This course aims to develop student research and analytical skills. Students are introduced to the research strategies and philosophies as well as theory and logic of research, the ethics that guide the research process, and to the range of research methods generally employed in the social sciences. Emphasis will be given to knowledge related to research design, data collection, elementary data analysis, and report writing. The course includes discussions of specific methodological approaches. The course also gives special attention to practical knowledge of the research process and in preparing students to conduct their own basic research projects. Students will leave the course with a better understanding of the ways to conduct their own research in various fields. This is a foundational course that will prepare students for advanced research methods courses in their chosen fields.