MB561/661:
Introduction to Research Design (4 units)
R. Daniel Shaw,
Professor of Anthropology and Chair of Doctoral Committee
Summer 2006 Pasadena
DESCRIPTION:
This course is
available to all who are interested in designing cross cultural research, but
is designed primarily to equip School of Intercultural Studies doctoral
students to prepare, critique, and implement a Program Design appropriate for
their doctoral studies. Missiology is multidisciplinary and integrative of the
cognate disciplines within the field broadly including theology, history, the
state of the Church, leadership and the social sciences. This course introduces
students to research design appropriate for such interdisciplinary study. It
also serves as an introduction to the SIS doctoral program, and enables
students to develop a research design that is both flexible and focused while
providing a tool for communicating effectively with a student’s mentor and
guidance committee. Benefits include understanding how to search and critique
the literature, methodological approaches, and proposal writing.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
• Gain an
understanding of the research design process and the theoretical rationale for
it.
• Be able to apply this understanding to writing a defendable Program
Design.
• Utilize the resulting Program Design to accomplish the research and writing
appropriate to Doctoral Studies.
COURSE FORMAT:
• In addition to registering, students should
sign up with the SIS Director for Doctoral Studies BY JULY 1.
• The course will be taught using an intensive two-week format July 31-Aug.11,
2006. Lecture, small group interaction and close supervision from a TA will
enhance the learning experience
REQUIRED PRE-READING: (Two books must be read and critiqued BEFORE attending the first class meeting.)
Elliston, E. J., Introduction to
Missiological Research. Unpub. mss. Hope Univ. 1997.
Booth, C. W., Colomb, and Williams, The Craft of Research. U. Chicago,
1995.
REQUIRED READING:
Madsen, D., Successful Dissertations and Theses: A Guide to Graduate Student Research from Proposal to Completion. Jossey-Bass. 1992 or latest edition. (Read after intensive course is over, but before finalizing paper)
RECOMMENDED READING:
Babbie, E. The Practice of
Social Research. Wadsworth, 1997.
Isaac and Michael, Handbook in Research and Evaluation. Edits
Publishers, 1995 or latest edition.
Maxwell, J. Qualitative Research Design, 2nd
Edition. Sage, Applied Social
Research Methods Series, Vol. 41, 2005.
Bernard, H. R.
Research Methods in Cultural
Anthropology, 1998, Altimira (or latest edition).
ASSIGNMENTS:
Booth et. al. and
Elliston need to be read before class begins. Each student must bring a
250-word review for each of these two books to the first class meeting as well
as the Research Design Worksheet received when signing up for the course. Each review should include a discussion of the
main intent of the author and students’ critique/response as they anticipate
doctoral research. Assignments during the classroom time will consist of
processing the steps necessary to make an oral presentation of a basic research
design on the last day of the class. The final project will be due on Friday,
Sept. 15, 2006. The concepts developed in this paper will provide a guide for
research and writing throughout the doctoral studies program.
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM:
Elective for M.A./Th.M students. Required for all SIS Doctoral students. This course is not a specific research methods course and thus may not be used to meet “research methods” requirements in the doctoral studies program. Students are not permitted to audit this course.
FINAL EXAM: None.