Course List

This course explores how to use surveys to make inferences in the social sciences. A broad view is taken by starting with discussion about the relationship between theory and empirical research design. This includes some coverage of the place of experimental and non-experimental research in the social sciences. Then, after a brief discussion of the history of survey research, the focus turns to the key elements of surveys: sampling, measurement, and inference. The course also covers ongoing debates about probability and non-probability samples and how to evaluate the credibility of contemporary survey research.