Restriction(s): Matriculation in a doctoral program at MSU. This course introduces students to major methodologies and fundamental skills of quantitative research. Students critically examine the features of common research methods, including experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental designs, as well as related sampling techniques. Students study the underlying principles of measurement, focusing on such concepts as validity, reliability, and bias. Students also acquire skills for interpreting basic statistical procedures. Topics include descriptive statistics, introduction to probability and statistical inference, and the presentation and interpretation of statistical data in empirical literature. The course provides students with an opportunity to use statistical computing packages, such as SPSS, to support data analysis and interpretation.