2026 (Current Year) Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Humanities and social science courses
Social Survey Methods A
- Academic unit or major
- Humanities and social science courses
- Instructor(s)
- Reina Takamatsu
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - Class
- -
- Course Code
- LAH.T117
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2026
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Apr 2, 2026
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course introduces the core concepts and methods of social science research that are essential for scientifically examining social phenomena. Empirical research methods are essential for addressing social issues and challenges, as they enable the systematic examination of social phenomena and people’s attitudes and behaviors. In addition, social research not only conveys the current state of society but also facilitates informed decision-making, thereby influencing everyday life. This course introduces social research as a methodological approach and encourages students to reflect on its significance through concrete examples.
The goal of this course is twofold: to acquire foundational knowledge of the principles underlying major quantitative and qualitative research methods, and to critically examine the significance of social research from the perspectives of both researchers and participants.
Course description and aims
After completing this course, students will be able to:
1. Describe the procedure of research methods in social sciences
2. Describe the foundation of quantitative and qualitative methods
3. Describe the significance of social research using a specific example.
Keywords
social research methods, survey, interview, sampling, wording, coding
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
This course consists of lectures and group activities. Course materials will be uploaded to the LMS.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction and course orientation |
Describe the definition of social research and its purpose |
| Class 2 | Approaches in social research |
Explain different types of social research and their strengths and limitations |
| Class 3 | Development of a hypothesis |
Understand the process of developing research questions and generating hypotheses based on topics of interest |
| Class 4 | Sampling |
Explain the characteristics of sampling methods and choose them according to the research topic and purpose |
| Class 5 | Item generation and wording |
Understand common wording issues in questionnaire design and how to resolve them |
| Class 6 | Coding qualitative data |
Learn methods for extracting meaningful units from qualitative data and coding them |
| Class 7 | A sample study and final exam |
Review the key points covered so far and reconsider the significance of studying social research method. In the second half of the course, a test covering the course material will be administered to assess students’ level of understanding. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to reference books and other course materials.
Textbook(s)
No textbook is required for this course. Reading materials will be provided.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Ohtani Nobusuke, Kinoshita Eiji, Goto Noriaki, Komatsu Hiroshi (2023). Contemporary Approaches to Social Research: Logics and Methods. Minerva Shobo. ISBN: 9784623095247
Evaluation methods and criteria
The final grade is based on class participation (50%), written assignments (20%), and final exam (30%).
Related courses
- LAH.T216 ： Social Survey Methods B
- LAH.T322 ： Social Survey Methods C
- LAH.S454 ： Essence of Humanities and Social Sciences64:Social Survey Methods
Prerequisites
None required.