72631 - Laboratory of Advanced Methodology for Social Research

Learning outcomes

Participation in the workshop allows the student to discover one of the advanced methods for the analysis of data (numeric or text) in the social sciences, and learn how to apply trough the main software available. At the end of the workshop path the student is able to build a data matrix, predispose the information processing, realize analysis and interpreting the results thereof.

Because learn to use software for analysis information so aware (of the theoretical and methodological choices that guide the technical aspects) takes time and application, this workshop each year will focus on a theme, so as to enable the participants to come to acquire the techniques presented in a fair and be able to apply operationally independent way.

Course contents

For this academic year the theme chosen is that of the statistical analysis of data matrices obtained from questionnaires.

In the first part we will discuss the concepts of variable; operational definition; matrix data; will delve into the properties of the variables and constraints associated with them in the choice of techniques of analysis, synthesis, and measures of variability, the theoretical and methodological characteristics of social indicators, the construction of a classification retrospectively on responses to an open question.
The second part will introduce SPSS, leading students through guided exercises, to govern the technical aspects in order to achieve statistical analysis on their own.

Readings/Bibliography

Marradi A. (2007), Gli strumenti elementari della conoscenza: concetti, asserti, spiegazioni, in A. Marradi, Metodologia delle scienze sociali, il Mulino, Bologna: 47-62.

Marradi A. (2007), Indicatori, validità, costruzione di indici, in A. Marradi, Metodologia delle scienze sociali, il Mulino, Bologna: 165-189.

At the beginning of the course will be distributed a handout on the commands of SPSS prepared by the teacher.

Teaching methods

lectures and guided exercises.

Assessment methods

The Quantitative Methodology Laboratory for Social Research is a prerequisite for this, so it is possible to support the Advanced Methodology Laboratory Exam for Social Research only after having attended, supported the examination and verbalized the outcome of the Laboratory's Quantitative methodology for social research.

As indicated by the academic regulations of the course of study, the laboratory has the obligation to attend.

To certify the effective participation of students in a class, the teacher will collect the signatures of those present at every meeting. They are allowed a maximum of 4 absences.

Also in terms of regulation: "Students who study abroad (such as Erasmus or Overseas) are exempt from the obligation to attend courses whose lessons have been held during the semester of stay abroad. The student will have to agree with the teacher responsible for the course a suitable program to fill in any gaps due to the lack of frequency. "

The exam will take place in two parts, each of which will contribute 50% of the overall grade:
1) a written examination on the methodological essays adopted. The score, out of thirty, will correspond to the sum of the points awarded for each correct answer. Wrong answers are not assigned points (or subtract points to the total vote). To past the written test, the score should be equal or greater than 6/10.

2) an exercise aimed at testing the student's ability to perform preparatory operations on the data matrix (for example recoding of variables) and independently carry out analysis monovariate and bivariate statistics with SPSS (statistical Package for the Social Sciences), which will contribute 2 / 3 of the total score. To past the exercise, the score should be equal or greater than 12/20.

The final grade is obtained by the sum of scores obtained in the written and exercise using SPSS.

Teaching tools

PowerPoint slides, computer to practice whit the software.

Office hours

See the website of Francesca Cremonini