Seminar: applied research methods in social, behavioral sciences

ASU's Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety will offer a seminar on applied research methods in social and behavioral sciences from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Feb. 19 at the Downtown Phoenix campus, 500 N. 3td St., Suite 300.

In an ideal research world, we would be able to easily implement randomized experiments that lead us to causal results.  Unfortunately, this is not always possible, and propensity score matching (PSM) methods have become a popular alternative used by researchers and policy analysts for selecting a matched comparison group that mimics a treatment group. Matching methods are helpful to test the impact of certain public policies resulting in evidence-based policy making and to isolate the effects of government or nonprofit programs. 

Instructor Melissa S. Kovacs, Ph.D. will provide an overview of matching methods. The seminar will discuss the principals underlying PSM, its benefits and limitations, when it should be used, and how it is currently implemented. Kovacs also will focus on applying matching methods to a series of problems and data questions.

The seminar is open to the public. Cost to register before Jan. 20 is $145 for faculty and postdoctoral fellows, and $95 for graduate students; cost after that is $175 and $125, respectively. Cost includes a course packet and lunch. Register online at www.regonline.com/PSM. 

A working knowledge of OLS regression is required.   

ASU's Center for Violence Prevention & Community Safety is part of the College of Public Programs at the ASU Downtown Phoenix campus. For information, visit http://cvpcs.asu.edu.