The Institute’s 2014 Spring Seminar Series features courses on survey research in the first week (May 5-9) and qualitative research methods in the second (May 12-16). In addition there is a Short Course on Structural Equation Modeling (April 28-May 2), and introductory courses on SAS (April 30-May 21) and the statistical software package R (May 2-23).

The survey research courses begin with a three-day workshop on best practices in the design and implementation of survey research projects. We strongly recommend that the participants register for the complete three-day survey design workshop, but participants are free to choose any one- or two- day combinations that might suit their schedules. The first day of the workshop provides an overview on the survey research process and will focus on questionnaire design and survey research ethics. Topics for the second day include more detail on questionnaire design and a brief overview of sampling. The final day will offer strategies to collect high quality survey data, pretesting questionnaires, and will review overall research strategy. The fourth and fifth days of this survey research series provide a hands-on introduction to the analysis of survey data.

The qualitative research courses begin the following week with a one-day seminar devoted to various issues in using focus groups as a specific method. On days two and three, seminar and workshop activities deal with the interpretation of qualitative data, including textual materials from interviews, focus groups and various other sources. The final two days of this week comprise a two-day workshop introducing the computerized analysis of textual materials using NVivo, the most common software for this type of analysis.

The more statistical courses start with the four-day workshop on SEM, followed by the introductory SAS (Wednesdays) and R (Fridays) courses, which are designed to equip participants to undertake basic statistical analysis of quantitative data (April 28-May 23).

These courses provide a hands-on approach to help researchers develop practical skills. They attract an interesting mix of graduate students, researchers from government and NGOs, faculty, and university staff. In our teaching we strive to provide a successful introduction to each topic, while offering new insights for more experienced researchers.

Survey Research Methods (May 5 to 9, 2014)

Survey Design Workshop - Day 1 The Survey Research Process, Ethics, and Questionnaire Design: Part One
Instructors:	David Northrup, MA with Chris Clubine-Ito, MA Liza Mercier, BSc John Pollard, MA
Date:	Monday, May 5, 2014
Times:	9:30am-Noon; 1:00-3:30pm
Location:	Room 5082 Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) Building
Enrolment Limit:	25
The first day of this workshop includes an overview of the survey research process, considers ethical issues in survey research, and provides the first of two substantive sessions on practical issues in questionnaire design. The discussion on ethics will consider the meanings of informed consent and ensuring no harm to respondents in both questionnaire design and data collection. The initial session on questionnaire design will consider how survey respondents compose their answers to survey questions, the meaning of reliability and validity in writing survey questions, and fundamental issues such as the use of open and closed questions, whether to solicit "don't know" answers, the use of middle positions, the tone of wording, and related topics. Many examples, often from ISR surveys, will be presented in the session. Each day of the Survey Design Workshop includes a lecture in the morning and a hands-on session. In the afternoon sessions, groups of attendees will develop survey questions for discussion.

Survey Design Workshop - Day 2 Questionnaire Design: Part Two and Survey Sampling
Instructors:	David Northrup, MA with Chris Clubine-Ito, MA Liza Mercier, BSc John Pollard, MA
Date:	Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Times:	9:30am-Noon; 1-3:30pm
Location:	Room 5082 Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) Building
Enrolment Limit:	25
Questionnaire design issues considered in this session include question order, dealing with problems of recall, asking sensitive questions, acquiescence and the need to measure attitude strength, embedding wording or question order experiments in a survey, asking demographic questions, and other major design topics. The emphasis is on practice and many examples will be provided. The section on survey sampling will provide a short practical guide to sample design for survey researchers, including the relationship between sample size and sample error. The differences between simple random samples and complex samples, and the implications for sample size, the need to 'weight' survey data, and survey data analysis, will also be considered. In the afternoon workshop participants will be divided into groups of about five and given a short questionnaire design assignment. The workshop will provide attendees with an opportunity to write questions and receive feedback on their efforts. Each group will be assisted by members of ISR's professional survey staff.

Survey Design Workshop - Day 3 Data Collection, Pretesting, and Summary of Questionnaire Design Issues
Instructors:	David Northrup, MA with Chris Clubine-Ito, MA Liza Mercier, BSc John Pollard, MA
Date:	Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Times:	9:30am-Noon; 1:00-3:30pm
Location:	Room 5082 Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) Building
Enrolment Limit:	25
This session focuses on practical aspects in the design of mail and web surveys, with some discussion of telephone surveys. The relationship between mode of data collection and questionnaire design will be reviewed, as well as the effect interviewers can have on the likelihood that people will participate in the survey and how they answer the questions. Additional topics include effective ways to solicit response and maximize response rates. Data collection steps for mail and web-based surveys will also be outlined. Methods to conduct effective pretests, of both the questionnaire and the data collection procedures, will be provided. The afternoon workshop will provide participants with an opportunity to write or revise questions based on different modes of data collection. The session will conclude with a summary of best practices in the design and implementation of a survey instrument. This session, please note, is not about programming a web survey.

Introduction to Survey Data Analysis
Instructors:	Professor Bryn Greer-Wootten Mirka Ondrack, MSc
Dates:	Thursday, May 8 and Friday, May 9, 2014
Times:	9:30am-Noon; 1:00-3:30pm
Location:	Room 2114 Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) Building
Enrolment Limit:	25
The practical analysis of survey research data is presented in this two-part course. The first day begins with the matrix representation of survey data, including levels of measurement for typical survey questions, the distributional properties of variables and simple descriptive statistics. Subsequently, the construction of scales (e.g., for attitude items) and the fundamentals of statistical inference and hypothesis testing in a survey context are developed. The second day continues with the implementation of a survey analysis design, including the analysis of groups (e.g., gender differences using t-tests; age or regional differentials using the analysis of variance), and extended analyses of contingency tables, the most common form of data representation in surveys. On both days, the morning sessions are used for lectures and demonstrations; afternoon lab sessions replicate procedures used in the morning, for a different data set. To benefit from the course, participants should have some background knowledge in basic statistics or the fundamentals of survey research, as well as some prior knowledge of SPSS. Because these materials are presented sequentially and build upon the basics presented at the beginning of each day, participants need to arrive on time and attend both sessions.

Qualitative Research Methods (May 12 to May 16, 2014)

Conducting Focus Groups for Social Research
Instructor:	John Pollard, MA
Date:	Monday, May 12, 2014
Times:	9:30am-Noon; 1:00-3:30pm
Location:	Room 1014 Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) Building
Enrolment Limit:	30
This seminar is an introduction to focus group research. The morning session deals with the basic features of focus group planning and implementation, including how focus groups are currently being used, strengths and weaknesses of the research method, ethical considerations, and the stages of focus group research. The afternoon session looks at a number of practical aspects of conducting focus groups, including appropriate settings for focus group research, selecting and recruiting participants, developing a discussion guide, recording focus groups, and moderator techniques. There will be an opportunity for participants to discuss focus group research they have conducted or may be considering. The workshop will include some hands-on focus group practice. This presentation is suitable for students, faculty, staff and other researchers who are considering focus group research for the first time, and also for researchers wanting to refresh their knowledge of this method.

Interpreting Qualitative Data: An Overview
Instructors:	Darla Rhyne, PhD and Professor Les Jacobs
Dates:	Tuesday, May 13 and Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Times:	9:30am-Noon; 1:00-3:30pm
Location:	Room 1009 Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) Building
Enrolment Limit:	30
Spread over two days, these sessions focus on core processes of qualitative analysis: organizing data, ethical issues, coding, analytic memos, data display, iterative revision and writing up the final version. On the first day, we emphasize initial coding and descriptive analysis, and on the second day, we concentrate on later issues in analysis. Participants will attend both sessions; both workshops provide numerous hands-on exercises as well as general information about software aids to analysis. Jointly taught by two experienced researchers, these seminars provide a conceptual orientation to qualitative data analysis from varying disciplines (political science, law, anthropology and sociology), analytical stances (grounded theory, descriptive analysis, critical discourse analysis and narrative analysis), and areas of substantive focus (health, law and society, social welfare, human rights and education).

For York students, the fees are:

Survey Design Workshop - Days 1, 2 and 3	$135.60
Survey Design Workshop - Day 1 only	$45.20
Survey Design Workshop - Day 2 only	$45.20
Survey Design Workshop - Day 3 only	$45.20
An Introduction to Survey Data Analysis	$90.40
Conducting Focus Groups for Social Research	$45.20
Interpreting Qualitative Data: An Overview	$90.40
An NVivo Workshop	$90.40
Introduction to Structural Equation Modeling	$90.40
An Introduction to SAS for Windows	$90.40
An Introduction to R	$90.40

For York faculty and staff, the fees are:

Survey Design Workshop - Days 1, 2 and 3	$271.20
Survey Design Workshop - Day 1 only	$99.44
Survey Design Workshop - Day 2 only	$99.44
Survey Design Workshop - Day 3 only	$99.44
An Introduction to Survey Data Analysis	$198.88
Conducting Focus Groups for Social Research	$99.44
Interpreting Qualitative Data: An Overview	$198.88
An NVivo Workshop	$198.88
Introduction to Structural Equation Modeling	$198.88
An Introduction to SAS for Windows	$198.88
An Introduction to R	$198.88

Full-time students at other post-secondary institutions,
the fees per course are:

Survey Design Workshop - Days 1, 2 and 3	$254.25
Survey Design Workshop - Day 1 only	$90.40
Survey Design Workshop - Day 2 only	$90.40
Survey Design Workshop - Day 3 only	$90.40
An Introduction to Survey Data Analysis	$180.80
Conducting Focus Groups for Social Research	$90.40
Interpreting Qualitative Data: An Overview	$180.80
An NVivo Workshop	$180.80
Introduction to Structural Equation Modeling	$158.20
An Introduction to SAS for Windows	$158.20
An Introduction to R	$158.20

For external participants, the fees per course are:

Survey Design Workshop - Days 1, 2 and 3	$497.20
Survey Design Workshop - Day 1 only	$180.80
Survey Design Workshop - Day 2 only	$180.80
Survey Design Workshop - Day 3 only	$180.80
An Introduction to Survey Data Analysis	$361.60
Conducting Focus Groups for Social Research	$180.80
Interpreting Qualitative Data: An Overview	$361.60
An NVivo Workshop	$361.60
Introduction to Structural Equation Modeling	$397.76
An Introduction to SAS for Windows	$397.76
An Introduction to R	$397.76

All participants, Certificate of Completion : $5.65 each

See the registration form for payment options.

Refunds are available upon three business days' notice prior to the course start date and are subject to an administrative fee.

Please review our policy regarding refunds here.

Registration

You can register for courses by completing the on-line registration form, which is date-stamped.

You can register in person (weekdays, from 10:00am to 12:00pm or 2:00pm to 4:00pm), please see:

Betty Tai
Room 5075
Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) Building

To register by mail, print a blank registration form, complete, and send to:

Betty Tai
Institute for Social Research
Room 5075
Technology Enhanced Learning Building
York University
4700 Keele Street
Toronto, ON M3J 1P3
Canada

You may also fax a completed registration form to: 416-736-5749.

Certificate of Completion

Available on request, full attendance is required.

A $5.65 administrative fee applies, for each certificate requested.

Additional Information

Additional information regarding registration, telephone 416-736-5061, weekdays, from 10:00am to 12:00pm or 2:00pm to 4:00pm

Directions to York University (Keele Campus), building and parking lot locations click here. For additional information on parking click here.

Instructors

Ryan Barnhart is a PhD candidate in Psychology at York University with specialization in Quantitative Methods. His research interests and statistical work have focused on longitudinal data analysis using multilevel modeling and generalized linear multilevel modeling. This work has helped Mr. Barnhart develop a multi-platform approach to using statistical software, including SAS, STATA, R and SPSS.

Chris Clubine-Ito received his BA in Anthropology from the University of Waterloo and his MA in Sociology from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Chris is currently a data programmer and survey archivist at ISR. He is also a PhD candidate (ABD) in Sociology at York University.

David Flora is a Joint-Coordinator of the Statistical Consulting Service and an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology within the Quantitative Methods area. His research interests include longitudinal data analysis, psychometric analysis, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling.

Pamela Grassau is a PhD candidate in the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto. She is a Research Manager with the Palliative Care, Education and Research Group at the Élisabeth Bruyère Research Institute in Ottawa. Pam’s research focuses on relational experiences of health and illness, particularly as families move into Palliative and End-of- Life Care. She has been offering qualitative software trainings for more than 10 years.

Bryn Greer-Wootten is Professor Emeritus in Environmental Studies and Professor Emeritus of Geography at York University. In 2002 he joined the staff of the Statistical Consulting Service, where he is currently an Associate Coordinator, and in 2004 was appointed an Associate Director of ISR. He has taught and carried out quantitative and qualitative research, with a particular interest in survey research, especially for environmental and social policy.

Les Jacobs is Professor of Law & Society and Political Science and the Acting Director of the Institute for Social Research. Currently, he is conducting a major survey research project on legal problems in everyday life, as well as research on privacy rights issues for Canadians in the digital economy.

Liza Mercier is a Project Manager at ISR where she manages a variety of mail, web and telephone surveys. She holds a BSc in Health Studies from the University of Waterloo, with a background in public health, mainly in the areas of health education and health promotion. Her research interests focus on health-related social research.

David Northrup is Director of Survey Research and is responsible for the design and management of major surveys at the Institute. He has over 25 years of experience in questionnaire design and data collection. His research interests include survey methodology, election studies, public policy, and how Canadians explore the past in everyday life. Mr. Northrup holds an MA and he teaches survey research methods at York University.

Mirka Ondrack is Statistical Consultant Emerita at ISR. She received her Master's degree in Physics from Masaryk University in the Czech Republic and spent two years studying industrial engineering at the University of Toronto. She has held the position of Programmer/Analyst at ISR since 1971. Ms. Ondrack is currently a consultant with the Statistical Consulting Service and also does custom programming and data analysis. Mirka consults on statistical computing using SPSS and SAS; data screening and statistical graphics; regression, ANOVA and other linear models; factor analysis, PCA.

John Pollard received his MA in Sociology from York University. He also holds a BA in French from the University of Toronto and a BA (Honours) in Sociology from York. Mr. Pollard manages research projects at ISR and consults with faculty, students and staff on questionnaire design, survey administration, and qualitative research methods. He has managed telephone survey projects and focus group studies at the Institute for many years.

Darla Rhyne, PhD, is Research Associate Emerita at ISR. With a background in Anthropology and Sociology, she has considerable expertise with qualitative research methods including community fieldwork, participant observation, depth interviewing, focus groups and the coding and analysis of qualitative data. Her own research has been primarily in the areas of community, family, ethnic studies, education, recreation, the quality of life and health studies. At the Institute, her research has included program and policy evaluations, needs assessments and exploratory research in a variety of areas such as smoking cessation and prevention, education, immigration and social assistance.

Matthew Sigal is a doctoral student in the Quantitative Methods area of Psychology. He is a member of Dr. Michael Friendly's lab and is particularly interested in methods of data visualization, multilevel and structural equation modeling, and alternative modeling strategies within the framework of survival analysis. He has been a Teaching Assistant for both undergraduate and graduate statistics courses, and taught an introductory statistics course in W2013.

The Institute for Social Research's Statistical Consulting Service provides consultation on a broad range of statistical problems and on the use of computers for statistical analysis. Its services extend beyond the social sciences to other disciplines that make use of statistics. Consultation is available to assist in research design, data collection, data analysis, statistical computing, and the presentation of statistical material.

Consultation is provided by a group of faculty drawn from York University's Departments of Psychology, Mathematics and Statistics, and Geography in conjunction with full-time professional staff at ISR. The faculty and staff have extensive experience with many forms of statistical analysis. Topics for which assistance is available include regression analysis, multivariate analysis, analysis of categorical data, structural equation modeling, factor analysis, multilevel/mixed modeling, survey data and longitudinal data, experimental design, survey sampling, and statistical computing.

Three times a year, the Statistical Consulting Service offers short courses on various aspects of statistics and statistical computing, including regular introductions to the SPSS and SAS statistical packages. Recent course offerings have addressed factor analysis, structural equation modeling, graphical methods for categorical data, introduction to the R programming language, and mixed models.

The Statistical Consulting Service maintains a regular schedule of office hours during the academic year. The Service primarily serves the York University community; for others, consultation is available on a fee-for-service basis. Please go to the Institute's Web site at www.isr.yorku.ca/scs to make appointments online with SCS consultants.

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