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University of Michigan |
UP504 •
Course Overview
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Mon & Wed. 3:00 - 4:30
p.m.
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Overview: This course introduces students to some of the quantitative methods and techniques used in planning practice and research. We will cover computer applications for data analysis, including several computer lab sessions. The emphasis is on using methods in the context of planning and urban policy research, matching the method to the problem, developing an interactive engagement with data methods, promoting creative and accessible styles of data presentation, and developing a critical literacy of data and methods.
Prerequisite: UP503 or equivalent. If you waived out of UP503, please review the syllabus from the course as taught by Nina David in fall 2007. You are expected to know this material, including probability, sample size, ANOVA, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, and bivariate regression. You are advised to review these methodologies beforehand. We will immediately jump into multiple regression, building upon your past coursework.
Software: You should be familiar with the basics of Excel (we will push it further). We will also use SPSS (lab on Jan 16), Dreamweaver (lab on Feb 13) and PowerPoint (optional), plus several FTP applications (e.g., mfile) and a mapping program. The UM Library's Knowledge Navigation Center provides a good set of self-guided "technology guides" on various software applications. Become familiar with various government statistical
sources in both paper and electronic formats (such as the U.S.
Census, County Business Patterns, Statistical Abstract of the
United States). Visit the U-M
Documents Center.
Use of Class Email List (listserv) and Web Pages: Important course information will be available on the web page and/or via the class email distribution list. Please refer to the web page and emails for updates, corrections, assignment advice, online resources, etc. http://www-personal.umich.edu/~sdcamp/up504/
Office Hours:
(1) by appointment: sign up online at http://www.sitemaker.umich.edu/sdcamp/
(2) weekly drop-in methods help hour: TBA.
• GSI: Rachel Wells (office hours: Weds, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, 2nd floor SITES computer lab)
Requirements: Students are expected to complete all the required readings, attend all class sessions, participate in class presentations, and complete several short assignments, a longer term project, and an exam. Evaluation of your work
will be based on substantive content, analytical rigor, and writing quality.
Please also read these guidelines about writing,
coursework and academic integrity. Late assignments will be penalized (marked down).
Keep up with the materials and use all available resources (faculty, GSI, readings, online materials, self-guided tutorials) to strengthen your methodological expertise. Take advantage of office hours! If some materials are daunting or opaque, seek timely assistance and let us know. Conversely, if some materials are too basic, let us know and we can help you push your knowledge beyond the basic expectations of the assignment. We want an engaging, interactive course experience.
Readings: We will use texts in a variety of formats:
Textbooks: [to be available through Shaman Drum Bookshop (on 311 S. State St.)
Lewis-Beck, Michael S. 1980. Applied Regression: An Introduction. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. (ISBN 0803914946).
Tufte, Edward. The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. Cheshire, Conn: Graphics Press, 2nd edition (ISBN 0961392142)
Electronic Reserves:
Some course readings will be available via the UM Library Electronic reserves.
Reserve Readings (to be available by mid January at the Art Architecture and Engineering Library)
Agresti, Alan and Barbara Finlay (1997). Statistical Methods for the Social
Sciences, 3rd Ed. Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Babbie, Earl. 1994. The Practice of Social Research. 7th ed. Belmont,
CA: Wadsworth.
Connell, James P., Anne C. Kubisch, Lisbeth B. Schorr, and Carol H. Weiss,
eds. 1995. New Approaches to Evaluating Community Initiatives: Concepts,
Methods, and Contexts. Washington, D.C.: The Aspen Institute.
Fowler, Floyd J. Jr. 1993. Survey Research Methods. Beverly Hills: Sage
Publications.
Lewis-Beck, Michael S. 1980. Applied Regression: An Introduction. Newbury
Park, CA: Sage.
Myers, Dowell . 1992. Analysis with Local Census Data. Boston: Academic
Press.
Schmid, Calvin F. 1983. Statistical Graphics. New York: Wiley.
Stewart, David W. 1993. Secondary Research: information sources and methods.
2nd ed. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.
Tufte, Edward. 1983. The Visual Display of Quantitative Information.
Cheshire, Conn: Graphics Press.
Tufte, Edward. 1990. Envisioning Information. Cheshire, Conn: Graphics
Press.
Tufte, Edward. 2003. The Cognitive Style of Power Point. Graphics Press.
Yin, Robert K. 1994. Case Study Research: design and methods.
2nd ed. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.
Statistical References:
Also strongly recommended is access to a basic statistics
book (such as the one you used for UP503). There are many, including the following:
Agresti, Alan and Barbara Finlay (1997). Statistical Methods for the Social
Sciences, 3rd Ed. Prentice-Hall, Inc. (or a more recent edition)
Blalock, Hubert M. 1979. Social Statistics. 2nd edition.
McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Wonnacott, Thomas H., and Ronald J. Wonnacott. 1990. Introductory Statistics. 5th ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
or more recent editions.