The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the philosophical underpinnings and techniques that are prevalent in the discipline. The course opens with readings in the philosophy of science, texts that introduce the student to how to identify theories, after which s/he becomes acquainted with hypothesis testing. The balance of the course centers upon research design, the collection and analysis of data, and the logic associated with it. Pedagogically, the course adopts a positivist perspective, but will occasionally reference interpretive approaches. While the course favors more quantitative methods, it does cover qualitative approaches as well. In the concluding two weeks of the class, students will focus upon the methods and skills necessary for preliminary quantitative analysis.