SOCIOL 20
Introduction to Sociological Research Methods
Description: Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Introduction to methods used in contemporary sociological research, with focus on issues of research design, data collection, and analysis of data. Fieldwork may be required. Letter grading.
Units: 5.0
Units: 5.0
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Most Helpful Review
He was a really good professor. I enjoyed his lectures. His study guide for the midterm and final are really thorough and practically everything he says during lecture so if you did miss a class or did not do the reading, it's covered with the study guide. But it's better to do the reading and go to lecture since more of his test questions are not so much definitional but require you to use what you know (such as definitions of terms) and be able to apply it! A bit challenging, but great professor!
He was a really good professor. I enjoyed his lectures. His study guide for the midterm and final are really thorough and practically everything he says during lecture so if you did miss a class or did not do the reading, it's covered with the study guide. But it's better to do the reading and go to lecture since more of his test questions are not so much definitional but require you to use what you know (such as definitions of terms) and be able to apply it! A bit challenging, but great professor!
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Most Helpful Review
Spring 2025 - Hands down one of the best professors I've ever had ! going into this, i thought i was going to hate this class, mostly because of the bad grade distribution, the poor reviews, and just the general concept of research methods. however, professor larkins made the class so fun, engaging, and easy. there are 3 exams but only the highest two are counted, so i just didn't take the 3rd exam since i got decent scores on the first two. she gives study guides, and there are extra credit questions. she likes calling on people, but she's super nice and friendly so don't freak out if you get called on or don't know the answer. there are three written assignments and they are all pretty easy and they get graded super nicely. attendance is included in your grade and she takes attendance every class, but if you miss around 3-4 then she's fine with that. overall, she's a super cool and hands down awesome professor. she would even bring candy and have people toss it to those who participated. she reminded me of those fun teachers everyone liked back in grade school. NOTE: i genuinely don't understand how this professor has bad ratings. like someone else said you have to be a born hater to leave a bad review, or they just didn't go to lecture lololol
Spring 2025 - Hands down one of the best professors I've ever had ! going into this, i thought i was going to hate this class, mostly because of the bad grade distribution, the poor reviews, and just the general concept of research methods. however, professor larkins made the class so fun, engaging, and easy. there are 3 exams but only the highest two are counted, so i just didn't take the 3rd exam since i got decent scores on the first two. she gives study guides, and there are extra credit questions. she likes calling on people, but she's super nice and friendly so don't freak out if you get called on or don't know the answer. there are three written assignments and they are all pretty easy and they get graded super nicely. attendance is included in your grade and she takes attendance every class, but if you miss around 3-4 then she's fine with that. overall, she's a super cool and hands down awesome professor. she would even bring candy and have people toss it to those who participated. she reminded me of those fun teachers everyone liked back in grade school. NOTE: i genuinely don't understand how this professor has bad ratings. like someone else said you have to be a born hater to leave a bad review, or they just didn't go to lecture lololol
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Most Helpful Review
Fall 2017 - Robinson was a cool guy. I felt he did a good job of explaining how to find things in Stata. The final paper was annoying though moreso becasue of the analyses portion than stata. definitiely took time and hard to ask questions because so many people would ask. also hated my TA who was an unnecessarily tough grader. selling Investigating the Social World SEVENTH EDITION. $20. found out it was same material just differnt pages. TXT ********** or *************
Fall 2017 - Robinson was a cool guy. I felt he did a good job of explaining how to find things in Stata. The final paper was annoying though moreso becasue of the analyses portion than stata. definitiely took time and hard to ask questions because so many people would ask. also hated my TA who was an unnecessarily tough grader. selling Investigating the Social World SEVENTH EDITION. $20. found out it was same material just differnt pages. TXT ********** or *************
Most Helpful Review
Spring 2024 - This was overall a good class. If you put in effort into the work, an A is very possible. Be CAUTIOUS of group chats, Professor Rossi does not allow collaboration with classmates on Homework assignments and will give you a 0 on the assignment if he finds out! The grades for this class were distributed equally. There are 4 homework assignments and each are worth 5% (totaling to 20% of your overall grade). There are two group projects, you form a group with the peers in your discussion section, each group project is worth 20% of your grade. And there is a midterm and final in-person exam, which consisted of multiple-choice questions only, each exam was worth 20% of your grade as well (so the final is not cumulative!). Professor Rossi is a kind person, and is definitely helpful when you ask him questions. I think he is a great professor to take this course with. Although it says on his syllabus you need a required textbook, you really don't. Exams are not based on that, but it can be helpful to supplement ideas from lectures. TA's are also really kind and are a great resource for homework check-in's and project questions, so make sure to visit their office hours or just ask questions!
Spring 2024 - This was overall a good class. If you put in effort into the work, an A is very possible. Be CAUTIOUS of group chats, Professor Rossi does not allow collaboration with classmates on Homework assignments and will give you a 0 on the assignment if he finds out! The grades for this class were distributed equally. There are 4 homework assignments and each are worth 5% (totaling to 20% of your overall grade). There are two group projects, you form a group with the peers in your discussion section, each group project is worth 20% of your grade. And there is a midterm and final in-person exam, which consisted of multiple-choice questions only, each exam was worth 20% of your grade as well (so the final is not cumulative!). Professor Rossi is a kind person, and is definitely helpful when you ask him questions. I think he is a great professor to take this course with. Although it says on his syllabus you need a required textbook, you really don't. Exams are not based on that, but it can be helpful to supplement ideas from lectures. TA's are also really kind and are a great resource for homework check-in's and project questions, so make sure to visit their office hours or just ask questions!
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