Principles of Empirical Research (RESCH-GE.2132)
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Sociology of Education Program
Fall 2015 | Thursdays 2:00-3:40pm | Waverly Building 431 |
Professor: Catherine Kramarczuk Voulgarides, Ph.D.
Office: 726 Broadway, 5th Floor | Office Hours: By appointment | [email protected] |
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is focused on understanding social science research
methods. The course provides the following: 1) an introduction to the relationship between
theory and research; 2) a broad introduction to research logics in social sciences; 3) raise
critical awareness about methodological choices and issues when conducting research; and
4) exemplars of various methodological approaches. The course encourages students to
become knowledgeable consumers of empirical educational research that is theoretically
informed.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Alexander, K.L., Entwisle, D.R., & Olson, L. (2014) The Long Shadow: Family Background,
Disadvantaged Urban Youth, and the Transition to Adulthood. New York, NY, Russell Sage
Foundation.
Arum, R., & Roksa, J. (2014). Aspiring adults adrift: Tentative transitions of college
graduates. The University of Chicago Press.
Booth, W, Colomb, G., & Williams, J. (1995). The Craft of Research. University of Chicago.
Durkheim, E., In Lukes, S., & Halls, W. D. (1982). The rules of sociological method. (NYU
CLASSES)
Durkheim, E. (1997). Suicide: A Study in Sociology. New York, Free Press.
Loewen, J. (2007). Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got
Wrong. New York: Touchstone.
Luker, K. (2008). Salsa dancing into the social sciences: Research in an age of info-glut.
Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. (NYU CLASSES) HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU
BUY THIS BOOK
Mullen, A. (2010). Degrees of Inequality. Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University Press.
Pager, D. (2007). MARKED: Race, Crime, and Finding Work in an Era of Mass Incarceration.
Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Posey-Maddox, L. (2014)When middle-class parents choose urban schools : class, race, and
the challenge of equity in public education. University of Chicago Press.
Valenzuela, A. (1999) Subtractive schooling: U.S.-Mexican youth and the politics of
caring Albany : State University of New York Press
Any additional readings will be available on NYU CLASSES and are marked on the syllabus.
REQUIREMENTS:
(1) DISCUSSION LEADER (20 points): Each student will be assigned to lead a class
discussion on one of the required texts. Most students will be paired, and it is
expected that partners will meet outside of class to plan the discussion. Anticipate a
30-minute discussion. A 2-3-page memo is also required. The memo should
include a brief summary of the reading and five discussion questions for the class to
consider. The memo should be posted to NYU CLASSES the Tuesday before class, by
5pm.
The focus of the presentation should be centered upon, but not limited to, the
following themes:




A critical discussion of the methods used in the study (e.g. refer to
methodological appendix)
Highlight the primary research questions and synthesize the study’s main
findings (e.g. How was data employed? Analyzed?)
Identify the study’s methodological strengths and weaknesses
Clearly articulate the theoretical perspective used by the author(s) and how
this perspective informed the methods and findings
(2) WEEKLY JOURNAL (30 points): Students will write a reflection for every class
reading(s). The journal entries should be 1-2 pages. These should NOT be a
summary of the material; they should contain your “thinking,” ideas, opinions, and
reactions to the articles. This may take on a variety of forms: you may compare
readings to each other and/or other related material; you may hypothesize about
ways in which the work could have been improved; you may think about ways to
expand on the work, or extend it to incorporate new ideas; you may argue against
the work, questioning its assumptions; or you may consider how it relates to your
personal life. These are merely suggestions. The main point being--the reflections
should be critical and thoughtful. These are due to me before class starts.
(3) RESEARCH PAPER (40 points): The final paper will require students to write a
research paper on an issue related to sociology of education. This paper must utilize
at least 10 different research articles from at least five different academic journals
and/or books. The paper can use materials discussed in class where appropriate.
Topics should be chosen in consultation with the professor early in the semester.
The paper should be approximately 15-20 pages, not including references,
and should be in APA style. (https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/).
The paper is a RESEARCH PROPOSAL.
The paper should have the following elements:
 research question(s)
 compelling framing of the research topic
 a literature review
 appropriate methods identified to examine the research question
 sample data or a short summary on how the research will be conducted
 conclusion
(4) ATTENDANCE/CLASS PARTICIPATION (10 points): Attendance, punctuality, and
participation are expected. Absences or otherwise limited participation will impact
the final course grade (i.e., except when other arrangements need to be made, such
as a prolonged illness, in which case, documentation is required). If there are any
issues regarding attendance or assignment completion, I require written notification
3 days prior to class. The only exception to the rule is if it is an emergency.
COURSE POLICIES:
Assignments. Papers should be typed, double-spaced, stapled once in the top left-hand
corner. Please make a copy of all written work before submitting. Assignments not turned
in by the due date listed on the course schedule will be considered late. It is the
responsibility of the student to turn in assignments on time. A 1/3 -grade deduction will be
administered per day late-- including the weekend. (B+ to B; If 1-day late). This is true for
he class presentation, reflections and final paper.
GRADING
A
AB+
B
BC
Exceptional—Exceeds expectations in all dimensions
Excellent—Meets expectations in all dimensions and exceeds expectations in some
Solid—Meets expectations in all dimensions
Needs Improvement—Below expectations in some dimensions
Needs Significant Improvement—Below expectations in many dimensions
Insufficient—Significantly below expectations in some or all dimensions
COURSE SCHEDULE
09.3
Introductions. Course Overview. Presentation Schedule.
Logic and Argumentation in Research
09.10 Booth, Wayne, Gregory Colomb and Joseph Williams. (2008). The Craft of Research.
Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Pages 3-65;
Luker, K. (2008). Salsa dancing into the social sciences: Research in an age of info glut.
Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. Pages 1-98 NYU CLASSES
09.17 Durkheim, E., In Lukes, S., & Halls, W. D. (1982). The rules of sociological method.
Pages 50-144.
Luker, K. (2008). Salsa dancing into the social sciences: Research in an age of info glut.
Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. Pages 99-154
All Available on NYU CLASSES
Objectivity, Positivism, and Epistemological Others
09.24 Weber, Max. [1904](1949). “Objectivity in Social Science and Social Policy,” In The
Methodology of the Social Sciences, Max Weber, translated and edited by Edward
Shils and Henry A. Finch. Glencoe, IL: The Free Press. Pages 49-112.
Berger, Peter & Thomas Luckman. (1966) The Social Construction of Reality: A
Treatise on the Sociology of Knowledge. Pages 5-46.
Available on NYU CLASSES
From Theory to Research
10.1
Merton, Robert. “On Sociological Theories of the Middle Range,” “The Bearing of
Sociological Theory on Empirical Research,” and “The Bearing of Empirical Research
on Sociological Theory,” in On Theoretical Sociology. Pages 39-72, 139-172.
Artiles, A. J. (2011). Toward an Interdisciplinary Understanding of Educational
Equity and Difference: The Case of the Racialization of Ability. Educational
Researcher, 40(9), 431-445.
Skiba, R. J., Simmons, A. B., Ritter, S., Gibb, A. C., Rausch, M. K., Cuadrado, J., & Chung,
C. (2008). Achieving Equity in Special Education: History, Status, and Current
Challenges. Exceptional Children, 74(3), 264-288.
Morgan, P., Farkas, G. g., Hillemeier, M. m., Mattison, R. r., Maczuga, S. s., Hui Li1, h., &
Cook, M. m. (2015). Minorities Are Disproportionately Underrepresented in Special
Education: Longitudinal Evidence Across Five Disability Conditions. Educational
Researcher, 44(5), 278-292
Available on NYU CLASSES
METHODOLOGICAL EXEMPLARS: CLASS PRESENTATIONS START
Early Sociological Research (Methodological Exemplar I)
10.8
TURN IN PARAGRAPH ON PROPOSED TOPIC AND RESEARCH METHODS
Durkheim, E. (1997). Suicide: A Study in Sociology. New York: Free Press. Pages 145294
Survey Research (Methodological Exemplar II)
10.15 Arum, R., & Roksa, J. (2014). Aspiring adults adrift: Tentative transitions of college
graduates. The University of Chicago Press.
Interview Research (Methodological Exemplar III)
10.22 Mullen, A. (2010). Degrees of Inequality. Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University Press.
Ethnographic Research (Methodological Exemplar IV)
10.29 Posey-Maddox, L. (2014)When middle-class parents choose urban schools : class,
race, and the challenge of equity in public education. University of Chicago Press.
11.5 Valenzuela, Angela. (1999) Subtractive schooling: U.S.-Mexican youth and the politics
of caring Albany: State University of New York Press
Experimental Research (Methodological Exemplar V)
11.12 Pager, Devah. (2007). MARKED: Race, Crime, and Finding Work in an Era of Mass
Incarceration. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Document Analysis/Archival Research (Methodological Exemplar VI)
11.19 Loewen, James. (2007). Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History
Textbook Got Wrong. New York: Touchstone.
11.26 No Class (Thanksgiving)
Mixed Methods (Methodological Exemplar VII)
12.3
Alexander, K.L., Entwisle, D.R., & Olson, L. (2014) The Long Shadow: Family
Background, Disadvantaged Urban Youth, and the Transition to Adulthood. New York,
NY, Russell Sage Foundation.
12. 10 Research Paper Presentations (Last Class)
12. 17 Research Paper Due (submit via email)
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY POLICIES
Academic Honesty Any deliberate borrowing of the ideas, terms, statements, or
knowledge of others without clear and specific acknowledgment of the source is
intellectual theft and is called plagiarism. It is not plagiarism to borrow the ideas, terms,
statements, or knowledge of others if the source is clearly and specifically acknowledged.
Students who consult such critical material and wish to include some of the insights, terms
or statements encountered must provide full citations in an appropriate form.
Access and Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Students with physical or
learning disabilities are required to register with the Moses Center for Students with Disabilities,
726 Broadway, 2nd Floor, (212-998-4980) and are required to present a letter from the Center to
the instructor at the start of the semester in order to be considered for appropriate
accommodation. Please see: http://www.nyu.edu/life/safety-health-andwellness/students-withdisabilities.html.