1. CLASS DESCRIPTION: This course deals with the definition, collection and analysis of geographic data. The course surveys both quantitative and qualitative methodologies of research and introduces the application of the scientific method to spatially defined problems. Given that the course is offered on a 1-5 hour sliding scale, students will, at the minimum, be exposed to a basic core of inquiry derived from the course structure provided below. Beyond this, the work of the student will be focused on a subjective plan of accomplishment focused around the information presented in the core component of the courses' curriculum. The subjective component of this course will be formulated around a student research proposal and discussed aurally with the professor.
2. COURSE OUTCOMES:
The following outcomes are a result of the completion of this
course.
1. Students will become familiar with the general structure of
geographic research methods.
2. Students will understand the development of geographic problems.
3. Students will understand the application of qualitative and
quantitative analysis of field data.
4. Students will be able to synthesize themes from professional
research.
5 Students will be exposed to methods and skills used by geographers
to investigate spatial issues.
6. Students will be able to practically apply the concepts in
the course to a personal perspective.
3. THE CORE COMPONENT
OF THIS COURSE WILL COVER
1. An Introduction to the nature of geographic research
2. An overview of research design
3. Acquisition of data
4. Analysis of data
5. Developing reports and the products of research
4. THE SUBJECTIVE COMPONENT
OF THIS COURSE WILL COVER
1. The establishment of a subjective
research proposal
2. The formulation of a compiled data in report form
3. The analysis of the data
4. The evaluation of research themes
5. TEXTS AND MATERIALS:
1. Introduction to Scientific
Research, fourth edition
by: L. Haring, J. Lounsbury, J. Frazier McGraw Hill.
2. The Scientific Method, Norman Edmund, Edmund Scientific
6.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Students are expected to exhibit appropriate academic behavior
and motivation. Students are expected to follow and complete the
assignments associated with each unit of reading.
Four Units of inquiry have been developed around
the text and ancillaries associated with this text. (These are
listed in the Calendar below.) These units will be completed by
all students enrolled in the class for a minimum of 1 hour of
the total credit ultimately to awarded to the student upon completion
of the course. Beyond this core curriculum the student will develop
a report (not a research paper) derived by a prescribed and instructor-directed
inquiry. The focus of this work will be themematic and should
strongly relate to the essence of the core components of this
class. This study will be precluded with an instructor-approved
formal proposal.
7. COURSE PROCEDURES
PLEASE READ
Assignment
Protocol For All Assignments in Geography
Procedures:
A. Pre read each of the
four unit reading from the text(s). Make notes, and look for questions
defined within the chapter that you have that the chapter might
answer for you. That is, in your pre reading consider sections
of the text that might formulate as a good question that you can
come back later to and investigate further. You should be able to get no less than three developed
questions from each chapter in this manner. Type these three questions
out....or write them out. Answer these question when you read
the unit in earnest.
B. Look over the Assignment Overview materials for the unit you
are working on. These are questions developed for the reading
which you must answer in essay form for the course.
C. Read the chapter from the text(s) in earnest.
D. Complete the unit assignment by copying and pasting into an assignment sheet:
FIRST: The three questions
you derived from your reading along with the the answers you formulated
from the reading.
NEXT: The questions from the course and your answers to each question.
Produce the above in
a word processing document (or typed) and send it via ground mail
to the distance education office. REMEMBER TO KEEP A COPY OF THE
FILE FOR RECORDS AS WELL.
E. COURSE REPORT: Grades for
this course will be derived from responses to both the core curriculum
and course report. All students will complete both.
F. Please, NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS.
This course satisfies the EOU UWR. Students will complete research in the form of a paper and oral presentation. Following after a scientific and technical writing model, students will produce writing during the duration of the course totaling a minimum of 3000 words. This total will reflect the work of drafts, in-class writing, informal and finished papers. Additionally an oral presentation will be required which overviews the finished written product.
The student will access a wide variety of sources such journal articles, internet sites, and field interviews, incorporating these sources into the paper with proper citations and bibliography.
Writing products will be produced as drafts, revised and edited by students and the instructor. Additional writing and research assistance is available from the EOU Writing Lab. Tap here to access the Writing Lab.
In order to satisfy the UWR requirement the course must be passed with a C- or better.
Note: Due to the research nature of this course, over 60% of the final grade will be derived from writing assignments.
| WEEK OF: DUE DATES: Assignments due through the week of.. (no later than the Friday of the following weeks) |
CHAPTER | FIND ASSIGNMENTS ON THE LINKS BELOW |
| 1, 2, | 1. The Nature of Scientific Research
/ Haring et.al. 1b. Review the Edmunds pamphlet |
|
| 2. Defining Geographic Problems | ||
| 3. Formulation of Research Design | ||
| 3,4, | 4. Acquisitions of Relevant Data | UNIT
2 Sources of Relevant Data Proposals Due |
| 5. Data Generation by Survey Research | ||
| 5, | 6. Analysis of Data | UNIT 3 Quantitative Surveys |
| 6, | 7. Automation in Geographic Research | UNIT
4 Technology Applications |
| 7,8, | 8. Writing Geographic Research Reports | UNIT
5 Report Development |
| 9 | Reports due no later than 3 June | Report Due |
8. POINTS: Grades in this course will be based on the following POINTS:
9. LETTER GRADES: are based on the following percentage
scale: 90 and above A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, 60-69, D.....below 60....
10. SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY
For questions regarding scholarship please refer to the EOU student
guide. This guide discusses dishonesty....copying answers off
of another person's test, plagiarism etc. My comments on this:
If you are not into policies, consider your heart in this matter....and
if you have no heart.....consider your pocketbook. These behaviours
are nothing less analogous to deliberately spilling gas on the
ground when you fill your car. It's a waste of energy, a waste
of money, and a misuse of a resource.
11. DROPPING THE COURSE
Drop day information can be found in the Class Schedule published
by the University. Talk to me before you drop.
12. DISABILITIES
Do you need some special help with
regard to accessibility or some other issue regarding your learning
performance? Please talk to me. We can work it out. (The Beatles,
ca 1960).
Dear Students,
Howdy. It is my responsibility to try and challenge
you to think about the substance of this course. Be assured that
this experience is not a contest between you and I. What I hope
for is that I can facilitate your consideration of the world around
in context of a spatial paradigm. I hope some years from now when,
by chance I see you at Denny's, you will still be thinking about
life from a geographic perspective. Jowett, the translator of
Plato's works once asked, "Can geography be taught so as
to make students think?" I enjoy this subject and I hope
that in this course I can present it to you with integrity and
an appropriate amount of verve. I can honestly say from my heart,
I appreciate the opportunity to teach here at EOU and to have
you as my students. Please feel free to contact me by phone if
you have questions. Thank you for taking this course.
PLEASE:
a. Send things in on time.
b. Do not send attachments to emails
c. Call me on the phone with long lengthy questions or send me
an email with your tele number.
d. Call me on the phone anyway...I disdain texting, I was born
with vocal chords and chances are you were also.
e. ALL EMAILS Will BE ADDRESSED with a salutation and YOUR NAME.
Also somewhere in the subject or somewhere in the body of the
email YOU WILL PLACE the class you are in. NO NAME, and or no
class...NO REPLY. I have no idea who you are without this information.
c. Extra credit comes in the form or extra effort, not contrived
means to increase a grade. This is an upper level division class
and I will only entertain upper level questions and comments...anything
else is embarrassing to me as well as you.
d. My grades are fair and are not up for negotiation.
INSTRUCTOR CONTACT: My
office is Zabel 227. E-MAIL me at on internet at: mmustoe@eou.edu.
Telephone 541 WOodland-2 3502. Office Hours: 1530 -1630 Pacific Time, or
by appointment. About
Me
NOTE ON E-MAILS: I can only
receive e-mails for accounts that are listed as @eou.edu. If you
have some other domain name you must notify me in writing or by
phone so I can make the necessary modifications to me e-mail utility
so as to be able to receive your messages.
Ancillaries:
Please feel free to contact me at my
office if you have questions about the substance of the course.
Please consider restraint in grade negotiations with me. The reason
for this is rooted in my subjective epistomological outlook on
judgment. I can only assure you that I make every attempt at being
fair and that you will learn....something.