ir 211: approaches to research benjamin graham · required materials • no textbook. •...

IR 211: Approaches to ResearchBenjamin Graham

SOS B9

IR 211: Introduction Benjamin Graham

http://dornsife.usc.edu/graham


Nuts and Bolts

• Syllabus and Course Information: • Syllabus will change during the quarter. Check online for updates.• Homework assignments and lecture slides will also be posted here.

• Lecture slides are not a substitute for good notes!

• My Office Hours: Fridays 10-Noon, VKC 305 • Joey Huddleston’s Office Hours: Wednesdays 10-Noon, VKC B42G

• Sections begin next week


Required Materials

• No Textbook.• Responsecard clicker from Turning Technologies

• Available at the bookstore


How the Clickers Work

• Multiple choice questions in lecture• Click in your answer• Results go up right away

• Your clicker has a unique ID number• You get participation points just for answering.


How to Register Your Clicker

• It should be possible through blackboard• Alternatively, you can also use this registration tool:

http://student.turningtechnologies.com/


Testing the Clickers

• I am a:A. FreshmanB. SophomoreC. JuniorD. Senior or Super-Senior



• My major is (probably):A. International RelationsB. Other Social Science (i.e. poli sci, business, econ, sociology,

anthropology...)C. Arts/HumanitiesD. Natural SciencesE. Other



• I have had the following research methods training (choose the most advanced that applies):A. Hypothe-what?B. A little bit in high school (not AP)C. AP stats in high schoolD. 1 university research methods class (stats or other)E. More than 1 university research methods class


Your Grade

• 5 Homework Assignments ................... 35%• Midterm ................................................ 20%• Final ..................................................... 25%• Participation ........................................ 10% • Reading Quizzes ................................. 10%


A preview of the course

• The big picture of social science research• Conceptualization, Measurement and Sampling• Causation and Research Design• A range of methodologies:

• Experiments, Surveys, Qualitative Methods, Historical and Comparative Methods and Quantitative Methods


Quantitative Methods

• Yes, that means math• No, it won’t kill you

• We will use Excel• You can do these assignments in R for extra credit


Homework

• Five assignments, worth 35% of your grade (7% each)• Due at the beginning of class. May be submitted ONLY in class.

• Late by 1 class period = 50% deduction. Later than that not accepted.• All homework must be typewritten.

• You may discuss answers with your classmates, but submitted work must be your own.

• If you discuss your homework with other students, you must list their names on your homework.

• DO NOT submit answers identical to other students. That will be considered cheating.


Welcome to Social Research

• Social science involves bringing science to the land of amateurs. • Why are people homeless? vs Why does ice float?

• Sociology, political science, economics, social psychology, business...

• Social research skills are good for at least two things:• Making $$$• Saving the World


I keep saying that the sexy job in the next 10 years will be statisticians.

-- Hal Varian

Chief Economist at Google


Research

But I’m not training you in statistics

ActionTheory

Research

ActionTheory

I’m training you in social research


Poverty Today Poverty Tomorrow

Intergenerational Poverty


Low SkillsLack of Education




Bad Health

No Access to Doctors Poor Nutrition


Poverty Today

Poverty Tomorrow

Bad Health

No Access to Doctors Poor Nutrition

Poor School Attendance


Low Skills

Progresa: The Program

• Problem: An intergenerational cycle of poverty• Education, health, nutrition

• Progresa: Conditional cash transfer program, began in 1997 • Send your kids to school, get them to the health clinic for regular health

checkups, and you get $$ and food.• $50-65 per month (USD) -- up to $160 per family• Money is given to the mother



No Access to Doctors


Bad Health

Poor Nutrition




Bad Health

Poor Nutrition


Research

ActionTheory

But does it work that way?


Progresa: The Evaluation

• Randomized evaluation conducted by the International Food Policy Research Institute

• Randomized at the community level. Control group received the “treatment” 18 months later.

• Children in “treated” communities did better• 20% school enrollment increase for girls, 10% increase for boys• 12% less illness for children under 5• Less malnutrition and stunted growth for children under 3.• Families spent 13% more on food, and ate a healthier diet.


Progresa: Some Questions

• What effect do you think the results of the Progresa evaluation had?• What would have happened if the Progresa evaluation had showed no effect?

• Could there have been any negative effects from doing an evaluation?

• What programs in the US are randomized?

• Is it ethical to randomize social programs?


For Next Class

• Watch the first 15 minutes of a TED talk. See syllabus and my website.

• Also, there is an article about Progresa posted on my website if you are interested.

• All course info will be available on my website:• http://dornsife.usc.edu/graham



ir 211: approaches to research benjamin graham · required materials • no textbook. •...

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