Quantitative methods in social sciences - JMMZ342

• Anglický název: Quantitative methods in social sciences
• Český název: Kvantitativní metody ve společenských vědách
• Zajišťuje: Katedra evropských studií (23-KZS)
• Fakulta: Fakulta sociálních věd
• Platnost: od 2021
• Semestr: letní
• E-Kredity: 6
• Způsob provedení zkoušky: letní s.:
• Rozsah, examinace: letní s.:0/2, Z [HT]
• Počet míst: neurčen / neurčen (15)
• Minimální obsazenost: neomezen
• 4EU+: ne
• Virtuální mobilita / počet míst pro virtuální mobilitu: ne
• Stav předmětu: nevyučován
• Jazyk výuky: angličtina
• Způsob výuky: prezenční
• Způsob výuky: prezenční
• Poznámka: předmět je možno zapsat mimo plán; povolen pro zápis po webu; při zápisu přednost, je-li ve stud. plánu
• Garant: Mgr. Ivan Petrúšek, Ph.D.

Anotace

Poslední úprava: Mgr. Ivan Petrúšek, Ph.D. (06.02.2020)

This introductory course to quantitative methods in social sciences presents basic concepts of statistical analysis of quantitative data. Students will gradually learn about various standard statistical methods and different quantitative research designs. Furthermore, students will understand how these methods are employed by social science researchers in academic articles. No formal training in mathematics is required for this course. Although some mathematical formulas will be presented, these will be kept to a minimum. Throughout the semester, we will also conduct a step-by-step replication of one published article using the SPSS (i.e. commonly used data analysis software).

Cíl předmětu

Poslední úprava: Mgr. Ivan Petrúšek, Ph.D. (06.02.2020)

The course aims to provide students with a substantive understanding of the covered concepts and statistical methods. The course should enable students to critically read academic research articles employing quantitative methods and to identify arguments made with the support of quantitative data. The emphasis will be placed on showing how research questions and hypotheses are answered/tested using statistical methods. Furthermore, the course aims to teach students the basics of SPSS and how to conduct the studied methods with this popular software.

Podmínky zakončení předmětu

Poslední úprava: Mgr. Ivan Petrúšek, Ph.D. (06.02.2020)

Grades will be based on the following:

• Writing two paper critiques (50 points, 25 points per paper critique, Note: it is possible to swap one paper critique for an in-class article presentation)
• Submitting four SPSS homework assignments (40 points, 10 points per assignment)
• Participation in article discussions (10 points)

In total, a student may earn up to 100 points. Students must submit both paper critiques and all four homework assignments to pass the course.

 

Grading scheme:

100–91 points → grade A

90–81 points → grade B

80–71 points → grade C

70–61 points → grade D

60–51 points → grade E

50–0 points → grade F (i.e. not passed)

 

Students enrolled in programs accredited at Charles University (e.g. Master in Area Studies; Balkan, Eurasian and Central European Studies) are graded based on a pass/fail basis.

Visiting students (ERASMUS+) will obtain a grade (A to F) for their transcript of records.

Literatura

Poslední úprava: Mgr. Ivan Petrúšek, Ph.D. (06.02.2020)

Each class is accompanied by a mandatory reading assignment from the course textbook.

• Agresti, A., 2018. Statistical Methods for the Social Sciences (5th Edition). Pearson.

During the semester, students must also read six mandatory research articles. These articles employ quantitative methods covered during lectures to answer substantive research questions. Articles will be discussed during the seminars and must be read by all course participants prior to the class. Students will also write paper critiques on these articles.

 

Recommended literature:

As an aid to preparing SPSS homework assignments, students should consult Field, A. (2009). Discovering Statistics Using SPSS (3rd edition). Sage. Reading this textbook is optional (students should be able to finish the SPSS homework assignment after attending the seminar).

Furthermore, most classes also contain recommended reading from a popular science book by Charles Wheelan. This book presents the discussed concepts in a more approachable manner and shows manifold practical applications of the concepts covered during classes and in the textbook. Reading these chapters is optional.

• Wheelan, Ch., 2013. Naked Statistics: Stripping the Dread from the Data. W. W. Norton.

Metody výuky

Poslední úprava: Mgr. Barbora Navrátilová (10.02.2021)

The classes are a combination of lectures and seminars. Each class is divided into two parts. The first part (approx. 45 minutes) is a lecture during which the tutor introduces key concepts of quantitative methodology and statistics. The second part (approx. 35 minutes) is a seminar. Eight seminars will be devoted to learning to use SPSS by replicating analyses from a published article. Five seminars will be devoted to discussing scientific papers (i.e. there will be a student presentation followed by the discussion).

Online on platform ZOOM:

https://cesnet.zoom.us/j/9026371470