Prof Patrick Sturgis COL.8.10

This course is available on the MPhil/PhD in Economic Geography, MPhil/PhD in Environmental Economics, MPhil/PhD in Regional and Urban Planning Studies and MPhil/PhD in Social Research Methods. This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

This course is available to all Research students.

Knowledge of basic descriptive and inferential statistics, to the level of MY451/MY551 or equivalent. MY556 can also be taken in parallel with MY452L/MY552L. Familiarity with notions of research design in the social sciences, to the level of MY400/MY500 or equivalent.

This course provides an introduction to the methodology of the design and analysis of social surveys. It is intended both for students who plan to design and collect their own surveys, and for those who need to understand and use data from existing large-scale surveys.

Topics covered include basic ideas of target populations, survey estimation and inference, sampling error and nonsampling error; sample design and sampling theory; methods of data collection; survey interviewing; cognitive processes in answering survey questions; design and evaluation of survey questions; nonresponse error and imputation for item nonresponse; survey weights; analysis of data from complex surveys; accessing, preparing and working with secondary data from existing social surveys. The course includes computer classes, using the statistical computer package Stata; no previous knowledge of Stata is required.

This course is delivered through a combination of classes and lectures totalling a minimum of 20 hours across Lent Term. This year, the lectures may be delivered live or as short online videos. The classes will be live and delivered online or in person depending on access to campus in LT.

This course has a reading week in Week 6 of LT.

Exercises from the seminars can be submitted for marking

Groves, R M, Fowler, F J, Couper, M P, Lepkowski, J M, Singer, E, and

Tourangeau, R (2009). Survey Methodology (2nd ed.). Wiley.

Research project (100%).

Research paper of 25-30 pages, including tables and figures, or approximately 3,000-4,000 words, reporting the data analysis of a given research question and data set (100%).