Apart from their assigned mod courses, 1L students may only enroll in courses offered as 1L electives. A complete list of these courses can be found on the 1L Elective Listings page. 1L students must use the 1L class number listed on the course description when enrolling.
209.5 sec. 001 - Research Design (Spring 2025)
Instructor: Calvin K Morrill (view instructor's profile)
View all teaching evaluations for this course - degree students only
Units: 3
Grading Designation: Graded
Mode of Instruction: In-Person
Meeting:
W 10:00 AM - 12:40 PM
Location: 2240 Piedmont 102
From January 15, 2025
To April 23, 2025
Course End: April 23, 2025
Enrollment info:
Enrolled: 6
Waitlisted: 0
Enroll Limit: 24
As of: 01/13 09:35 AM
This is an introductory course focusing on how to conceptualize and design empirical research projects in the social sciences. "Empirical research" includes a broad range of qualitative (including historical) and quantitative inquiry. We will briefly examine the philosophical issues that undergird such research, along with the nuts and bolts of actual research methods. At the end of this course, students should have a good familiarity with a range of research methods (both qualitative and quantitative) as well as a sense of how to think about the kinds of research problems that will occupy the core of a PhD dissertation or a similarly situated research project.
The main intellectual agenda will be to develop a sophisticated and rigorous sense of how to ask and answer a scholarly research question concerning the workings of law and society (broadly understood), using social science and related data. Students should note that this course includes a simulation in which they will be asked to write a research proposal. Students will also be asked to complete smaller writing assignments throughout the course leading up to the final proposal.
This is a required course for Phd students. Students from other degrees (JSD, LLM, JD) can apply to join the class by submitting an application to cmorrill@law.berkeley.edu by November 9th that includes a short paragraph describing why they want to design an empirical research project.
Due to the nature of this class, real-time attendance is required (without an alternative way to earn equivalent credit) except in cases of illness or emergency.
Attendance at the first class is mandatory for all currently enrolled and waitlisted students; any currently enrolled or waitlisted students who are not present on the first day of class (without prior permission of the instructor) will be dropped. The instructor will continue to take attendance throughout the add/drop period and anyone who moves off the waitlist into the class must continue to attend or have prior permission of the instructor in order not to be dropped.
Submit teaching evaluations for this course between 14-APR-25 and 29-APR-25
Exam Notes: (P) Final paper
(Subject to change by faculty member only through the first two weeks of instruction)
Course Category: Jurisprudence and Social Policy (JSP)
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