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