Category Archives: IRWS Courses 2014

Courses during the International Research Workshop 2014

Theoretical and Applied Aspects of Survey Sampling

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Programme of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Dr. Stephanie Eckman (Institute for Employment Research/IAB)

Date: Thursday, 02/10/14 from 09.30-18.00 h

Max. number of participants: 20

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English

Contents:

This course will cover various methods of sample selection, and their advantages and disadvantages. We will also discuss why it is important to analyze survey data using methods that account for its complex design, and how to do in Stata. Students should have had at least previous course in statistics – no prior knowledge of sampling theory is assumed, but students should be comfortable with statistical concepts such as hypothesis testing, variance, standard errors, confidence intervals, etc. In addition, basic knowledge of Stata is required.

You have to register for the 8th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.

Mixed Methods

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Programme of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Udo Kelle & Dr. Elke Goltz (Helmut-Schmidt-University/University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg)

Date: Thursday, 02/10/14 from 09.30-18.00 h

Max. number of participants: 22

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English

Contents:

The course will give an overview about current debates regarding the integration of qualitative and quantitative methods in social research and about the most important (agreed-upon and contested) issues in the field. We will discuss different forms of mixed methods, reasons for using such designs and criteria for the assessment of the quality of designs and findings from mixed methods studies. Since mixed methods designs are used to compensate for specific limitations of qualitative or quantitative (mono)methods special emphasis is laid on problems of qualitative and quantitative research –problems of operationalization and measurement, problems of statistical inference, of generalizability and sampling, of (causal) explanation, theory testing and theory generation, both in qualitative and quantitative research. We will demonstrate how such problems can be detected and dealt with in a mixed methods design. Finally, it will be shown how qualitative and quantitative findings from a mixed methods study can be meaningfully integrated and how convergent, contradictory and complementary findings can be dealt with.

Required basic knowledge: Basic knowledge and skills in social research methods and methodology (qualitative and quantitative) equivalent to the level of a Bachelor degree in a Social Science discipline

You have to register for the 8th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.

Academic Writing

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Programme of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Dirk Siepmann (University of Osnabrück)

Date: Thursday, 02/10/14 from 09.30-18.00 h

Max. number of participants: 20

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English

Contents:

The academic writing seminar comprises four modules:

  1. Word combining
  2. Sentence combining
  3. Academic style
  4. Academic correspondence

You have to register for the 8th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.

Network Analysis

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Programme of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Dr. Per Kropp (Institute for Employment Research/IAB)

Date: Thursday, 02/10/14 from 09.30-18.00 h

Max. number of participants: 20

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English/German (depending on participants)

Contents:

This course will familiarize students with basic concepts in social network analysis and its application. The focus will be on social networks as structure.. We will use the software package Pajek (the book edition: http://vlado.fmf.uni-lj.si/pub/networks/book/esna2.htm) to analyse centrality and prestige in networks, subgroup, and roles and positions.

Recommended literature and pre-readings:

  • De Nooy, W., A. Mrvar, et al. (2011). Exploratory Social Network Analysis with Pajek, Cambridge University Press.
  • Freeman, L. (2011): The Development of Social Network Analysis—with an Emphasis on Recent Events.  In J. Scott and P. J. Carrington (eds.) The SAGE Handbook of Social Network Analysis.London: SAGE Publications.

You have to register for the 8th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.

Introduction to MaxQDA

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Programme of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Heiko Grunenberg (Leuphana University Lueneburg)

Date: Thursday, 02/10/14 from 09.30-18.00 h

Max. number of participants: 20

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English

Contents:

MAXqda is a software to analyze textual data in a qualitative (but also quantitative) way. The course provides a basic introduction into the logic of the program and its broad possibilities. The goal is to enable you to use this tool accordingly to your own method of analysis. For this reason, everybody can practice our working-steps at an own Computer. We will start at the very beginning and learn about the basic features of the program such as preparation and import of texts, basic analysis strategies and creation of codes, memos and variables. After this, we will focus on analysis strategies, simple and complex text retrievals and strategies of mixed-method-designs.

Recommended literature and pre-readings:

Kuckartz., Udo (2014): Qualitative Text Analysis. Methods, Practice, Computer Assistance. London & Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Lewins, Ann/Silver, Christina (2007): Using Software in Qualitative Research: A Step-By-Step Guide. SAGE: London.

You have to register for the 8th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.

Case Study Research

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Programme of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Dr. Kamil Marcinkiewicz (University of Hamburg)

Date: Monday, 29/09/14 – Wednesday, 01/10/14 from 14.30-18.00 h

Max. number of participants: 20

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English

Contents:

The case study research is frequently applied in the social sciences. It is particularly popular among political scientists, especially those specializing in area studies. The ubiquity of the case study research contrasts with the scarcity of theoretical reflection on its core methodological aspects. Also the benefits of comparative analyses are often underestimated. In this course participants will have an opportunity to learn more about what the case study research is, what are its weakness and strengths and how should we go about the core question in designing a case study: selection of cases. The course combines lectures with practical exercises and discussion of students’ projects.

Recommended literature and pre-readings:

  • Gerring, J. (2007). Case Study Research: Principles and Practices (pp. 17-63). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • George, A. L., & Bennett, A. (2005). Case Studies and Theory Development in the Social Sciences (pp. 1-34). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
  • Rueschemeyer, D. (2003). Can One or a Few Cases Yield Theoretical Gains? In J. Mahoney and D. Rueschemeyer (Eds.), Comparative Historical Analysis in the Social Sciences (pp. 305-337) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Hall, P.A. (2008). Systematic Process Analysis: When and How to Use it. European Political Science, 7(3), 304-317.

You have to register for the 8th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.

Structural Equation Modelling with R

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Programme of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Dr. Holger Steinmetz (University of Paderborn)

Date: Monday, 29/09/14 – Wednesday, 01/10/14 from 09.00-12.30 h

Max. number of participants: 20

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English/German (depending on participants)

Contents:

Structural equation models (SEMs) have become a powerful tool in the behavioral sciences to test hypotheses about relationships between variables and implications of causal structures. This workshop offers an introduction to the background, principles, opportunities, and limitations of SEMs. These issues are illustrated using the lavaan package (latent variable analysis) that is run within the free software platform R. Lavaan has recently become a serious competitor to commercial software packages and is delivers almost everything a user needs to perform SEM. Participation to the course requires some basic knowledge of regression analysis, variances, covariances of variables, and inferential statistics. Knowledge of R is not necessary.

Course topics cover:

  • A short treatment of causality (the counter factual approach) and introduction to causal models and their illustration with path diagrams / causal graphs.
  • The principle behind estimating parameters and basis for evaluation the adequacy of the model (e.g., chi-square test) including Wright’s path tracing rules and Pearls d-separation.
  • Treatment and modeling of latent variables and the connection to theoretical constructs.
  • Explanation of the lavaan syntax and exercises (modeling own data / models of the participants is appreciated).
  • Reasons for misfitting models, evaluation, diagnostics, and re-specification.
  • The problem of endogeneity and the valuable role of instrumental variables in SEMs.

Required packages to be installed:

  • psych
  • car
  • Hmisc
  • MASS
  • QuantPsyc
  • Boot
  • Mnormt
  • Pbivnorm
  • quadprog
  • simsem
  • lavaan

You have to register for the 8th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.

Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) and Fuzzy Sets

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Programme of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Jonas Buche, (Goethe-University Frankfurt)

Date: Monday, 29/09/14 – Wednesday, 01/10/14 from 14.30-18.00 h

Max. number of participants: 20

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English

Contents:

Since the publication of the seminal work “The Comparative Method” by Charles Ragin in 1987, set-theoretic methods and especially Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) have become a common research strategy in the social sciences. Set-theoretic methods analyze cases with regard to the identification of sufficient and necessary conditions and assume causal relationships to be equifinal, conjunctural and asymmetric. Not least since so-called fuzzy sets have been introduced to the method, there has been a rising interest in QCA as a welcome alternative to both small-n case studies and large-n statistical analyses. In short, QCA is recommended if ‘if…then’ hypotheses are analyzed; if the goal is to derive sufficient and necessary conditions; if a comparison is planned; and if there is a mid-sized number of cases (between 10 and 60+).

The course starts off from an introduction into the basics of QCA (sets, set memberships, set operations). Through the notion of necessary and sufficient conditions and of truth tables, the single elements are built into the Truth Table Algorithm. However, this algorithm is not free of problems. Therefore, some pitfalls and strategies how to overcome them are presented.

  1. The course is both conceptually and technically oriented. No prior knowledge is required.
  2. We will use the software fsQCA2.5 which can be downloaded at www.fsqca.com. Please note that the software does not operate on Apple Products!

Recommended literature and pre-readings:

  • Schneider, Carsten Q. and Claudius Wagemann (2012), Set-Theoretic Methods for the Social Sciences. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Ragin, Charles C. (2008). Redesigning Social Inquiry: Fuzzy Sets and Beyond. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
  • Freitag, Markus, and Raphaela Schlicht. 2009. “Educational Federalism in Germany: Foundations of Social Inequality in Education.” Governance 22 (1): 47-72.
  • Emmenegger, Patrick. 2011. “Job Security Regulations in Western Democracies: A Fuzzy Set Analysis.” European Journal of Political Research 50 (3): 336-64.

You have to register for the 8th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.

Questionnaire Design

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Programme of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Dr. Timo Lenzner (Gesis – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences)

Date: Monday, 29/09/14 – Wednesday, 01/10/14 from 14.30-18.00 h

Max. number of participants: 20

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English

Contents:

The objective of this course is to give participants a thorough grounding in the psychological processes involved in answering survey questions and to introduce them to principles that can be applied to write effective survey questions. It covers the general principles of questionnaire design, question wording and construction of answer formats, special issues faced in writing factual, attitudinal and sensitive questions, and an introduction to various methods of questionnaire pretesting. Sessions combine lectures with practical exercises and discussion.

Please note that the course does not cover the psychometric principles of item or scale development. The course does not require any previous knowledge.

Recommended literature and pre-readings:

  • Krosnick, J. A. & Presser, S. (2010). Question and Questionnaire Design. In P. V. Marsden & J. D. Wright (Eds.), Handbook of Survey Research (2nd ed.) (pp. 263-313). Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
  • Fowler, Floyd J., Jr. and Carol Cosenza (2008). “Writing effective survey questions”, in: De Leeuw, Edith D., Joop J. Hox and Don A. Dillman (eds.), The international handbook of survey methodology, Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, pp. 136-160. (http://joophox.net/papers/SurveyHandbookCRC.pdf)
  • Schaeffer, Nora Cate and Stanley Presser. 2003. “The Science of Asking Questions.” Annual Review of Sociology, 29: 65-88.

You have to register for the 8th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.

Spatial and Panel Econometrics

Institution: see Organisers & Acknowledgements

Programme of study: International Research Workshop

Lecturer: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nisar Ahmad, Assoc. Prof. Time Friedel Mietze & Prof. Dr. Torben Dall Schmidt (University of Southern Denmark/Department of Border Region Studies)

Date: Monday, 29/09/14 – Wednesday, 01/10/14 from 14.30-18.00 h

Max. number of participants: 20

Credit Points: 5 CP for participating in the whole IRWS

Language of instruction: English

Contents:

NB: Please bring your laptop computers with STATA installed on it.

The course is basically divided into two parts: Part 1) Analyzing panel data. Part 2) Spatial Data Analysis

Part 1): Structure of the Panel Data: This part of the course is an introduction to the panel data analysis and it provides some insights into why we use panel data. What kinds of models are available for panel data and how do we estimate such models. It also covers some extensions to the basic panel data models and finally there will be a session where you will learn how to estimate panel data using STATA.

Part 2): Spatial Data Analysis: In research fields such as regional science, quantitative sociology and business analysis as well as real estate, labor and health economics (to name just a few), researchers are increasingly aware of the fact that “space matters”. Thus, the goal of this workshop module is to equip participants with the basic knowledge about methods and tools currently available in “spatial statistics” and “spatial econometrics”. Besides presenting the general logic and theoretical foundations of these modeling approaches for variables with an explicit geographical context, a strong focus lies on illustrating the potential for applied work with these tools in the software package STATA. The module is structured as follows: After a brief introduction of the historical evolution of spatial data analysis, different research settings in economics and related research fields are outlined, which may call for the explicit use of spatial estimation techniques, for instance, in order to identify the importance of space-time autocorrelations and neighboring effects (spatial spillovers). Following this introduction, the concept of the spatial weighting matrix is introduced and statistical approaches to measure and visualize the degree of spatial dependence for a variable under study are presented. Moving from univariate to multivariate modeling techniques, the course then derives estimation techniques used in the field of spatial econometrics and links this theoretical knowledge with hands-on applications for different spatial datasets. Finally, to serve as an outlook on future research possibilities, state-of-the-art concepts such as spatial panel data models and spatial limited dependent variable models will be presented. Datasets and STATA ado-files will be provided ahead of the course and should be installed on the participants’ computers.

You have to register for the 8th International Research Workshop to participate in this course.