This course reviews concepts and methods of social scientific investigation from a critical-analytical perspective. It involves an examination of the role of the researchers - within a given social, cultural and organizational context - in terms of question formulation, mode of inquiry, application of theory, data analysis and interpretation of findings. In addition to quantitative methods and experimental designs, students will review a range of quasi-experimental and qualitative methods that address questions pertinent to professional practice, from single-subject designs to clinical trials, historical analyses (use of secondary data) to social action research, case studies to program and policy evaluations. By the end of the course, students will be able to critically assess existing social research and conceptualize a graduate research project. cr 3