Assignment #1 (Profile/Interview) described.

*Overview of course objectives, requirements, web site.
*Complete list of all Senior Sequence assignments in format of six-month calendar
*Types of research opportunities available through the Regional Workbench Consortium (RWBC) and other venues.
*Brief presentation by Rebekah Barlow (a successful graduate of the Senior Sequnce).
*Internship opportunities and requirements described: Valorie Bruce.

Students pair up (select a partner during class) for purposes of doing the interview assignment.

Fill out and turn in the Internship application. To see the complete internship schedule and requirement due dates, click here.

How to create a research project of your own (getting oriented to key literature, projects, people and places).

Meet two civically-engaged research scholars: Professor David Pellow (Ethnic Studies), and Dr. Richard Marciano (San Diego Supercomputer Center).

The challenges of conceptualization, theory-building, and good research; review the Research Guide's: Seven Steps to selecting a topic/ a guide to literature.

Review the projects database on the RWBC web site

Click here for a list of David Pellow's research opportunities
Click here for a list of Richard Marciano's research opportunities

Reading: Robson (ch. 1-3)

If you plan to do research involving "vulnerable populations" you'll have to file paper work detailing the the safety and ethical design of your study (a research protocol) with UCSD Human Research Protections Program. You only need to file such a protocol if you intend to to do research involving human subjects considered vulnerable (e.g., childrern, homeless, cognitively impaired, prisoners). Click here for guidelines.

*Overview types of research (basic/applied).
*Identifying a "critical standpoint" (critical realism and normative theory in the social sciences).

Putting things in perspective, click here for ppt
(huge file: 25meg)

UCSD's policy on integrity of scholarship.
Plagiarism: What is it? How to avoid it!

1. Assignment #1 (5% of grade) "Profile/Interview" due

Reading: Robson (ch. 4; Apdx. A&B)

Click here for Hiram Sarabia's research projects:

Assignment #2 (Abstract with feedback from three experts) described.

Research Designs for Particular Purposes: Evaluation, Action and Change.
*Six different ways to find out about behavior (methods).

Managing files and references right from the beginning (Endnote, outline organize) Endnote support site: http://endnote.com/support/ensupport.asp

Reading: Robson (chs. 5-7)

Presentations by Rebecca Hyde and Tracy Huges:

Tracey Hughes is the GIS Coordinator with the SS&H Library at UCSD, phone: (858) 534.1266,   t2hughes@ucsd.edu.

Rebecca Hyde is a UCSD Librarian responsible for US Gov't Info as well as Urban Studies and Planning, phone: (858) 534-4175, rhyde@ucsd.edu

Reveiw the on-line Urban Studies Research Guide
Come to class with questions about finding literature and using GIS in your projects.

For a PDF of the AOC resources prepared by Tracey and Rebecca, click here.

For a condensed guide prepared by Rebecca, click here
For the ppt presentation made by Tracey, click here

Formation of Student Workgroups by Areas of Concentration
Students select their AOC and form groups. Much of the class will be dedicated to "breakout sessions" (smaller meetings among the students within each AOC), which will be facilitated by the professor and TAs.

 
Reading: Sample proposals in the Course Reader

Assignment #3 (First Draft of Proposal) described.

Discuss progress in challenge of selecting a topic and locating key literature.

Questions and anwsers about the proposal assignment.

Assignment #2 (10 % of course grade) "Abstract with feedback from three experts" due.

Review the library’s on-line USP guides
Social Science Data Center ; SSHL Urban Studies Guide
UCSD Sage Urban Studies Guide

Methods of data collection: Interviews
(on the craft and science of interviewing, including how to prepare good questions, confidentiality issues, note taking, transcribing, and more).

Methods of data collection: Surveys and Questionanaires
Guest presentation by Susan Shaler, PhD Candidate in Political Science.

Assignment #4 (Final copy of proposal) described.

*Relationship of research design and methods
*Recording, managing and analyzing data
*Defining your “object of study,” “unit of analysis,” “spatial and temporal scale.”
*The components of an effective research proposal

Turn in your assignments and network with oneanother over pizza. Most of this class will take place in smaller breakout groups (AOC workgroups).

Participant Observation and other methods of data collection.

Reading: Robson (ch. 11-12)

Tips on using GIS in poster presentations
Spatial analysis and map-making within ArcGIS

 
Internship contract due in Valorie’s Office (Nov. 3)

Dealing with data (quantatitive and qualitatative)
Logging and focusing data, filing systems

Reading: Robson (chs. 13-14)

Another close look at examples of projects from previous years. Asking good questions, arousing interest

Assignment #5 (Annotated outline of SRP sections + data collection timeline) described.

Shifting gears from proposal-writing mode to thesis-writing mode. What goes into an SRP?

More on the anatomy of an SRP (getting the data collection and writing process underway): Introduction, Literature Review, Research Strategy, Findings and Analysis, Conclusion

Dec. 7

Final

Assignment #5 (5 % of course grade) "Timeline for data collection and milestones" due.