The goal of this course is to learn how to scientifically investigate
the interaction between information technologies and the people and
organizations who use them or who are affected by them. Is a given
computing technology, application, or computer-based process easy or
difficult to use? Do users like it
and use it willingly or do they avoid it? Does it perform
useful functions? Does it improve the overall
effectiveness of an organization? How does it
affect the interpersonal and group relationships in the organization,
family, or community where it is used? What is its impact on society as
a whole? Although people can express opinions about the
answers to these questions, we can answer them objectively only by
conducting empirical research. Our approach is to survey a
number of methodologies for conducting empirical research, and to
consider their use in studying issues of interest to information
scientists.
Pre-requisites:
IS U300, Principles of Information Science; Statistics
Experimental Design with Applications in Management, Engineering and the Sciences, by Paul D. Berger and Robert E. Maurer. Thomson Learning, 2002. (EDA)
Additional Readings: A packet of additional required readings are available at Gnomon Copy, on Huntington Avenue across from the University. You can find the Table of Contents on this Web site.
Software: In
this course we will be using SPSS for statistical analysis. SPSS is
available on CCIS PC’s and also on all NuNet PC’s. Several
books on SPSS have been placed on reserve at Snell Library, and in
addition WWW-based tutorials are available at:
SPSS
Tutorial
Resources to
help you learn and Use SPSS
SPSS
Tutorial
Class notes, assignments, and other course materials
Schedule of topics and assignments
| Week |
Topics
|
Assigned Readings |
| I. Introduction to empirical Research |
||
| 1 |
Empirical research process IT Research Issues |
R3, pp. 10-13 R1, Ch. 1,2 |
| 2 |
Survey of Empirical Methods | R2, Ch. 1 |
| 3 |
Identifying variables Validity and Reliability |
R3, Ch. 2 R3, Ch. 5 |
| II. Quantitative Research Design and Data
Analysis |
||
| 4 |
Overview of quantitative research | EDA, Ch. 1 R2, Ch. 9 |
| 5 |
Single
factor analysis framework Statistical assumptions |
EDA,
Ch. 2 EDA, Ch. 3 |
| 6 |
Single factor, multiple comparisons | EDA, Ch. 4, 5 |
| 7 |
Multiple factor designs | EDA, Ch. 6, 8 |
| 8 |
MIDTERM EXAM,
Wednesday, October 27 Usability Experiments |
R5 |
| III. Data Collection Methodologies |
||
| 9 |
Data mining for knowledge discovery | R6 |
| 10 |
Designing Questionnaires and Surveys | R3, Ch. 11, 12 |
| IV. Qualitative Research Design |
||
| 11 |
Overview of Qualitative Research | R2, Ch. 10 |
| 12 |
Case Study Research in IT | R4 |
| 13 |
Ethnography Introduction to Mixed Methods |
R1,
Ch. 10 R2, Ch. 11 |
Assignments and grading
In-class assignments: Each Monday unless otherwise noted there will be an in-class written assignment based on the material covered the previous week. The assignment will be handed out at 9:15 and students will have about 15 minutes to work on it. Students may refer to their books and notes in completing these assignments. A discussion of the assignment will follow. There will be no "make up" available or late work accepted. The in-class assignments, taken as a group, will count as one homework grade. (The lowest in-class assignment grade for each student will be dropped.)
Homework assignments: In
addition to the in-class assignments, there will be several regular
homework assignments. Some will be problem sets to work on. Some may
require reading an empirical study, writing a summary and critique of
it, and possibly giving a brief presentation to the class. Some may
require conducting small experiments or interviews using fellow students
or other friends as subjects. The cutoff date for handing in homework is
one week after the due date - after that homework will not be accepted.
There is no late penalty, however late homework will be graded and
returned at the instructor's convenience.
Exams: There will
be a midterm and a final exam. Students can bring a calculator, but not
a PDA, for obvious reasons. Students can bring one sheet of paper
written on both sides to each exam.
Homework will count 35% of the final grade, the midterm 25%, the final
exam 30% and class participation 10%.
Course administration and rules
A CCIS Unix account is required to access powerpoint slides and other
course materials. To learn how to get an account, go to:
http://www.ccis.neu.edu/welcome
There are no make-up exams in this course. Normally if a student misses an exam the student will receive a grade of 0 on that exam. Under unusual circumstances (such as documented serious illness), the student's grade on a missed exam will be replaced by the grade on the final exam.
Academic Honesty: The individual assignments must be each student's own
work. Any group projects assigned must be the work of the students in
the group. Plagiarism or copying will result in official University
disciplinary review.