6 ECTS credits
150 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 1021441CER for all students in the 2nd semester
at
a (C) Bachelor - specialised level.
- Semester
- 2nd semester
- Enrollment based on exam contract
- Possible
- Grading method
- Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
- Can retake in second session
- Yes
- Enrollment Requirements
- Students who want to enroll for this course, must have passed ‘Quantative research methods' and must have obtained at least 30 ECTS-credits on bachelor level.
- Taught in
- English
- Partnership Agreement
- Under interuniversity agreement for degree program
- Faculty
- Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool
- Department
- Sociology
- External partners
- Universiteit Gent
- Educational team
- Jannick Demanet
(course titular)
- Activities and contact hours
-
39 contact hours Lecture
111 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
- Course Content
This main objective of this methodological course is to introduce students to a number of multivariate techniques most commonly used in the social sciences. As such, this course builds on the knowledge and skills acquired in the educational components ‘Statistics for the Social Sciences’ (1BA) and ‘Quantitative Research Methods’ (2BA). While some attention is spent on the statistical-mathematical background of these techniques, there is a special emphasis on the practical application of the techniques, so that, upon completion of the course, the students have the competences to choose among the discussed techniques the correct one(s) to tackle complex social science research questions, to perform the chosen technique(s) adequately, and to interpret the results in a sound manner.
Specifically, the course deals with four groups of techniques
- Exploratory Factor Analysis and Principal Components Analysis (PCA);
- Cluster analysis
- Analyses of Variance (ANOVA) and CoVariance (ANCOVA), Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA);
- Path Models and Mediation Analysis; Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM).
For every method, lectures where the method is introduced are followed by laboratory sessions, in which students are trained in hands-on exercises using statistical computer software (e.g., SPSS and AMOS).
- Course material
- Digital course material (Required) : Reader - to be communicated at start of the course
- Additional info
Didactic forms
- Interactive lectures with class discussions, peer-to-peer learning;
- E-learning;
- Micro-teaching;
- Seminar with guided PC-exercises;
- Guided self-study
- Learning Outcomes
-
General Competences
Upon completion of this course, students will have learned the following competencies
- To explain in their own words the basic principles of each of the taught techniques in multivariate data analysis
- To understand, interpret, and critically assess published results of advanced statistical techniques in social science literature
- To make a responsible choice between advanced research techniques to answer complex research questions
- To test the assumptions and discuss the limitations of advanced research techniques
- To design and carry out adequately advanced statistical analyses on social science data
- To interpret and report the results of complex statistical analyses properly
More generally, the course addresses the following program learning objectives:
- L07: knows the methods of data selection, management and analysis that prevail within the domains of the social sciences.
- LO10: can critically position their research against the theories that prevail in the international social sciences literature, including recent developments and innovations in these literatures
- LO11: can, independently, identify, gather and critically process relevant sources and literature on a specific social sciences research topic.
- LO12: can, with limited supervision, apply social theories and concepts to a well-delineated, socially and scientifically relevant research topic in the domain of the social sciences.
- LO13: can, with limited supervision, formulate a valid scientific research question on a social sciences research topic.
- LO14: can, with limited supervision, set up a scientific and methodologically correct research design to answer a research question in the domain of the social sciences.
- LO15: can, with limited supervision, perform the necessary methodological steps (data selection, processing and management, and analysis) to answer a research question on a social sciences research topic.
- LO16: can report, independently, on their research in both oral and written form.
- LO17: can work in team and collaborate with peers in a relationship of mutual respect.
- LO18: can reflect on and evaluate their learning process and research and can deal with criticism in a constructive manner.
- LO19: treats the intellectual property of others with respect and integrity
- Grading
-
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Other Exam determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
- Lab Reports
with a relative weight of 50
which comprises 50% of the final mark.
- Individual Technical Paper
with a relative weight of 50
which comprises 50% of the final mark.
- Additional info regarding evaluation
Formative evaluation
The formative evaluation of this course is composed of two kinds of assignments.
First, throughout the semester, students will work together in small groups on lab reports.
Specifically, students will collaborate on three lab reports
- Exploratory Factor Analysis and PCA
- Cluster Analysis
- ANCOVA, MANOVA
These lab reports comprise 50% of the final grade.
Second, students will write an individual technical paper in which they apply Mediation analysis and Structural Equation Models to a social science research question. This individual assignment comprises 50% of the final grade.
Only this individual assignment can be retaken for the second examination period, lab reports can thus not be handed in for the second examination period, and their grades will be taken over from the first examination.
Summative evaluation
There is no exam for this course.
- Allowed unsatisfactory mark
- The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.
Academic context
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Communication Studies
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Political Sciences
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Sociology