Selected Topics in American Government: Public Opinion and Survey Research

Level
Semester
Spring 2018
Instructor(s)
Units
4
Section
2
Number
279
CCN
41315
Times
Tu 2-4
Location
291 Barrows
Course Description

Opinion surveys are nearly ubiquitous in public life today.  They are also widely maligned and misunderstood.  What are surveys, how do we conduct them, what can they tell us (and fail to tell us), and what is their relevance to social and political research? This seminar is a skills-based practicum geared to train you to critically consume and generate survey data.  It includes both readings on survey research and a practicum on collecting and analyzing survey data.  Key topics we will cover include: the concept of public opinion; the nature of survey response; survey design and implementation; understanding sampling theory and questionnaire design; primary analysis of survey data. This is not a course on quantitative methods, but familiarity and comfort with quantitative analysis is expected. You are expected to participate actively in seminar discussions, complete work on multiple practicum assignments, and submit a final paper for the class

Note: This course is combined with the Law School and follows the Law School Calendar 

https://www.law.berkeley.edu/php-programs/courses/academic_calendars.php