FORSC 510 Research Methods and Statistics

The intent of this course is to introduce the students to the basics of statistics and research design. With respect to design issues, special attention will be paid to the "rules of evidence" for the analysis of cause-and-effect relationships and the important differences among experimental, quasi-experimental, and concomitant measurement studies. With respect to data analytic issues, primary attention will be given to the family of least-squares techniques that includes analysis of variance and multiple linear regression. Emphasis will be on the pragmatics of hypothesis testing, data analysis, and the communication of findings.