MB561:
Introduction to Research Design (4 units)
Elizabeth “Betsy” Glanville,
Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Leadership, Director of Doctoral Studies
Fall 2004 Pasadena
DESCRIPTION:
This course is
available to all who are interested in missiological research, but is designed
primarily to equip School of Intercultural Studies doctoral students to
prepare, critique, and implement a missiological Program Design appropriate for
their doctoral studies. Missiology is multidisciplinary and integrative of the cognate
disciplines within the field broadly including theology, history, the growth of
the Church and the social sciences. This course introduces students to research
design appropriate for missiological study. It also serves as an introduction
to the SIS doctoral program, and enables students to develop a research design
that is both flexible and focused while providing a tool for communicating
effectively with a student’s mentor and guidance committee. Benefits include
understanding how to search and critique the literature, methodological
approaches, and proposal writing.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
• Gain an
understanding of the research design process and the theory behind it.
• Be able to apply this understanding to writing a defendable Program Design.
• Utilize the resulting Program Design to accomplish the research and writing
appropriate to Doctoral Studies.
COURSE FORMAT:
• Students should sign up with
the Director for Doctoral Studies BY AUGUST 15.
• The course will be taught using an intensive one and one-half week (9 day)
format Sept. 7-15, 2004. Three post-course seminars during the Fall term
(October 1, 15, and 29, from 9:00 AM to noon) will enhance the application of
course skills to writing a Program Design Paper to present to a mentor and
guidance committee.
REQUIRED READING:
Booth, C. W., Colomb, and Williams, The Craft of
Research. U. Chicago, 1995 (Read before coming to class)
Elliston, E. J., Introduction to
Missiological Research. Unpub. mss.
Hope Univ. 1997 (Read before class)
Madsen, D., Successful Dissertations
and Theses: A Guide to Graduate Student Research from Proposal to
Completion. Jossey-Bass. 1992 or latest edition. (Read after intensive
course is over)
SIS Writing Manual, Latest edition, FTS/SIS, 2000 (or latest edition)
(In-course)
RECOMMENDED READING:
Babbie, E. The Practice of
Social Research. Wadsworth, 1997
Isaac and Michael, Handbook in Research and Evaluation. Edits
Publishers, 1995 or latest edition.
ASSIGNMENTS:
Booth et. al.
and Elliston need to be read before class begins. Each student must bring a
one-page review for each of these two books to the first class meeting as well
as the Research Design Worksheet received when you signed up for the course. Each review
should include a discussion of the main intent of the author and students’
critique/response as they anticipate doctoral research. Assignments during the
classroom time will consist of processing the steps necessary to make an oral
presentation of a basic research design on the last day of the class. The final
project will be due on Nov. 7, 2004. Students will be able to apply this
Program Design Paper to more effective interaction with a mentor and guidance
committee. The concepts developed in this paper will provide a guide for
research and writing throughout the doctoral studies program.
PREREQUISITE: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM:
Elective for M.A./Th.M
students. Required for all SIS Doctoral
students. This course is not a specific research methods course and thus may
not be used to meet “research methods” requirements in the doctoral studies
program. Students are not permitted to audit this course.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.