Syllabi: Summer 08 - Spring 09DPLS 774 Spring 2009 Leadership and ResilienceDPLS 722 Spring 2009 Quantitative Data AnalysisDPLS 701sp09 Organizational TheoryDPLS 703sp09 Global Systems and Policy AnalysisDPLS 728sp09 Dissertation Scholarship and Conceptual FrameworkDPLS 747sp09 Leadership & Classical EthicsDPLS 748sp09 Leadership and Feminist EthicsDPLS 756sp09 Leadership and PsychologyDPLS 759sp09 Leadership and EconomicsDPLS 772sp09 The Invitation of LeadershipDPLS 773sp09 Portraits of Women and LeadershipDPLS 776sp09 Leadership, Authenticity and HospitalityDPLS 705fa08 Leadership and Social JusticeDPLS 706fa08 Leadership and DiversityDPLS 747fa08 Leadership and Classical EthicsDPLS 772fa08 Leadership and the Common GoodDPLS 775 Spring 09 Leading ChangeDPLS 700fa08 Leadership TheoryDPLS 708fa08 Leadership, Restorative Justice, and ForgivenessDPLS 720fa08 Principles of ResearchDPLS 718fa08 Ways of KnowingDPLS 723fa08 Qualitative Research: Theory and DesignDPLS 730fa08 Proposal SeminarDPLS 722su08 Quantitative Data AnalysisDPLS 773su08 - Leadership & SpiritualityDPLS 723su08 - Qualitative Research Theory and Design
DPLS 720su08 Principles of Research
DPLS 745su08 Leadership and Personal EthicsDPLS 713su08 Leadership & LawDPLS 701su08 Organizational TheoryDPLS 774su08 The Art and Practice of DialogueDPLS 728su08 Scholarship and Dissertation FrameworkDPLS 700su08 Leadership TheoryDPLS 730su08 Proposal SeminarDPLS 775su08 - Leadership, Discernment, and VocationDPLS 703su08 - Global Systems and Policy AnalysisDPLS 730 Spring 09 Proposal Seminar

DPLS 720su08 Principles of Research

DPLS 720: Principles of Research
Summer 2008                     3 credits

Professor:  Sandra M. Wilson, Ph. D.
Office: 254 RC
Office phone: (509) 323-3517
email: Wilson@gonzaga.edu

Course Overview

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 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 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 paradigms provide a framework for reviewing traditional research methods and related theory development.  As well, the class considers these frameworks and inherent research methods from various postmodernism, appreciative inquiry, and action research perspectives.

Course Objectives

This course promotes understanding of:

1.      How we learn (gain new meanings) from research.

2.      Two predominant social science research paradigms (quantitative and qualitative), their underlying assumptions, and how they impact what we learn from research.

3.      Postmodernism, its underlying assumptions and how it relates to our knowing in today’s world.

4.      The role of theory in research.

5.      Basic principles of conducting quantitative research in the form of survey, experimental, and unobtrusive research:

a.       methods of observation

b.      sampling

c.       data collection

d.      data analysis

e.       ethical issues

6.      Basic principles of conducting qualitative research in the form of field research, case study, and phenomenology:

a.       methods of observation

b.      sampling

c.       data collection

d.      data analysis

e.       ethical issues

Texts for the Course

Babbie, E.R. (2007). The practice of social research.

Wilson, S.M.  The basics of descriptive statistics..

Course Evaluation

Grades will be based on:

            In-class participation                           10%

            Worksheets                                         30%

            3 critical analyses of articles               25%

            Research proposal                               35%

Grade Assignments:

                        95-100%          A

            90-94%            A-

            85-89%            B+

            80-84%            B

            75-79%            B-

            70-74%            C+

            (Note: below 70% is not acceptable at Ph.D. level)

Note:  If you need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability, please contact me as soon as possible. Disability Resources, Education, & Access Management (Foley, 2nd Floor, 323-4134) will help verify the need for accommodations and develop accommodation strategies. If you have not contacted them previously, I encourage you to do so.

Schedule of Class Topics, Reading Assignments, and Written Assignments

Session

Topics

Readings/ Assignments

Session # 1

June 25

  1. Course overview

  2. The study of leadership as conscious acts of knowing

  3. The research process

  4. Quantitative and qualitative research paradigms

Babbie: chapters 1-2

Handouts # 1-3

Session # 2

July 2

  1. The role of theory in research

  2. Basic elements of quantitative research design

  3. Quantitative observation

  4. Measuring variables

Babbie: chapters 4-5

Handout 4

Basic Stats Book pp 1-19

Session # 3

July 9

  1. Population and sampling for quantitative research

  2. Survey research methods

Babbie: chapters 7 & 9

Due: Worksheet # 1**

Session # 4

July 16

  1. Experimental research design

  2. Unobtrusive research design

  3. Quantitative data analysis

Babbie: chapters 8, 11 & 14

Due: Critical Analysis # 1**

Due: Worksheets # 2 & # 3**

Session # 5

July 23

  1. Quantitative data analysis (cont.)

  2. Forms of qualitative research methods

  3. Sampling for qualitative research

  4. Data collection processes

Babbie: chapter 10

Basic Stats Book pp 20-49

Due: Critical Analysis # 2*

Due: Worksheet # 4

Session # 6

July 25

FRIDAY

  1. Qualitative data collection (cont.)

  2. Qualitative data analysis

  3. Ethical considerations in research

Babbie: chapters 13 & 3

Handouts # 5-6

Worksheet # 5, Critical Analysis # 3**

Session # 7

July 30

  1. Present research papers

  2. Course wrap-up

Due: Research proposal

All worksheets and Critical Analysis papers (final drafts

** Note: The worksheets and critical analyses submitted at these times are considered to be working drafts.  I will give you feedback on your work to assist you in completing the final drafts, which are due the last class session.