Department of Human Development and Family Studies, 
College of Human Sciences, Texas Tech University  
HDFS 3390 (Section 003) – Research Methods in HDFS – Spring 2010
Tu/Th 2:00-3:20 PM, HS 63

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Texts (both are required and should be brought to class each day)

• Babbie, E. (2010) The practice of social research (12th ed). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.

• Copeland, A.P., & White, K.M. (1991) Studying families. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

Expected Learning Outcomes

Throughout the university, renewed emphasis is being placed on documenting what, specifically, students are expected to learn in classes, and what they actually are learning.  Beyond grades and test scores, assessment of students' mastery of specific topics is desired.  Expected learning outcomes for HDFS 3390 and how they will be assessed are listed below. 

Requirements

Grades will be based on two mid-term exams (each 20%), the final exam (25%), a short paper media assignment (5%), a term paper (20%), a class research project (5%), and participation in class (group activities and speaking in class; 5%).  The final exam will contain items mostly from the latter part of the class, but will contain a small number of items from earlier weeks; in this sense, the final will be cumulative.  Exams will be multiple-choice.  Grades will generally follow a pattern of 90% = A, 80% = B, 70% = C, etc., but I reserve the right to modify the scale in a way that is generous to students.  For example, if the highest anybody got were in the 80s, I would give the highest person(s) an A.  Or, if someone got below 70% but attended regularly and completed all the required work on time, that person could still receive a grade in the C range.  Pluses and minuses (e.g., A-, B+) will be used, so if you fall just below a cut-off you will only be slightly below the next highest grade, as opposed to being a full level below (e.g., A vs. B).  The University will show plus and minus grades on your transcript, but does not factor them into your GPA (e.g., B+, B, and B- are all counted as 3.0).  It could still be useful for some purposes to have a plus or minus there, however (especially a plus).  Attendance will not be taken, but because some of your course grade is based on participation, attendance will contribute to grades in that manner.  Also, poor attendance will probably lead to poor exam and assignment scores anyway, so attendance will further contribute to grades indirectly.

Each time I teach HDFS 3390, I have the class conduct an actual, hands-on research project, the topic of which varies semester to semester.  This semester, we will be conducting a survey on parental involvement in college students' lives.   Here's a list of my previous class projects.

Administrative Matters

·        Missed Exams/Assignments.  Missed tests and late assignments must be made up, or course passage will be jeopardized.  If you have a compelling reason (e.g., medical emergency), documented by a note, for missing a test or not turning in an assignment on time, you can take a make-up test or get an extension on an assignment without penalty.  The instructor reserves the right to contact the writer of the note for verification purposes.  If you do not have a documented excuse, the work must still be made up, but will be penalized with point deductions (2 points off per working day for an exam; 1 point off per working day for a paper).  If you should fall behind on more than one thing (e.g., a missed exam and a paper not turned in), especially as it starts getting late in the semester, you  run the risk of receiving an F for the course and you might want to drop the class at that point (see below for drop deadlines).

·        Incompletes.  A grade of “I” will be awarded only by permission of the instructor prior to the end of the semester and only when a small amount of work remains to be completed for the course.  A grade of “I” is awarded only in case of emergency (see above procedures on notes and verification) and when class performance at the time of the request is satisfactory.  Poor planning or excessive absences are not valid reasons for requesting a grade of incomplete.

·        Withdrawals.  If illness or other problems keep you from attending class and/or lead to the missing of assignments and tests, then you should plan to drop the class by one of the deadline dates (January 29  and March 24), as shown on the university calendar of major deadlines on the web. Do not simply stop coming to classes as this may jeopardize your grade point average.  Do not plan on an “I” under these circumstances; it will not happen, nor will there be special assignments or extra credit for these circumstances. 

·        Disability Needs.  Any student who requires special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact the instructor to make necessary accommodations.  Students should present appropriate verification from Disabled Student Services, Dean of Students Office (this must be done before accommodations can be implemented).  Students requiring special arrangements (particularly taking exams at the PASS Center) should bring the necessary documentation to the instructor as soon as possible, ideally within the first few class sessions.  First requesting to take an exam at the PASS Center on the day of the exam will not be looked upon favorably.

·        Academic Integrity.  Students are expected to abide by all of the rules for academic integrity, as specified in the Undergraduate Catalog or in the web-based guidelines for academic integrity.  Any violations of these rules will be reported to the proper authorities for disciplinary review.

SPRING 2010
Schedule of Topics, Readings, Tests, and Assignment Due Dates
B = Babbie, CW = Copeland & White (Babbie's "MAIN POINTS" at the end of each chapter are also useful.)

HDFS 3390 – Short Paper Assignment
One page, worth 5 points
Due Thursday, January 28, 2010 Extended Until Tuesday, February 2

Find a media article describing some type of research related to human development or family studies.  The article must describe a research study; it can’t just describe some phenomenon.

·         Briefly summarize study.
·         Why is it of interest to you?
·         What questions are you left with after reading the story?
·         Can you think of other ways the study could have been done?
·         Staple copy of article to your paper or copy and paste the link (http://www............).

Getting a story from the World Wide Web is encouraged, but you can use a regular magazine or newspaper if you want.  Useful web links: