Ateneo - UPO

The course aims to provide skills about the methodology of research using statistical methods

J.J. Shaughnessy, E.B. Zechmeister, J.S. Zechmeister. Metodologia della ricerca in psicologia. McGraw-Hill.

The aim is to enable the student to participate in research in the social and socio-health area by knowing methods and tools.

Basic knowledge in mathematics

Lectures, Classroom exercises

Written exam. The exam aims to verify knowledge and skills acquired by the student through open questions

I - INTRODUCTORY PRINCIPLES TO SOCIAL STATISTICS AND THE METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH: the use of descriptive statistics tools, the use of inferential statistics tools, the integration and applications of statistics to research in the social, socio-educational, socio-health fields, the need and meanings of a research methodology

II - RESEARCH TOOLS DESCRIBING AND ANALYZING QUANTITATIVE DATA: ORGANIZE YOUR DATA, KNOW THE DATA: Data cleaning, Frequency distribution, Graphical representation of data
DATA SYNTHESIS
CONFIRM WHAT THE DATA REVEALS.

III - RESEARCH TOOLS: OBSERVATION:
BEHAVIOR SAMPLING: Time sampling, Situation sampling
DIRECT OBSERVATION METHOD: Non-intrusive or naturalistic observation, Intrusive observation
INDIRECT OBSERVATION METHOD: Physical indicator, Archival documents
DOCUMENTATION OF BEHAVIOR: Comprehensive documentation of behavior, Selected records of behavior
ANALYSIS OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA: Qualitative data analysis, Quantitative data analysis
CRITICAL THINKING ABOUT OBSERVATIONAL RESEARCH: The influence of the observer, Observer bias

IV - RESEARCH TOOLS: THE SURVEY
USE OF THE INVESTIGATION, CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INVESTIGATION
SAMPLING IN THE INVESTIGATION: Basic terminology of sampling, Sampling procedures
INVESTIGATION METHOD: Postal questionnaires, Face-to-face interviews, Telephone interviews, Questionnaires via internet
RESEARCH DESIGNS FOR THE INVESTIGATION: Cross design, Trend study (independent longitudinal design), Longitudinal design
CONSTRUCTION OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE: The questionnaire tool, Create a questionnaire
CRITICAL APPROACH OF THE INVESTIGATION: Correspondence between described and real behavior, Correlation and causality

V - RESEARCH TOOLS: THE EXPERIMENT - INDEPENDENT GROUP DESIGN -
WHY DO EXPERIMENTS
THE LOGIC OF EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
RANDOM GROUPS DESIGN: An example of random group design, Randomized block design, Threats to internal validity
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS: Role of data analysis in experiments, Description of the results, Confirmation of results
EXTERNAL VALIDITY OF THE EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

Knowledge and understanding: Knowing the main tools of statistics useful for understanding and solving problems related to the social statistics.
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: Ability to create and use indicators aimed at evaluation in social and health contexts.