Assignments

Table of contents

1. Weekly Discussion Leader
2. “What is theory and what is it good for?” Short Writing Assignment
3. Research Design Project
   1. Logistics
   2. Timeline
      1. First checkpoint
      2. Second checkpoint
      3. Third checkpoint
      4. Presentation (Week 14)
      5. Peer Feedback
      6. Written design

Weekly Discussion Leader

In each of seven specifically designated weeks (marked in the outline), we will have 1-2 students act as discussion leaders. As the discussion leader, you have the following tasks.

• choose a reading that features the design issue of the week
• prepare a set of discussion questions based on the week’s design issue and readings
• send the reading and discussion questions (draft is fine) to the rest of the class by the end of Friday of the previous week
• give a 10-15 minute presentation on some aspect of the design issue of the week; this should be an extension or a “tangent” rather than a summary of the assigned readings, but can include a discussion of the readings
• facilitate discussion during class
• if there are two discussion leaders, they should coordinate to avoid overlapping content

“What is theory and what is it good for?” Short Writing Assignment

Drawing on the readings and discussions from weeks 1-2, discuss what you think “theory” is, and why might theory/theories be good (or bad) for the scientific endeavor. Your discussion should engage with (and cite) the assigned readings and beyond, but it should not be a simple summary of what others have said. It is a think piece with your arguments grounded in existing work.

• the discussion should be about 1000 words
• due on Feb 8

Research Design Project

The major assignment in this course is to produce a publication-level and implementable research design.

Logistics

The research design project should be completed individually.

Timeline

First checkpoint

• present the theory and the derived research question
• propose a measure and discuss its strengths and weaknesses
• approximately 2-3 pages
• ready for interim discussion on Feb 11
• written version due on Feb 15

Second checkpoint

• refinement of previous draft (or completely new topic)
• discuss the target population and sampling considerations
• approximately 4-5 pages
• ready for interim discussion on Feb 25 and Mar 4
• written version due on Mar 8

Third checkpoint

• refinement of previous draft (or completely new topic)
• discuss all aspects of internal validity in the study (e.g. threats and assumptions required)
• approximately 6-8 pages
• ready for discussion Mar 25 and Apr 1
• written version due Apr 5

Presentation (Week 14)

• 20 minute presentation on Apr 29
• written draft due Apr 20 (for peer feedback purposes)

Peer Feedback

• 5 minute peer review presentation on Apr 29
• written version (1-2 pages) due May 1

Written design

• final version due May 11
• approximately 8-10 pages