Faculty Contact Information:
Ken J. Kovach, EdD
PSC 37, Box 3414
APO AE 09459
+44 (0)1353 860 671 (ph/fax)
KJKovach@aol.com | |
Consultation:
| Upon coordination or by communications through contact address. | |
Required Texts and Readings:
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the
American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington D.C.:
Author.
Leedy, P.D. & Ormrod, J.E. (1985). Practical research: Planning &
design (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Weiss, C. (1997). Evaluation (2nd ed.). Prentice Hall.
--- Chapters 7, 10, 11 only
Procedures for Completing the Research Project Notification and Human Subjects Protection Form. Retrieved June 16, 2003 from http://www.ed.umuc.edu/staff/faculty/detech/pedagogy/proceduresform.html
University Of Maryland University College Policy Manual Policy 130.25:
Conducting Research Involving Human Subjects. Retrieved June 16, 2003 from http://www.ed.umuc.edu/staff/faculty/detech/pedagogy/policy%20manual.html | |
Supplementary Readings:
| Graduate students should be prepared to utilize the UMUC online library at http://www.umuc.edu/library/. The library contains a large number of full text academic journals that are free of charge and immediately available. The library homepage also contains a number of links related to improving students' research and writing skills. | |
Recommended Journals:
A variety of full-text, online, free-of-charge, and pay-per-view
academic journals are listed on the PA Webboard at http://webboard.ed.umuc.edu/~pa. The Qualitative Report, a peer-reviewed, on-line journal devoted to writing and discussion of and about qualitative, critical, action, and collaborative inquiry and research, is especially useful for this course. | |
Course Description:
| Prerequisite: Undergraduate American political science or American government. This course focuses on the study and application of research methodology for organizations for use as a tool in decision-making. Emphasis is on applied research theories and designs for methodological approaches that apply non-experimental and quasi-experimental research designs as part of the research strategy. | |
Course Goals:
| As one of two research methods courses in the MPA program, this course provides graduate students with the conceptual and practical tools to develop proposals for and conduct non-experimental research projects, policy analyses, and program evaluations, as well as to evaluate and incorporate the implications of published reports into their practice as professionals. M.P.A. students are actively encouraged to use this class to develop the proposal for the professional paper required in PUAD 604. | |
Course Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course the student will be able to:
1. Analyze management/policy situations for research/evaluation
2. Generate research problem statements.
3. Execute literature reviews.
4. Design qualitative and non-experimental research proposals.
5. Formulate hypotheses.
6. Develop data collection and data analyses strategies.
7. Establish the internal and external validity and the reliability
of measurements.
8. Interpret and apply published research findings to management
settings.
9. Present research findings in written and graphic or oral formats.
10. Define ethical and legal constraints on research.
11. Analyze the application of information technology in research. | |
Grading Information:
Grades for this course will be assigned as follows:
A = 90 - 100%
B = 80 - 89%
C = 70 - 79%
F = below 70%
Please note that Bowie State University does not use "D" for graduate students. The grade F(a) is used to designate academic failure. F(n) is used to designate failure for non-completion. Grades of Incomplete or Withdrawal are governed by UMUC-Europe policies. For further details, please refer to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog, available at http://www.ed.umuc.edu/general_info/publications/catalogs or in your local Education Center. | |
Course Requirements:
Graduate school at the masters level focuses on helping students obtain the education needed for success as professionals in their chosen fields. Thus, UMUC-Europe Graduate Programs and Bowie State University share the common goals of promoting excellence in academic scholarship through thoughtful inquiry and the skillful application of knowledge and theory for the betterment of society.
In order to maximize your graduate educational experience in general and this course in particular, you are required to:
Participate in classroom discussions 30%
Write graduate level papers or case studies 30%
Complete a midterm and final exam:( each 20%) 40% | |
Description of Course Requirements:
|
Participate in classroom discussions: You are expected to come to class prepared to engage in all discussions in a professional and informed manner. Usually this requires two to three hours of additional for every hour of a face-to-face class and approximately ten hours of preparation per week for a DE class. A positive attitude towards learning and good communciations are necessary for this course.
Write graduate level papers or case studies: You are required to conduct professional-level research, including appropriately citing works of others and avoiding plagiarism. Plan on committing approximately 150 hours over the duration of this course to producing professional level deliverables.
Complete one or more written examination(s): The examination process in this class will assist you in developing the writing and critical thinking skills necessary to successfully passing the comprehensive exam required of all graduate students. The questions used for this course will either be taken directly from past comprehensive exams or written as though to be included on a comprehensive exam. | |
Course Schedule:
Unit 1 Introduction/Orientation
Qualitative vs Quantitative research
APA
Read chapters 1 & 2 of Leedy & Ormord and review Weiss' chapters 7, 10, & 11. Complete the plagiarism certificate for UMUC courses by visiting the following website and taking the brief assessment. provide your certificate date in the Conference established. Consider a research topic for your proposal. Place your bio and complete any other established Conference. Review the APA and course texts.
Unit 2 Problem formulation
Review of the Literature
Review all course materials and begin focusing on the topic for your research report. Read chapters 1-5 of Leedy & Ormrod and review Weiss' chapters 4, 8, 10, & 11. Practice APA activities by visiting http://owl.english.purdue.edu. Click on Research and documentation, then APA sites. Then click on Handouts for exercises.
Unti 3 Research process
Research Question or Hypothesis
Read the course materials (as well as any useful material pertaining to these topics. Define what research is and what is meant by the research process. Read chapter 10 of Weiss and chapter 5 of Leedy & Ormrod. Complete any Conferences.
Unit 4 Problem formulation
Research models
Specifically read chapters 3 & 7 of Leedy & Ormord and chapter 8 of Weiss. State your problem for your report. Complete any Conferences and review the course Content forum.
Unit 5 Writing the Introduction & Literature Review
Review all course materials relative to these topics and complete any Conferences established.
Unit 6 Research hypothesis/ question
Null/alternate hypotheses
APA
Visit the APA.org and owl.english.purdue.edu web sites to practice and learn more about the APA style. Formulate your research question/research hypothesis or null/alternate hypotheses. Review course materials and complete established Conferences.
Unit 7 Open Review
Review all course work and topics to date. Complete all established Conferences. Begin active work on your research proposal, if not already.
Unit 8 Midterm exam
Complete the midterm nlt 13 October 2003. Submit to your Assignments folder.
Unit 9 Validity & Reliability
Levels of Measurement
Review Leedy & Ormord's ch 5 and other relative material to the topics. Read ch 6 of Weiss.
Unit 10 Methodology
Descriptive statistics
Review course material realtive to these topics. Complete established Conferences. Read chs 9 & 11 of Leedy & Ormord and chs 7 -11 of Weiss.
Unit 11 Descriptive statistics
Inferential statistics
Data Collection
Review course material relative to these topics and complete established Conferences. Review Weiss' ch 7.
Unit 12 Data collection
Review course material relative to these topics and complete established Conferences.
Unit 13 Results
Data presentation
At this time, read all remaining chapters in the course texts. Complete established Conferences.
Unit 14 Discussion and Analysis
Read course material relative to this topic and complete assigned Conferences.
Unit 15 Findings & Conclusions
Review all course material and complete established Conferences.
Unit 16 Final Exam
Research proposal
Complete your final nlt 14 Dec 2003 and submit your report to your Assignments folder nlt 8 Dec. If feedback is required with notes, please send a hard copy of your report to the instructor. Provide stamped envelope. | |
Academic Policies:
Please refer to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog, available at http://www.ed.umuc.edu/general_info/publications/catalogs/ or from your local Education Center, for information on the following:
Academic Integrity
Course Load
Exception to Policy
Grade Appeal Process
Make-up Examinations
Nondiscrimination
Students with Disabilities | |
Faculty Bio:
|
Dr. Ken J. Kovach has been with UMUC since 1993, teaching a variety of subjects to include research & statistics, management, business statistics, managerial leadership, and others, as well as with several other colleges and universities in a variety of subjects (over 450 course completions). Ken previously served 23 years in the U.S. Air Force, first enlisted, then commissioned. Major duties involved airborne command post, aerial delivery, command staff, logistics management, operations, plans, and transportation.
Within distance education, he has continuously taught over the Internet since 1995 after developing graduate and undergraduate courses for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a business management program for the National Business Aviation Association. He has developed research guidelines for several universities and has served as Research Advisor and Committee Chair for graduate research projects. He is active in various professional associations, to include the American Statistical Association, the American Counseling Association, and the Institute of Transport Administration. His recent publication was Corporate Aviation Management.
Ken’s bachelor’s of science was from the University of Tennessee in business, master of arts in guidance and counseling from Wayne State University, and doctorate of education from Nova University (Now Nova Southeastern). He has a British wife and two educated daughters. | |