule)
W8	Nov. 17	TA presentation: Formulating the Research Design	Transition plan due
W9	Nov. 22	Go over the last assignment. Logic models. Set program for last week of the quarter (student presentations).	•Reading: Green & Haines (2012) *Marshall & Rossman (2011) •Reading: Green & Haines (2012)
W9	Nov. 24	• Thanksgiving Day Holiday (no class)
W10	Nov. 29	•Student team presentations.
W10	Dec. 1	• Student Panel Presentation. Social/ Pizza party. Knowledge networking in anticipation of the holiday break.	Status of data collection report due