Develops basic quantitative and qualitative research techniques. Students pursuing Capstone will form capstone teams during this course and initiate research. Students pursuing a Master's thesis will define their research question and perform initial background research for it. Both groups will complete a research design.

Choosing a research question; using scholarly and academic sources; reviewing applicable literature; considering interdisciplinary approaches (technical, policy/regulatory, and business / economics); planning a research strategy; outlining, drafting and editing; and formatting, citations, and avoiding plagiarism.

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The Capstone I course develops four types of skills: 1. Inquiry. Develop a structured, scientific mode of intellectual organization. Identify a scientific policy arena and/or issue which matches the student's skills. Conduct an inquiry about a contestable issue that has not been fully answered. 2. Research. Understand and utilize the resources and databases available for conducting research at the intersection of technology, policy/law and business/economics. Master the basic research skills required for the Capstone or Master's Thesis. 3. Writing. Learn the patterns of organization and citation that are accepted within the relevant scientific community. Be able to quickly access resources concerning basic grammatical rules. Effectively organize and communicate ideas with clarity and persuasive force. 4. Academic Integrity. Abide by principles of academic integrity. If it is someone else's idea or phrase, give credit where credit is due.

In order to enroll in Research Methods, students who were accepted into the ITP degree program beginning fall 2009 and forward must have completed at least 12 credit hours in ITP, as follows: 6 credits of technical courses; 3 credits of economics or business courses; 2 credits of TLEN 5210; and 1 credit of TLEN 5600. In addition, students must be capable of producing written work that is free from grammatical, vocabulary, spelling, and other errors. Students must pass a writing skills test prior to enrollment in the course.

Practical Research: Planning and Design, 9th ed, by Paul D. Leedy and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
A Writer's Reference, 6th ed, by Diana Hacker

All students must be able to access course materials using CULearn. CAETE students must be able to view lectures via streaming video.