Objectives and competences
1. To achieve familarity with scientific approach in social sciences,
2. To develop the ability to use multivariate methods in decision-making processes in an organization,
3. To develop the ability to design a research,
4. To develop ability to interpret and present of obtained research results,
5. To develop the ability to use computer tools for statistical data analysis.
Content (Syllabus outline)
METODOLOGY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
- Quantitative and qualitative social research
- Measurement and quality of measurement
- Planning research. Research questions formulation
- Data collection: survey designs, sampling, data preparation
- Data analysis and presentation
MULTIVARIATE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
- Overview of needed terms of statistics and linear algebra
- Multivariate data: properties, representation
- analysis of variance
- Multiple correlation
- Multiple regression
- Discriminant analysis
- Principal Component Analysis and Factor Analysis
- Cluster analysis
Learning and teaching methods
• Lectures,
• Presentation of current research problems and finding their solutions arising from social and natural phenomena
• Analysis of univariate and multivariate data using program SPSS
• e-learning
Intended learning outcomes - knowledge and understanding
Students will:
• be able to understand the fundamental concepts of planning and conduction of research as well as research analysis,
• be able to design a research (structure and sample size, design of a questionnaire,…) and conduct the research,
• be able to understand fundamental concepts of multivariate statistical analysis and to use them properly on real data analyses,
• be able to understand and to propose the research questions and required research frameworks,
• be able to correctly interpret the obtained results of the analyses and research.
Intended learning outcomes - transferable/key skills and other attributes
- formulation of research question, determination of sample, design of survey,
- interpretation and presentation of obtained research results,
- application of basic methods of multivariate statistical analysis for the study of social and natural phenomena,
- application of program SPSS.
Readings
- A. Field: Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics : and sex and drugs and rock 'n' roll, Los Angeles, SAGE, 2014, 4.ed.
- J. Jesenko: Multivariatne statistične metode, Moderna organizacija, Kranj 2007
- A.G. Fink: How to conduct surveys: A step-by-step guide, SAGE publications, London, 2009
- M. Knežević, A. Ferligoj, S. Flere: Osnove metodologije in statistike, Grafis Trade, Grosuplje 2010
- J. Curwin and R. Slater: Quantitative methods for business decisions, Thomson Learning, 2008
- A. Žnidaršič, J.Jerebic: Družboslovno raziskovanje in multivariatne statistične metode, v pripravi
- A.Žnidaršič: Vodnik po SPSS-u, Elektronsko študijsko gradivo, dostopno v spletni učilnici Moodle.
Additional information on implementation and assessment Research working paper 50 %
Presentation of the research paper 10 %
Oral exam 40 %