Interdisciplinary Methods Exchange: A Joint-Class Guest Speaker Workshop

Abstract

This workshop brings scholars in the social sciences together for a 10-week “Interdisciplinary Research Methods Exchange.” Scholars speak to a group of social science undergraduate majors about their current and prior research, highlighting their background, education, methodological challenges, and successes. A series of short writing assignments and...

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Details

Subject Area(s):

Capstone Courses, Qualitative Methodology, Quantitative Methodology, Research Methods, Statistics

Resource Type(s):

Assignment, Class Activity, Syllabus

Class Level(s):

College 200, College 300, College 400

Class Size(s):

Large, Medium

Usage Notes

This interdisciplinary workshop, when offered in a format that combines two or more social science classes, provides a unique opportunity for students to engage with diverse theoretical and methodological perspectives beyond their own disciplines. By combining classes across the social sciences, the workshop series allows students to engage in...

Learning Goals and Assessments

Learning Goal(s):

1. Understand different research methods and research processes in the social sciences and explain why they are important.
2. Identify common obstacles in social science research and discuss potential solutions to overcome them.
3. Communicate how social science research is useful in addressing real-world problems.
4. Explain ethical and practical concerns in social science research

Goal Assessment(s):

1. Students are assessed through weekly writing assignments in which students are expected to reflect on what they have learned from the guest speaker in connection to course reading material and instructor lectures.
2. Students are assessed through research methods assignments in which they apply information shared from the guest speaker and additional readings and lectures to demonstrate an understanding of the research process.
3. Students are assessed through a short one-time infographic presentation on a research method. This presentation assignment is designed to help students build presentation skills and share what they have learned from the guest lecture.