School of Science and Technology Environmental Science and Policy. EVSP500 Research Methods for Environmental Science and Policy

Transcription

1 School of Science and Technology Environmental Science and Policy EVSP500 Methods for Environmental Science and Policy 3 Credit Hours Length of Course: 8 Weeks Prerequisite(s): None Instructor Information Course Description Course Scope Course Objectives Course Delivery Method Course Materials Evaluation Procedures Grading Scale Course Outline Policies Academic Services Selected Bibliography Instructor Information Instructor: Office Hours: Course Description (Catalog) This course in research methods prepares the student to understand materials and issues associated with but not limited to the logic of the scientific method, research design, and qualitative and statistical analysis of data. Students will be afforded the opportunity to conduct research on a current global issue. The course is intended to provide a foundation from which the student may use the knowledge and practices gained in this course throughout the rest of their graduate program. 1

2 Course Scope This course of study will take the student through the various steps of a traditional research design. The student will select a specific and appropriate research topic on a current global issue which will be approved by the instructor. With the approved topic, the student will begin to acquire the basic information and tools in order to complete a research proposal. By accomplishing exercises, the student will gather information, assess materials, and analyze data. This will result in the submission of a final research proposal. Course Objectives Learning Objectives: LO-1: Demonstrate proficiency in the use of selected research methods and tools. LO-2: Describe and examine the scientific method. LO-4: Evaluate data and critically assess research LO-5: Judge the usefulness of various research approaches: content analysis, survey and field research, quantitative and qualitative case studies. LO-6: Show graduate level critical thinking and writing. LO-7: Create a Proposal Course Delivery Method This masters-level course will offer the student a highly interactive virtual classroom. Each week s lesson will have a course announcement, assigned readings, a forum board assignment based on either course readings or an internet-based project, and lesson notes provided by the instructor. The course will provide the student with the necessary knowledge of research methods and on-line research tools to develop a hypothesis, collect data, and draw a conclusion that will advance the students knowledge skills in the selected field of study. Since the student is expected to fully participate in discussions, interact with the instructor and other students, and complete the various steps of a research design, reading assignments and assigned projects should be completed in a timely manner. 2

3 Course Materials Required Readings: Creswell, J.W. (2009). design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (3 rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Student Website available online at Creswell (Your textbook) Chapter Lecture Notes available in the eclassroom under Course Materials Weekly Lecture notes for each week are available in the eclassroom under Course Materials Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6 th ed.). (2009). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association. APUS Library APA Style Manual: APA Reference Guidelines are available in the eclassroom under Course Materials Additional APA Web Resources are available in the eclassroom under Course Materials Additional Readings: Bird, S.J. (2006) ethics, research integrity and the responsible conduct of research. Science and Engineering Ethics, 12(3), Busch, C., De Maret, P.S., Flynn, T., Kellum, R., Le, S., Meyers, B., Saunders, M., White, R and Palmquist, M. (2005). Content analysis writing@csu. Colorado State University Department of English. Retrieved June 18, 2010 from CNA. (2007) National security and the threat of climate change. Retrieved June 18, 2010 from Daley, B., P.Griggs, and H. Marsh. (2008). Reconstructing reefs: Qualitative research and environmental history of the Green Barrier Reef, Australia. Qualitative 8(5): Hall, J.A. and E. Fleishman. (2010) Demonstration as a means to translate conservation science into practice. Conservation Biology 24(1): IPCC. (2007). Climate change 2007: Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Summary for Policymakers. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, Retrieved June 18, 2010 from Jackson, G., Adrianna, K. Maria, K., de las Alas, N. (2006). Preparing scholarly reviews of the literature: A webtorial. Graduate School of Education and Human Development at the George Washington University. Retrieved June 18, 2010 from 3

4 Kuepper, G.J. (2008). Disaster management is planet management: Facts, challenges, and forecast for Journal of Rescue and Disaster Management 7(2). Retrieved June 18, 2010 from 2_16/article/disaster_management_is_planet_management_facts_challenges_and_forecast_for_2008.html. Parris, K.M. et al. (2010) Assessing ethical trade-offs in ecological field studies. Journal of Applied Ecology 47(1): Pressey, R.L. and M.C. Bottrill. (2009). Approaches to landscape- and seascape-scale conservation planning: Convergence, contrasts, and challenges. Oryx 43(4): Pole, K. (2007). Mixed method designs: A review of strategies for blending quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Mid-Western Educational er, 20(4), Evaluation Procedures Grades for this course are based upon classroom participation and the following grading instruments: GRADE INSTRUMENTS: Points % of Final Grade Forums (7)/Classroom Participation 70 7% Weekly Content Review Quizzes (6) 30 3% Assignments (below) % 1:On-line Library Exercise 50 2: Hypothesis Exercise 150 3: Literature Review 200 5: Content Analysis 100 6: Data Collection Exercise 100 8: Final Proposal % Grading Scale Please see the student handbook to reference the University s grading scale 4

5 Course Outline Week Topic(s) Learning Objective(s) Reading(s) Assignment(s) 1 Basic Concepts of LO-1: Demonstrate proficiency in the use of selected research methods and tools. Required Reading: Preface & Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4 Creswell Required Reading: Chapters 5, 6, 7 Creswell Week 1 Forum: Virtual & Topic Introduction Week 1 Assignments: Online Library Exercise Week 1 Quiz Week 2 Forum: Topic Selection 2 Design I: Hypothesis Construction LO-2: Describe and examine the scientific method. Additional Readings: Jackson, G., Kezar, A., Kozi, M., and de las Alas, N. (2006). Preparing scholarly reviews of the literature: A webtorial. Washington, DC: Graduate School of Education and Human Development at the George Washington University. Retrieved June 18, 2010 from Bird, S. (2006). ethics, research integrity and the responsible conduct of research. Science and Engineering Ethics, 12(3), CNA. (2007). National security and the threat of climate change. Retrieved June 18, 2010 from al.pdf. IPCC, (2007). Climate change 2007: Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, Retrieved June 18, 2010 from spm.pdf. Week 2 Assignments: Hypothesis Exercise Week 2 Quiz 5

6 LO-2: Describe and examine the scientific method. Required Readings: There are no new readings this week. Review Chapters 1-7 Creswell Week 3 Forum: Annotated Bibliography 3 Design II: Literature Review Week 3 Assignments: Literature Review Week 3 Quiz 4 Design continued Review LO-1 LO-2 LO-3 Required Readings: There are no new readings this week. Review Chapters 1-7 Creswell, special emphasis on Chapter 6 Additional Readings: none Week 4 Forum: Purpose Statement No Assignment this week Week 4 Quiz 5 Approach: Content and Comparative LO-5: Judge appropriateness of various research approaches: content analysis, survey and field research, quantitative analysis, and case studies. Required Reading: Chapters 8, 9, 10, Creswell Kuepper, G.J. (2008). Disaster management is planet management: Facts, challenges, and forecast for Journal of Rescue and Disaster Management 7(2). (found under Course Materials) Additional Readings: Busch, C., De Maret, P.S., Flynn, T., Kellum, R., Le, S., Meyers, B., Saunders, M., White, R and Palmquist, M. (2005). Content analysis writing@csu. Colorado State University Department of English. Retrieved June 18, 2010 from Week 5 Forum: Peer Review Process Week 5 Assignments: Content Analysis Exercise Week 5 Quiz 6

7 Required Readings: Review Chapters 8-10 Creswell Parris, K.M. (2010) Assessing ethical trade-offs in ecological field studies. Journal of Applied Ecology 47(1): (found under Course Materials) Hall, J.A. and E. Fleishman. (2010) Demonstration as a means to translate conservation science into practice. Conservation Biology 24(1): (found under Course Materials) Week 6 Forum: Science and advocacy Week6 Assignments: Data Collection Exercise 6 Analysis of Data I LO-4: Evaluate data and demonstrate proficiency in the critical assessment of research Week 6 Quiz LO-5: Judge appropriateness of various research approaches: content analysis, survey and field research, quantitative analysis, and case studies. 7 Approach: Surveys LO-5: Judge appropriateness of various research approaches: content analysis, survey and field research, quantitative analysis, and case studies. Required Readings: Review Chapters 8-10 Creswell Additional Readings (found under Course Materials): These two papers illustrate potential useful research methods for Environmental Science and Policy: Daley, B. et al. (2008). Reconstructing Reefs: Qualitative research and environmental history of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Qualitative 8(5): Pressey, R.L. and M.C. Bottrill. (2009) Approaches to landscape- and seascape-scale conservation planning: Convergence, contrasts, and challenges. Oryx 43(4): Week 7 Forum: Survey No Assignment this week 7

8 8 Proposal Required Readings: Review all Creswell Additional Readings: None Week 8 Forum: Wrap-up Week 8 Assignment: Proposal LO-6: Show graduate level critical thinking and writing. LO-7: Create a Proposal Policies Please see the student handbook to reference all University policies. Quick links to frequently asked questions about policies are listed below. Drop/Withdrawal Policy: Plagiarism Policy: Extension Process and Policy Academic Services ONLINE LIBRARY RESEARCH CENTER & LEARNING RESOURCES The Online Library Resource Center is available to enrolled students and faculty from inside the electronic campus. This is your starting point for access to online books, subscription periodicals, and Web resources that are designed to support your classes and generally not available through search engines on the open Web. In addition, the Center provides access to special learning resources, which the University has contracted to assist with your studies. Questions can be directed to librarian@apus.edu. Charles Town Library and Inter Library Loan: The University maintains a special library with a limited number of supporting volumes, collection of our professors publication, and services to search and borrow research books and articles from other libraries. 8

9 Electronic Books: You can use the online library to uncover and download over 50,000 titles, which have been scanned and made available in electronic format. Electronic Journals: The University provides access to over 12,000 journals, which are available in electronic form and only through limited subscription services. Smarthinking: Students have access to 10 free hours of tutoring service per year through Smarthinking. Tutoring is available in the following subjects: math (basic math through advanced calculus), science (biology, chemistry, and physics), accounting, statistics, economics, Spanish, writing, grammar, and more. Additional information is located in the Online Center. From the ORC home page, click on either the Writing Center or Tutoring Center and then click Smarthinking. All login information is available. Turnitin: Plagiarism Prevention Software: Turnitin is a web-based plagiarism prevention application licensed, for campus use, through the APUS Online Library. The University makes available TurnItIn software to assist students in making proper attributions and avoid plagiarism. Be aware that professors may require Turnitin as part of their grading and evaluation procedures. All students can signup for an APUS student profile. With an APUS student profile, students can submit class assignments, as directed by instructors. Students also can use Turnitin outside of enrolled courses, as a learning tool, uploading and checking their work to avoiding instances of inadvertent plagiarism. Selected Bibliography Blalock, H. M. (1982). Conceptualization and measurement in social sciences. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.. Braude, S. and B.S. Lowe, eds. (2010) An Introduction to Methods and Models in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Cooper, H.M. (1983). Integrating research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Everitt, B.S. and T. Hothorn. (2010). A Handbook of Statistical Analyses using R. Boca Raton: Taylor and Francis Group. Ferson, S. and M. Burgman, eds. (2002) Quantitative Methods for Conservation Biology. New York: Springer-Verlag. Hoover, K. and Donovan, T. (1993). The elements of social scientific thinking. Washington, DC: The Brookings Institution. Jacoby, W.G. (1997). Statistical graphics for univariate and bivariate data. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Katz, M.J. (2009). From research to manuscript: A guide to writing scientific papers. Springer Science. Kinder, D.R. and Palfrey, T.R. (1993). Experimental foundations of political science. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. Trochin, W.M. (1999). The research methods knowledge base. Cincinnati, OH: Atomic Dog Publishing. Watts, S. and L. Halliwell, eds. (1996) Essential Environmental Science: Methods and Techniques. London: Routledge. 9

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