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Unit of study_

SSPS6001: Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences

Quantitative methods are vital to social science. This unit introduces students to commonly used techniques for collecting and analysing numerical data to answer empirical questions about social, cultural, and political phenomena. It addresses the description of data with graphs and tables, descriptive statistics, statistical models, hypothesis testing, and other topics. The unit is appropriate for beginners, who will gain perspective and confidence conducting their own quantitative research and critically understanding that of others. It is taught in a computer lab, giving students practical experience with statistical software.

Code SSPS6001
Academic unit Sociology and Criminology
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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None
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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None

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Obtain a general grounding in the basic principles of quantitative research in the social sciences.
  • LO2. Achieve competence in the graphical and tabular presentation of quantitative social science data.
  • LO3. Achieve competence in analyzing social science data using linear statistical models.
  • LO4. Achieve confidence in reading and evaluating statistical claims made in published social science results.
  • LO5. Become familiar with basic principles of statistical programming.