PP 482 - Advanced Quantitative Research Methods

Regression analysis is a universal tool in social science research; it appears in every-day TV news, on the radio, in the scientific literature… But, what exactly is a regression? What exactly does it do and how does it do it? What is it good for? This course is an introduction to social science research through the lenses of regression analysis in plain English. One key goal of this course is to equip students with sound statistical understanding—one that will help them identify the uses and abuses of statistical reasoning. It will also cultivate rigorous critical judgment for evaluating quantitative studies of real-world political, economic, and social problems. Interestingly, the course uses a unique statistical visualization format, such that students are able to “see with their own eyes” (above and beyond equations) what’s statistics and regression analysis all about. In summary, this course offers a great opportunity to students to finally nail down a critical set of statistical and analytical skills they will continue to apply for the rest of their academic and professional lives.
Units: 4
Pre-requisite: PP 481 or INST 481
Course Type: Seminar