CJA 790: Survey Research Methods and Statistics 

Instructor : Bryan Man Email:bman@chaminade.edu 
Phone/fax: 735-4850/739-4614 (coversheet required) Office: Behavioral Sciences #113 
Office Hours: By Appointment 
Course Prerequisites: CJA 606. 
Description: 

Summer 2009 
Monday, 5:30-9:40 p.m.               H 121 

Advanced methods and statistics used in survey research. Emphasis is placed on sampling, the development and analysis of questions, scales, and indexes. Students are expected to design and conduct a survey research project, to include questionnaire construction, sampling, data gathering, statistical analysis, and writing of the research paper. 
Student Learning Outcomes: 
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will have a demonstrable understanding of: 
1.	The research methods used in social science research; 
2.	The application of SPSS to data sets; 
3.	The nature and purposes of descriptive and inferential statistics; 
4.	Advanced multivariate statistics, such as multiple regression; 
5.	The interpretation of the results of multivariate statistical modeling; and 
6.	How to make policy recommendations from survey research outcomes. 
Text: Logio, K. A., Dowdall, G. W., Babbie, E. R., & Halley, F. S. (2008).  Adventures in criminal justice research: Data analysis using SPSS 15.0 and 16.0 for windows.  4th ed. Thousand Oakes, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
Additional readings will also be distributed during the term. 
Grading 
•	Final Paper: You have a final paper requirement for this course, as well as a final presentation based upon your work. Your final paper, a research report based on your survey research project, will be graded primarily on the following: 1) form or structure of the content, deemed appropriate for journal publications; 2) coverage of the literature in the field or topic area; 3) research design, to include measurement considerations, sampling, data analysis and interpretation; and 4) a conclusion that ties the research findings to the research hypothesis or research questions, and theory. However, you will also be graded on the overall quality of the paper, including readability, grammar, structure, and punctuation. Evidence of plagiarism will result in automatic F on the paper. Following are characteristics for grades on your paper: 
=> A paper: An A paper is one in which there are few, if any, errors. This paper will contain all of the required components, and will have engaged existing research literature in a critical and constructive manner. Additionally, the research question or hypothesis to be tested will be logically connected to the survey questions and sampling method. This 

paper is one in which you have clearly demonstrated that you understand how to collect data in order to answer a research question, is well written at the graduate level, and is mainly free of any errors in writing. 
~ B paper: this paper will cover the basic requirements of the assignment, yet is not as clear and cohesive as an A paper. In other words, while the basic requirements may be present, the logical connections and flow are not as evident. Additionally, this paper has some problems with grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, or word usage. 
~ C paper: this paper will cover the basic requirements of the assignment, yet contains serious problems with cohesiveness, especially as it pertains to demonstration that you understand the assignment and research methodology. Also, this paper is likely to be written below a level that is accepted for graduate work. 
~ D paper: this paper is one that is not well written, and in which there is little demonstration that you understood the requirements of the assignment. Additionally, a paper will be considered a D if it is virtually impossible to read due to grammar, spelling, and sentence structure errors. 
~ F paper: this paper is one that contains little or no requirements of the assignment or is so poorly written that it cannot be read. Additionally, any evidence of plagiarism will result in an automatic F in the final paper. 
•	Weekly assignments: Weekly assignments will be given in class each week and are expected back at class time the following week. No late assignments will be accepted. Each assignment is worth a total possible 10 points, for a total of 100 possible points toward your final grade. Missing, incomplete, or poorly completed assignments will negatively impact your grade. 
•	Participation in Survey Project: This is a graduate level course in survey research methods. 
As such, one of the requirements of this course is that you construct a sound survey, administer that survey, as well as analyze and interpret the data. Although surveys may be conducted in groups, you are expected to analyze your data and write your own paper. 
•	Class Attendance and participation: As an accelerated graduate research course, you are expected to both come to class as well as participate. As such, both of these factors are computed in your final grade. In addition, you may not miss more than ONE class. If you miss TWO or more classes, you will be administratively withdrawn from the course and you must wait to retake this required course. Plan on coming to class on time and staying for the entire course. Coming late and leaving early could constitute an absence from class. 
Final course grades will be computed as follows: 

Class Attendance and Participation Weekly Assignments 
Appropriate use of SPSS on your data Research Report 
Presentation
Total: 

50 points 100 points 50 points 150 points 50 points 400 points 

Grade point distribution: 
A = 90% of total points (360-400 points) 	B = 80% of total points (320-359 points) 
C = 70% of total points (280-319 points) 	D = 60% of total points (240-279 points) 
F = 59% of total points or below (239 points and below) 

CLASS SCHEDULE 
	Week One I July 6, 2009:  Basic research assessment. Introduction to the course. Discussion of course requirements, guidelines, and expectations. Discussion of research methods and design. 
Assignments 
•	Assignment 1 (10 points, due July 13).  This assignment is for you to have a firm research proposal for approval.  This should be the one you produced in CJA606 (unless you are choosing to change your study).

•	Read Chapter 1.
Week Two I July 13, 2009: Designing research - issues of measurement and hypotheses and sampling. 
Assignments 
•	Assignment 2 (10 points, due July 20).  Do a literature search for a theory article that you can use as a theoretical perspective upon which your proposed research is based.  Discuss how it and how you would use it. List the source (APA Style). 
•	Assignment 3 (10 points, due July 20)   At the end of Chapter 2, a Web site is listed.  Logon and open the GSS data file.  Click on “Utilities” in the toolbar when you are in data or variable view.  Then click on “Variables” and highlight, individually, the first 10 variables, beginning with CASEID (Case identification…). Identify the level of measurement of each of these variables.

o    Read Chapter 2.
Week Three I July 20, 2009: SPSS:  Getting Started
Assignments 
o Assignment 4 (10 points, due July 27).  Create an SPSS data file with variable definitions based upon your questionnaire which contains your variables (measures).  Print out your variable view window with your variables named and defined.
• Other 
•	In-class, each student will discuss his/her questionnaire, identify their key variables, and which are independent and which is/are dependent variables.
•	GSS2004 will be used to demonstrate univariate descriptive analysis.
•	Read Chapters 3 and 4.

Week Four I July 27, 2009: Recode and Compute (and other procedures). 
Assignments 
•	Assignment 5 (10 points, due August 3).  Create a multi-item composite measure of a variable that fits your study.  You do this by writing statements (items) or questions that can be score on some kind of scale, e.g., Likert-type scale scoring of 1 – 5.  Indicate how the response categories will be scored and what the maximum and minimum sums mean relative to the composite measure.  All will present their composite measures.
•	Read Chapters 5 and 6.
Week Five I August 3, 2009: SPSS and bivariate analysis and measures of association (relationship).. 
Assignments 
•	Assignment 6 (10 points, due August 10).   For your proposed study, identify 2 independent variables that are socio-demographic variables, nominal or ordinal level in measurement.  Use each, separately, in a bivariate, crosstabulation analysis with you dependent variable.  Make your dependent variable into at least a dichotomous, nominal or ordinal-level variable.  E.g., GPA can be recoded into high GPA (3.5 +), average GPA (2.6 to 3.4), and below average GPA (LT 2.6). Since you have no data at this point in time (supposedly), just draw the two dimensional matrix of cells with the appropriate row and column labels that refer to your variable categories.  E.g., the variable gender has two categories, male and female.  Also type out what you expect in terms of percentage differences in each crosstabulation analysis (i.e., what you expect epsilon to be).

•	Read Chapter 7 and 8.
Week Six I August 10, 2009: Field research to collect data 
 Assignments 
•	Assignment 7 (10 points, due August 17). Gather your data and create your SPSS data file.  It does not need to be complete (as more cases are expected in the next week or two).  Show and tell the next class period.  I.e., bring it in on a flash drive to show us what it looks like at this point in time (817).

•	Data collection week for your individual studies.

•	Read Chapter Read Chapter 9
		.

Week Seven I August 17, 2009: SPSS and means comparisons and much more. 
Assignments 
•	Data collection continues 
•	Assignment 8 (10 points, due August 24).  Given the information in Chapters 7 through 9, you should be able to pick a statistic to use to test your research hypothesis or question.  Identify that statistic and tell me why it is the appropriate statistical test of your hypothesis.  If you have completed or near completed your data gathering, you can perform the statistical test and show and interpret your finding.
•	Assignment 9 (10 points, due August 24).  Use the 2004gss.sav data (from the sagepub Web site if not already downloaded.  Create a composite measure of the importance of civic responsibilities, by combining the last four variables (HELPUSA, MILSERVE, RIGHTSMIN, EQTREAT) into one (see Ch. 6). Pick two socio-demographic variables in the 2004gss.sav file and do, separately, bivariate analysis of each with the composite civics import variable.  Test for association (relationship), significance, and direction of association. Copy your two results into a WORD Doc and type out your interpretation of findings. 
 
•	Read Chapters 6 through 9.
Week Eight I August 24, 2009: SPSS and multivariate analysis. 
Assignments 
•	Assignment 10 (10 points, due August 31).  You should have a complete data file for your study.  For your key variables, do univariate analyses; and for your hypothesis do bivariate analysis. Copy results to a WORD Doc and print out your interpretation of your findings.
•	Read Chapters 10 and 11.
Week Nine I August 31, 2009: Multiple regression. 

o Read Chapter 12. 

• MSCJA Review and Assessment 
Week Ten I September 7, 2009: 
•	Final papers due. Presentations on research papers. FINAL PAPERS DUE TODAY - NO EXCEPTIONS! They are DUE IN CLASS!

Additional readings and exercises may supplement or replace these assignments. The instructor reserves the right to change the syllabus. Any change will be announced in class. 
Chaminade University and MSCJA program policy requires graduate students to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. Students whose graduate GPA falls below 3.0 will be placed on academic probation and given two terms to bring their GPA up to an acceptable 3.0 or higher level. Failure to do so will result in dismissal from the MSCJA program. Students will be allowed to repeat only two (2) courses. After a third "C" grade, the student will be dismissed from the program. 

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