FF:RLMgB611 Survey methods - Course Information

RLMgB611 Survey methods in the study of contemporary religious beliefs and practices

Extent and Intensity

1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching

Teacher(s)

Mgr. Martin Lang, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Radim Chvaja, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Jana Nenadalová, Ph.D. (lecturer)

Guaranteed by

Mgr. Martin Lang, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Kristýna Čižmářová
Supplier department: Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30

fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with

there are 9 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display

Course objectives

The course focuses on gaining a basic overview of survey methods and how they can be used in the study of religion. The course first introduces general principles and good practice in working with quantitative data (data collection methods, statistical inference, visualization of results) so that students are able to critically evaluate the results of quantitative survey studies, whether scientific or presented in the media. Subsequently, the course combines lectures with seminars. First, students will learn general principles of questionnaire construction, which they will then test on existing questionnaires. Next, students will learn to evaluate the appropriateness of questionnaire construction using existing data and suggest modifications that would enhance the validity and reliability of the questionnaire. Specific applications of the questionnaire method in the study of religion (and critiques thereof) will be further illustrated through three case studies from the areas of Czech atheism, Islam, and new religious movements in the US. During the seminars, students will work to develop their own questionnaire, collect pilot data, and pilot analysis of the results. No prior knowledge of statistics or data visualization is required - statistical inference will be discussed in the basic outlines necessary to understand publicly presented statistical inference. Similarly, knowledge of statistical data analysis and visualization software is not required - the basics of working with this software will be discussed in the seminars.

Learning outcomes

After the course completion, students will gain:

data literacy and the ability to critically evaluate statistical/causal inference from presented data (e.g. how religious affiliation affects electoral preferences in the Czech Republic);

an overview of available data concerning the current religious situation, beliefs, behaviour, and attitudes;

the ability to construct a valid and reliable questionnaire that asks about religious beliefs and practices;

basic skills of processing survey data ("data wrangling"), data analysis, and presentation of results (data visualization).

Syllabus

• Introduction to quantitative thinking and causal inference
• Correlation vs. causation
• Methods of questionnaire construction
• Working with the Google Forms tool
• Specific principles of questionnaire construction
• Preparing questions for contemporary religious traditions
• Case questionnaire studies – Czech atheists and new religious movements
• Practical guidelines for data collection
• Case questionnaire studies – Islam in Europe
• Processing of collected data
• Analysis, visualization, and interpretation of questionnaire data
• Presentation of personal pilot data

Literature

recommended literature
• Field, A., Miles, J., & Field, Z. (2009). Discovering Statistics Using R. SAGE.
• Price, P., Jhangiani, R., & Chiang, I. (2015). Research Methods of Psychology – 2nd Canadian Edition. Victoria, B.C.: BCcampus.
• Rohrer, J. M. (2018). Thinking clearly about correlations and causation: Graphical causal models for observational data. Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/2515245917745629
• Nordmann E, McAleer P, Toivo W, Paterson H, DeBruine LM. Data Visualization Using R for Researchers Who Do Not Use R. Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science. April 2022. doi:10.1177/25152459221074654
• Willard, A. K., & Cingl, L. (2017). Testing theories of secularization and religious belief in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Evolution and Human Behavior, 38(5), 604–615. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2017.01.002

Teaching methods

Combination of lectures with discussions, practical seminars. In the seminars students will need to work on their laptops. If the student does not have one at their disposal, it is possible to borrow a laptop from the department by arrangement with the lecturer.

Assessment methods

A written term paper (4-6 thousand words) that illustrates the ability to construct a questionnaire, collect pilot data, and analyze and interpret that data. The topic of the term paper is selected by the students in consultation with the teacher, but preferably with a focus on the thesis topic. The term paper should include a short theoretical summary of the problem under study, the research question and the hypothesis. However, the main focus of the term paper should be on the questionnaire itself and the presentation of the results, including tables and graphs. The term paper can be submitted in Czech, Slovak, and English. It is also possible to work on the outputs in groups and share your expertise. However, each student has to produce at least one seminar paper on which he/she will be assessed. The seminar paper will be assessed with a maximum of 100 points based on: the quality of the prepared questionnaire and the reasoning behind the individual decisions made in its construction, processing of results and statistical inference. A minimum of 60 points is required to pass the colloquium.

Language of instruction

Czech

Further comments (probably available only in Czech)

The course is taught once in two years.
The course is taught: every other week.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Zápis mimo religionistiku je podmíněn souhlasem vyučujících.

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