ABOVE SECTION OPEN TO MAJORS ONLY

This course will teach you how to design a research project, beginning
with how to formulate a good research question and moving through all
the steps needed to set up a quality research project.  I realize that
most students don't feel particularly excited about a course in
research methods.  You might expect it to be a dry, technical class,
or perhaps you just don't know what to expect.  I'll admit, at times
this course will be quite technical.  However, I truly believe that
how we study society can be just as interesting as what we choose to
study!  Research design is intellectually challenging - I like to
think of it as a puzzle that you must solve by determining the right
pieces for your project.  Moreover, not only will this course teach
you how to set up a research project of you own, this course is
incredibly useful in 'the real world.'  Research and research methods
are all around us - you can't watch TV or pick up a newspaper without
coming across a reference to "research."  This course will make you a
better evaluator and consumer of the research that is all around you.