Goals: to provide future practicing anthropologists with ...



QUANTITATIVE APPROACHES TO APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY(ANTH 630)Michael PaolissoSpring Semester 2012Associate ProfessorWednesday 6:00-8:40pmDepartment of AnthropologyWoods Hall 0104 and Computer Lab 4, LeFrak 0234 Office Hours: Wednesday 11:00-1:00pm and by appointment Woods Hall 0131 Telephone 301-405-1433. Email: mpaoliss@umd.edu.Course OverviewIn developing this course, I have tried to imagine what a graduate student in applied anthropology would need to know to use quantitative and statistical methods. With this in mind, my goals for the class are:To provide students with an understanding of why, when and how one should quantify cultural and socio-economic information;To provide students with a basic foundation in sufficient enough for students to participate in quantitative research, whether it be designing and implementing surveys or reviewing and interpreting existing quantitative data;To help students achieve a level of professional comfort with the basics of statistical theory and methods, which includes knowing when and where to seek the assistance of professionals with specialized and expert knowledge; and finally,To focus on the anthropological use of quantitative data and analysis, emphasizing how our holistic and ethnographic orientations affect our use of quantitative and statistical methods, particularly in applied settings.The course will use lectures, case studies, hands-on use of SPSS, homework assignments and exams to help students learn the concepts and methods underlying the use of quantitative and statistical approaches in anthropology.Required Readings Field, Andy (F) 2009Discovering Statistics: Using SPSS for Windows. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. 3rd Edition.Salkind, Neil J. (S)2011Statistics for People Who (Think They) Hate Statistics. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. 4th Edition.Additional course materials will be posted on Blackboard (elms.umd.edu)Class SchedulePart 1: Quantification, SPSS, Descriptive Statistics and ProbabilityLecture No. and Dates1. Jan 25Quantification and Statistics in Anthropology; Samples, Populations and VariablesReading: S: 1; F: Preface, pgs. 1-182. Feb 1Measurement, Validity and Reliability, and Using SPSS Reading: S: 6, Appendix A; F: 33. Feb 8Describing Variables, Distributions and CrosstabsReading: S: 2, 3; F: pgs. 18-24 4. Feb 15Graphing DataReading: S: 4; F: 45. Feb 22Questionnaires and SurveyReadings: S: 21 Selected materials posted on Blackboard6. Feb 29 Probability and Hypothesis Testing Reading: S: 7, 87. Mar 7Probability and Testing Significance Readings: S: 9; F: 2, 5Selected materials posted on BlackboardPart 2: Inferential Statistics and Multivariate Analysis8. Mar 14Analyses of Differences (Nonparametric)Readings: S: 17; F: 18Selected materials posted on Blackboard[note: we meet in Lab 3]March 19-23Spring BreakMar 28IN-CLASS FIRST EXAM 9. Apr 4Analyses of Differences (T-test)Reading: S: 11, 12; F: 9Selected materials posted on Blackboard10. Apr 11Analyses of Differences (ANOVA)Reading: S: 13, 14; F: 10Selected materials posted on Blackboard[note: we meet in Lab 3]11. Apr 18Analyses of Relationships: CorrelationsReading: S: 5, 15; F: 6Selected materials posted on Blackboard12. Apr 25 Analysis of Relationships: Simple Linear and Multiple RegressionReading: S: 16 ; F: 7Selected materials posted on Blackboard13. May 2Team Presentations of Quantitative FindingsMay 9 IN-CLASS SECOND EXAM (and possible further discussion of research project findings) May 16Final Quantitative Reports DueGrades The final grade will be based on the following:Research Project 50%First Exam (multiple choice and yes/no questions) 25%Second Exam (multiple choice and yes/no questions) 25%Research ProjectStudents will complete a team research project. The focus of this team research will be student schoolwork and how students use campus libraries. This topic is a continuation of an ethnographic study completed by graduate students in my Methods in Cultural Analysis course (ANTH606) this past fall semester. The students produced an ethnography that will provide us with a number of research themes and topics, within the broader focus on schoolwork and libraries. (Note, eight students enrolled in this class were part of this student ethnography, and they will be very helpful in assisting other students to understand this background research.) As was the case last semester, this will be an evolving research project, and I will work with students to develop their research protocols, collect their data, complete their statistical analyses, and interpret their data. The results of this quantitative research will be shared with campus administrators and faculty who are developing plans to redesign McKeldin Library.At this point, I can envision the following steps in the research project, all subject to adjustment as the research situation requires. 1) Divide into four teams, with each team having two individuals who were involved in the qualitative ethnography.2) Identification of the qualitative themes in the library ethnography that will be converted into quantitative variables.3) Develop a questionnaire and sampling strategy to collect data on identified variables, complete data collection, and enter data into SPSS.4) Complete descriptive statistical analyses, including the use of tables and graphs.5) Complete Inferential and multivariate analyses of data6) Write and present results7) Package results into a quantitative ethnography. A tentative schedule for this project is the following:Identification of qualitative themes by Feb. 15thDevelop questionnaire by Feb. 29thCollect and enter data, and complete descriptive statistical analysis by April 4thComplete inferential and multivariate analysis by May 2nd; Present initial findings to class.Final report due May 16th.Special NeedsIf any student has any special study or test-taking needs (e.g., test anxiety, dyslexia, poor vision or hearing, special seating requirements, etc.), please let me know as soon as possible so that we can make your participation in this course a rewarding one. In addition, I will gladly make students aware of special services/facilities on this campus that might be of assistance in the course of your studies here at UMCP. ................
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