Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods

In the 21st century sociologists, criminologists and political scientists can access a wealth of data contained in data repositories. To enable students to evaluate the quantitative literature and analyse survey data themselves, this course lays the foundations for three types of skills. First, students will consider the practices of exploratory data analysis. Second, they will learn about the basics of statistical data analysis and how understand how to use data samples to test claims about social groups and their differences. Finally, they will develop skills in critical data analysis allowing them to situate statistical practice in the context of contemporary social processes, knowledges and power relations. The course is based on a problem-based pedagogy. Students will work with survey data to learn how to produce and interpret descriptive and inferential statistics. Course activities will enable students to learn how to ask and answer research questions using techniques that include cross-tabulations, t-tests, chi-squared tests and estimates with confidence intervals.