400001 SE SE Methods for Doctoral Candidates (2015S)

This course cover two distinct but related topics: survey design and survey analysis.

The main aim of the first part of the course is to familiarise students with the main challenges concerning designing surveys. The focus will be on questionnaire design, but we will also discuss sampling issues and survey modes (online, face-to-face and telephone). At the end of the course, students will be able to critique existing survey designs as well as take first steps in designing their own surveys.

The central aim of the second part of the course is to take some first steps in analysis survey data. We will cover the descriptive analysis of single variables using tables and graphs and simple bivariate analyses including linear regression. We will also discuss issues of weighting and of combing variables.

This course is aimed at students who want to make use of surveys in their dissertation but have so far not acquired the methodological skills to do so. It is an ideal first class for people with an interest in quantitative analysis and who want to build on this interest.

The class will use STATA. No previous knowledge is required, but a willingness to familiarise yourself with this programme is essential.