DPLS 720 - Principles of Research
Fall 2008                          3 Credits

Professor: Dr. Shann Ferch
Office: Fuller Building 214
Class times: Saturday 8-12am Sept 6, 20; Oct 4, 18, 25; Nov 8, 22; Dec 6
email: ferch@gonzaga.edu

Office hours: by appointment

School and Department Theme Statement 
The Doctoral Program in Leadership Studies and the School of Professional Studies at Gonzaga University seek to build "people for others," people able to define their own sense of identity, live within a moral framework, and articulate and advance social justice.

Course Overview
In the context of leadership, the search for truth and meaning can be recognized throughout history. Research provides leaders the opportunity to gain new knowledge which, subsequently, can change how they understand self, how they view the world, and how they lead others.  Self-reflection and a form of humble and critical depth in relation to self and others is often the result of openness toward the research process.  This class includes a discussion of basic premises regarding how we learn and how this learning process influences and is influenced by research.  Different ways of knowing become apparent through analyzing two predominant social science research paradigms: quantitative and qualitative.  These two research paradigms provide a framework for reviewing various research methods and related theory development.  The primary component of this course is student reflections about concepts presented in class discussions, assignments, and readings, and the "meanings" students assign to these concepts.  This course is designed to honor the pursuit of truth.

Course Objectives and Goals

This course promotes the understanding of:

 1. how we learn (gain new meanings) from research;

 2. two predominant social science research paradigms, their underlying assumptions, and how they impact what we learn from research;

 3. general principles of making quantitative and qualitative observations in research;

 4. sampling procedures used for quantitative and qualitative research design;

 5. the purpose and procedures of various research methods: survey, experimental, qualitative, and unobtrusive;

 6. general methods of analyzing data for quantitative and qualitative research designs; and

 7. ethical issues associated with quantitative and qualitative research designs.

Texts for the Course

Babbie, E. R. (most recent edition).  The practice of social research.
Tolstoy, L. (1960).  The death of Ivan Ilyich and other stories.
Ueland, B. (1987).  If you want to write: A book about art, independence and spirit.
Walker, A. (1982).  The color purple.
Wilson, S. M. (1992).  The basics of descriptive statistics.

Learning Activties and Evaluation

Grades will be based on:

            20%     In class participation/presentations (1-research paper; 2-truth search)        

            25%     Worksheets: to be completed as assigned (classes 1-7)

            30%     Research proposal: due class 8

            25%     Critical analyses of articles: due as assigned (classes 4, 5 & 7) 

 All papers are graded with regard to three equally-weighted elements:

                Creativity--writing style, writing voice, arrangement of thoughts and arguments, etc.

                Construction--structure, grammar, clarity, simplicity, etc.

                Critical Thought--depth, skill of argument, density of critical judgment, etc.

Doctoral level work is of highest quality both in content and presentation.  Grades are assigned as follows:

                A         95-100%

                A-        90-94%                                         

                B+       85-89%                    

                B         80-84%

                B-        75-79%

                C+       70-74%                     

                C         Not acceptable at Ph. D. level                              

   

Assignments to be handed in at the end of the course:

1.         6 worksheets
2.         3 critical analyses of articles
3.         1 research proposal

Presentations:

 1.         In class 7, if time allows, each of  you will present your research paper, for about 10-15 minutes, informally, in a small group.  Then, in large group, for 1-3 minutes, you will say A) name of study B)paradigm of study and C) one thing that deepened your understanding of truth from completing this proposal.

 2.         In class 8 each of you will present a symbolic personal integration (the construction of this will be left to your creativity) of your pursuit of truth throughout the course.  This will include an assignment you are to complete anytime during the semester, in which you will spend 1/2 day alone with three goals: 1) self-reflection 2) listening to God as you perceive God and 3) seeking to understand your personal relationship to truth.  This 1/2 day alone, plus an integration of how course assignments, readings, and conversations deepened your pursuit of truth will be included in the presentation. Presentations must be primarily symbolic not primarily verbal (e.g. pictures, art, painting, artifacts, natural objects, symbols, food, music, song, poetry, etc.).  Presentation length: 15 minutes.