Overview: Graduate degrees are granted when a person has mastered some body of knowledge and demonstrated an ability to add to it. This course addresses the design, and (to a lesser extent) the conduct and presentation of geographic research. Broadly, we will examine the research process so that you may better formulate, design and execute the research component of your degree program. This will involve readings and discussion of issues and methods employed in geographic research. (See this semester's sylabus.) Particular attention will fall on the methods and style in your sub-discipline. Several team projects may be undertaken to experiment with common methods. Weekly assignments will encourage you to examine the research questions and methods in your sub-discipline and provide practice in presenting and critiquing proposals. One specific expectation is the development of your research proposal.
Course goals:
Course Requirements: The main requirement is engagement in learning about the design of research in your sub-discipline. We can not tell exactly where this seminar will lead each of us nor what tasks we will undertake to get there. The following components will be weighed approximately equally in determining grades.
Texts:
National Research Council. 1997. Rediscovering Geography: New Relevance for Science and Society. National Academy Press. Washington, DC.
Krathwohl, David R., 1988. How to Prepare a Research Proposal: Guidelines for Funding and Dissertations in the Social and Behavioral Sciences (Third edition). Syracuse University Press.
Other Readings: We will make use of a number of readings from sources other than the text. Assigned readings will be made available on reserve as much as possible.
A partial list of other materials that you may find useful includes:
www2.hawaii.edu/~matt/ (and links)
L. Lloyd Haring and John F. Lounsbury. 1983 Introduction to Scientific Geographic Research(3rd or current edition). Wm. C. Brown, Debuque, Iowa.
Harvey, David, 1969, Explanation in Geography, Edward Arnold.
Balian, Edward S., 1987, How to Design, Analyze and Write Doctoral or Masters Theses, University Press of America, New York.
Ohio Geographers, vol 14, 1986. "Toward a Second Century: Research Needs and Funding Opportunities in American Geography: Conference Proceedings; September 6 & 7, 1985."
Chamberlain, T.C., 1965, "The Method of Multiple Working Hypotheses", Science, vol. 148, 7 May 1965.
Behiling, John H., 1984, Guidelines for Preparing the Research Proposal, University Press of America, New York.
Plotnik, A., 1982, The Elements of Editing, MacMillan, New York.
Turabian, Kate, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations, University of Chicago Press.