Norfolk State University

Department of Interdisciplinary Studies

Syllabus
Fundamentals of Research in Interdisciplinary Studies (INT
360.90)
Dr. Andrew T. Arroyo, Ed.D.
BMH C-105
757-823-2878

Summer 2014
Ofc hrs: Email or by appointment
atarroyo@nsu.edu

Course Description (Pre-requisites: INT 308, 322):

Exploration of relationships between social theory and the
interdisciplinary process; investigates rationales and appropriate
applications of qualitative and quantitative research methods;
examines techniques for formulating thesis statements and
hypotheses; reviews salient factors for developing valid and reliable
questionnaires, and constructs researchable proposals.
Course Goals and Measureable Intended Student Learning
Outcomes:
By the end of the course, students who actively read, research and
participate will be able to:
1. Given examples of quantitative and qualitative social research
methods, students will be able to accurately distinguish between
the methods and identify the components of each, citing when
each method should be engaged.
2. Given examples of the theoretical principles on which scientific
research is based, students will be able to identify and prepare
via specific techniques for engaging in such research.
3. Given the opportunity to work in groups, students will
demonstrate a positive increased knowledge of interdisciplinary
studies, specifically as it relates to research, inquiry, logic,
reasoning, critical thinking, and scientific methods.
4. Students will be able to prepare a research proposal
demonstrating their acquisition and application of social research
methods, interdisciplinarily.
Course Materials/Required Texts:
Educational Research, 4th edition, by John W. Creswell
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th
edition

Additional readings and/or recordings through Blackboard as

warranted

Related University-Wide and Course-Specific Requirements:

This course meets the requirements of the following competencies:
writing, information, technology literacy, oral communication and
critical thinking.
Course Policies/Requirements
Attendance (Participation)/Tardiness PolicyStudents are
expected to attend every class and to be on time. For face-toface students, missing more than 20% of classes during the
semester will result in an automatic failure for the course, and
excessive tardiness will result in a serious reduction of the
students grade (at the professors discretion). For online
students, missing more than four discussion boards will result in
an automatic failure.
Cell Phone PolicyCell phones should be silenced and put
away during class. No texting is permitted at any time.
Discussion Board Requirements (online courses only)
See the Posting Instructions document located in Blackboard
for applicable discussion board requirements.
Late Work Policy -- Late work is not accepted unless prior
authorization has been given or a doctors note is provided after
the fact. In the event late work is accepted, it is subject to point
deductions at the discretion of the professor, up to 10% per day.
Email Only official NSU email accounts should be used for
course correspondence. Students should check their email a
minimum of three times per week to avoid missing vital course
announcements.
Weather PolicyIn case of inclement weather, students should
listen to local major radio and television stations; visit the NSU
website at www.nsu.edu; and/or call the University operator at
757-823-8600. Students are responsible to be present for class
unless an official closure has been announced. Online courses
are not subject to university closures.
Incomplete PolicyCurrent NSU policy governs incompletes.
Please consult the current policy. Incompletes are given only in
very rare cases.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Statement
In accordance with Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act
and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, if you
have a disability or think you have a disability; contact
Supporting Students through Disability Services (SSDS) for

information regarding programs and services to enhance student

success.
Academic Integrity/Plagiarism PolicyPlagiarism is defined
as using other peoples work as your own without crediting them,
including but not limited to: copying others notes, exams,
essays, or information, quoting and paraphrasing others ideas
without giving them credit and proper documentation; using
information from the internet without properly citing source,
website address (URL), author, date, etc. Plagiarism is a form of
cheating and will result in an assignment grade of F and possibly
an overall course grade of F. Any instance of academic
dishonesty will NOT be tolerated. See the student handbook for a
description of the honor policy and the consequences for
violations.
Use of the World Wide Web for researchFor this and all
courses I teach, the following sources are acceptable: books,
magazines, newspapers, and scholarly journals. No websites are
accepted for research purposes in any paper/project. This
includes Wikipedia.
Success PolicyThe best policy for success in any course is
preparation, time management, and constant communication
with the professor. Be proactive instead of reactive. Attending
college is a privilege, not a right. You are accountable for
everything that is in this syllabus, and everything covered in
class. The buck stops with YOU!
Grading Scale:
100-95 = A (Superior)
94-90 = A89-87 = B+ (Very Good)
86-84 = B
83-80 = B79-77 = C+ (Average to Adequate)
76-73 = C (INT majors must earn C or better to gain credit
towards graduation.)
72-70 = C69-67 = D+
66-64 = D
63-60 = D59 & below = F

Assignment weights
Attendance/Participation* 20%
4 quizzes**
80% (Given in modules 4, 8, 11,
and 16)

*Participation includes following discussion board rules for online

courses and being on time for class, completing weekly course
readings/assignments, and participating in group work and class
assignments for face to face courses.
**Quizzes are online, non-proctored, open book/notes but must be
taken without collaboration, mostly objective, contain between 10-30
questions, and will be timed. Questions will come from readings and
lectures.
Schedule
The specific readings will be posted in Blackboard each week. Also,
online classes can expect audio recordings at various points to help
make sense of the readings.